side effects of caffeine in children?

[dragons in the flower bed]

Those of you who treat ADHD with caffeine, do you worry about stunted growth, higher risk of cysts, and the other side effects of ingesting caffeine daily during childhood?

My eight-year-old told me this morning that caffeine "helps me block out all the unwanted thoughts that pop in." I noticed, also, a major decrease in the amount of fidgeting, staring into space, forgetting where we were, etc. Before I go ahead and let the child self-medicate, I want to check into the medical risks.

[BramFam]

I don't use caffeine for my kids -- no ADHD, but I have drank coffee since I was 8. I have always had severe asthma, especially in my younger years, and the caffeine was something that helps to open your airways.

While my growth was not stunted (I am female and 5'8"), I did have to have surgery my senior year of high school for an ovarian cyst (unknown whether the caffeine is to blame) that was thought to be a burst appendix, otherwise they would have just left it alone. I still am a heavy coffee drinker -- not for the asthma anymore, just because I love it. I drink about 2 cups in the morning and 2 at night, everyday. Other than the asthma that I was born with (which is very mild now), I am the picture of perfect health.

HTH

[Hathersage]

Caffeiene leaches calicum from the bones, so you'd need to up the daily dose of calcium to counteract that.

[cillakat]

Those of you who treat ADHD with caffeine, do you worry about stunted growth, higher risk of cysts, and the other side effects of ingesting caffeine daily during childhood?

My eight-year-old told me this morning that caffeine "helps me block out all the unwanted thoughts that pop in." I noticed, also, a major decrease in the amount of fidgeting, staring into space, forgetting where we were, etc. Before I go ahead and let the child self-medicate, I want to check into the medical risks.

Amen's books have good info on why you don't want to use caffiene and why you don't want your kids using caffeine as medication....diminished blood flow to the brain, increased cortisol production, adrenal fatigue....there is a long list.

Personally, I'd choose the well studied, dosage controlled stimulant meds. They've been in use for decades and we know much about them.

K

[dragons in the flower bed]

Amen's books have good info on why you don't want to use caffiene and why you don't want your kids using caffeine as medication....diminished blood flow to the brain, increased cortisol production, adrenal fatigue....there is a long list.

That's exactly the sort of information I'm looking for. :-) My library has _Healing ADD_ by a Dr. Daniel Amen, but it's from 2000. Does he have other/up-to-date titles?

[chiguirre]

Personally, I'd choose the well studied, dosage controlled stimulant meds. They've been in use for decades and we know much about them.

K

Actually, Ritalin and other ADHD meds carry "black box" warnings about possibly causing sudden death. Here's a link to a NY Times article that appeared right after the FDA voted to require the strictest warnings on Ritalin et al.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/10/health/policy/10drug.html

I have tried Ritalin and Strattera on my 8yo in spite of the warnings, but his attention problems are pretty severe. In the end, neither worked and we're back to a morning cuppa. I'm not thrilled about it, but it's definitely the least of the available evils.

[dawn of ns]

Personally, I'd choose the well studied, dosage controlled stimulant meds. They've been in use for decades and we know much about them.

K

My choice as well. I've treated my own ADD with caffeine at times but it's effects are short term, uneven and I'm faced with a crash as the end of it. Much prefer the slow release stimulant I'm on now.

[cillakat]

My choice as well. I've treated my own ADD with caffeine at times but it's effects are short term, uneven and I'm faced with a crash as the end of it. Much prefer the slow release stimulant I'm on now.

yes....and over time, caffiene tolerance increases. while some have that with stimulant meds, it's not an issue that most face. I've had to work up to 10 mg adderall, but have been on that dose for nearly 2 years. Nearly two years of 'x' dose of caffiene would have no effect.

While it's true that stimulant meds carry black box warnings, the risk of not treating ADHD effectively is dramatically more risky.

k