Thirsty?

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I have a 4th grader in here c/o dizziness. She ate lunch, BP is normal, hasn't been exercising or running around and when I asked her what she drank today she tells me "2 dixie cups of water, a milk and coffee."

Coffee?! She's nine!! My jaw dropped. Then she told me takes it with milk. Not even sugar or flavored creamer. I was just so surprised! I told her I didn't start drinking coffee until college and even now I only drink it when I am sleepy. Those caffeine addicts are starting young!! We had a laugh about my reaction but then I explained to her how coffee can dehydrate you and if she insists on drinking it she should have extra water to replace what she is losing. Now she knows what the word "diuretic" means. And who says kids miss out on instruction when they visit the nurse?

No behavior issues, she is an absolute dream of a child. I love her. She was so funny too, she just shrugged and said "I like the taste!"

I wonder if the coffee-in-lieu-of-meds thing works. Stranger things have happened I guess. Paging Dr. Folgers...

Actually, a psychologist recommended this to my husband for our son - she said her son had ADHD and she didn't want to put him on a stimulants, but a cup of coffee really helped him get through school.

My son has ADHD and is on stimulants, but recently has been having trouble. We just started him on a teensy cup of coffee (more like 2/3 coffee, 1/3 flavored creamer - in a cup that would be appropriate for a three year old's teaparty) and it has really helped him. He has started asking for it every morning.

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It can be useful for ADD-Inattentive too.

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i have a high hispanic population. It seems to be a cultural norm for the children to start their day with a cup of coffee. I don't even react to it anymore.

I have noticed many of the 4th and 5th graders here drink coffee in the mornings, I didn't think much about it being a hispanic culture thing until you posted this. Almost half our students are hispanic. I asked the ESL teacher and she confirmed that it considered okay with the families in our area.

Personally I can't stand the smell of coffee...worked waiting tables in a truckstop diner in high school.

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It is a cultural Hispanic thing. I had a K student last year c/o of tachycardia. I would take vitals which were normal and call mom. Finally learned she was drinking coffee in the morning!!! I spoke with one of our aides who said it's normal in many Hispanic cultures. Our aide is from either Costa Rica or Puerto Rico.

We did just get a report from a local APN who works with developmental pediatricians. The plan actually suggested coffee in the morning to help with ADHD. Our CST had a field day with that one! Luckily, it was not written as an order for me to follow.

Adderall, Adderall, Focalin, Coffee, Adderall....

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Specializes in ER/Tele, Med-Surg, Faculty, Urgent Care.

I'm Mexican-American and started drinking coffee "cafe con leche" in elementary school in winter as it was a hot drink. It was more "leche" (milk) than coffee, similar to hot chocolate. My daughter also started drinking coffee in grade school. We use the small cups used for espresso. Not the giant mugs that most Americans use.

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My husband is from Mexico and the kids in his family drink coffee from a young age. The coffee they drink when we go to visit his family is soooo weak to me.

My hubby thinks my coffee is way to strong.

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Specializes in LTC, Rehab.

I'm pretty sure my ex said when she was a baby (I guess someone told her this when she was old enough to remember it), her grandfather occasionally put coffee in her BOTTLE! Talk about starting 'em young...

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Specializes in med-surg, IMC, school nursing, NICU.
I'm pretty sure my ex said when she was a baby (I guess someone told her this when she was old enough to remember it), her grandfather occasionally put coffee in her BOTTLE! Talk about starting 'em young...

That's no way to get a baby to sleep!

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Specializes in NICU.

I love this thread! I was shocked and upset at the beginning, but completely turned around now. So strange to think of kids drinking coffee, but the "coffee milk" makes sense, especially with the cultural considerations. I'm thinking elementary school (and beyond) might have been more tolerable with some coffee milk :sleep: I was never awake/attentive and always had headaches in the morning...I've been a night owl since birth!! haha

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Specializes in School Nurse, professor, OBGYN.

My grandmother taught in Brownsville for a while and she would give us café con leche too! yum!

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