MYRTLE BEACH - Children are under a constant barrage of advertising from companies that promote high caffeine, high sugar drinks.
March is caffeine awareness month. And these days, what you probably need to be most aware of is the negative impact caffeine could be having on your child.
Chances are, you wouldn't think of pouring your child a cup of coffee.
But chances are, you may not think twice about letting your child grab a soda.
"Up to ninety-percent of young people have at least one caffeinated drink a day, a third have two caffeinated drinks a day,"” says Dr. Amanda Drosieko, a Murrells Inlet Pediatrician.
Caffeine won't kill your child but, except in rare cases, it's not good for them.
When your child drinks a soda or an energy drink, it likely takes the place of a drink that's good for them. Plus, numerous studies say, the high sugar content in most caffeinated drinks helps lead to obesity.
Caffeine can also cause increased anxiety or nervousness, headaches, sleep issues and an increased heart rate. Not to mention the unknown impacts of what you find mixed with caffeine in many energy drinks.
"The energy drinks may have caffeine but they'll combine that with other things that contain caffeine, some B vitamins and Taurine, which an amino acid," says Dr. Sharon Thompson, a Health Professor at Coastal Carolina University. "We just really don't know the affects of when you put that chemical mix together and you drink it often."
And many young people use the energy drinks, and the energy shots, often. The manufacturers know it.
"It's not regulated so they can do as they choose,” says Dr. Mark Mitchell, Professor of Marketing at Coastal Carolina University. “Ethically, they have to decide should they target young people, but legally they can. The big things seem to be the slogans. Amp is 'amp up.' Monster is 'unleash the beast.' Something that is short and sweet. Remember, this is a Facebook and Twitter audience, so something short and quick."
And short and quick is what concerns many health professionals. While you normally sip a cup of coffee, many young people gulp an energy drink, which normally has four times the caffeine as a cup of coffee.
The best thing for a parent is to be aware.
"To say kids can have no caffeine, that's my wish,” says Drosieko. “But at the very least, you got to be smart about it. I understand if you go to a birthday party and have a soda with a pizza, but not every day. That's because it's going to take the place of helpful drinks that your child's drinking."
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