Is it okay?...I want to know!

According to research, it may not be that harmful. So that means that you can't really be careless about it. A child's caffeine consumption should be closely monitored. It is safe when consumed in moderation but may affect a child's nutrition. The child might end up eating less because caffeine acts as appetite-suppressant. It may be restricted because it isn't needed for child's nutrition anyway. Check this out: http://chevroncars.com/learn/food-recipes/coffee-children There are a lot of answers you can find on the web. :) So the key for this is moderation but then it isn't really important in a child's nutrition.

Well,I don't think it's good for kid or child under 12 years old to have coffee.One of the reason is the caffeine just like you mentioned.As we know that caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, having the effect of temporarily warding off drowsiness and restoring alertness.For that little kids,it's no use to ward something,or say it may change the personality of kids if they have the effect of caffeine in a long round.For other reason,being stimulant by coffee,it may have the negative effect on growing of kids;further,it wards off the absord of calcuim and thus infect the grwoth of kids' bones.In all,the negative sides of drinking coffee for these little kids seem count less~just take care if you'll or you're doing so~~happy lotting~

really? if you ask me he is too young to drink coffee!!hehehe i wonder why his dad let him drink coffee.. my mother didnt allow me to drink coffee until i was in highschool.. then i learn to love it.. i am a great coffee drinker.. i dont want it very strong but i really love coffe big time.. when i have my own kids, i wont let them drink coffee until they reach highschool too.

Coffee and softdrinks have caffeine. The thing here is, kids needs to sleep longer than adults do. Caffeine is a stimulant. Kids might not sleep well if they regularly drink coffee. Their growth would not be that much. Kids can drink coffee but then they need to sleep.

well I guess as long as his parents dont mind that he gets hyper it dosent really matter. Studies show that in adults anway a certain ammount of coffee actually prevents heart problems. If the kid is drinking more than a cup though it could be a problem. most kids I know dont actually drink a whole cup though they just sip on it for a while and that's it.

When my oldest child was only 2, I had a babysitter who frequently gave him a small cup of coffee. At first, I was unsettled agout this at first, but she assured me that it was only something she gave him once in a while, and when she did give him coffee, she added a lot of milk to it and only enough coffee to change to the color a bit. It made him feel big and he seemed to enjoy this special moment with her. As a matter of fact, he is now 11 and still occassionally talks about drinking coffee with this woman. I don't think it should be made into a normal routine for any child to ingest a lot of caffeine, but I don't think there is harm in allowing it once in a while. I know of several cases where parents have given their child a cup of coffee to help relieve constipation. I have also done this, and it works.

I think that this child should not drink coffee at all,as coffee is bad even for adults.

I let me kids drink coffee and they've drank coffee since I'd say 3-4 years. They are now 15, 10 and 6. For us, it's a culture thing. Heck I was drinking coffee since I was a kid. I only let them drink coffee on either Saturday or Sunday. It's their treat. Shoot they both (the 10 and 6) know how to make a pot of coffee. I think if the child is monitored, it's ok. I give them more milk than coffee in their cup. I don't think it's a big deal.

There is a such a thing as decaff (caffeine free) coffee so maybe the little boy had that kind. Also, coffee (even regular coffee) is not always bad for a child, For example, my oldest child has ADHD. I don't like giving him the medication for that all the time because I have heard so many bad side effects about it. I asked his doctors if there were any alternatives to the medicine and his doctor suggested giving him a cup of coffee. The doctor went on to explain that ADHD medicine, such as adderall, rittlin, etc. our, in themselves, stimulints. Stimulints actually conteract hyperactivity in an overly hyper child. Sort of like when you get a flu shot or vaccine of any kind, they actually inject you with the virus. Otherwise, I don't think it's as harmful as some people believe. I myself drank coffee quite a bit as a child and so did a lot of other people I know and it never harmed us. Most anything, consumed in moderation is not harmful. Maybe this little boy only has a cup of coffee once in a while and not often, if so, that would not be harmful.

wow, what a dad! that's not ok at all to allow or inspire a 4 year old boy to drink coffee. even we are adult is not recommended to drink coffee. the caffeine will be to strong to the kid. i myself cannot bear coffee. drinking a glass of coffee in the day makes me not sleeping the whole night, my head sick and my heart beating faster. i don't think the boy asked for the coffee. i think his dad which is too crazy and irresponsible for his son's health. you better suggest him not to give coffee to his son.

Here is one website that may answer your questions. www.chevroncars.com/learn/food-recipes/coffee-children

actually i dun know much about such kind of stuffs den also i think this is not gud that a four old boy drinking coffee i a whole cup bye

Hi there, coffee is not good for the little boy. But you know, my son he is having a little cup of tea instead of coffee. Coz everytime we having a coffee he wanted it too so my husband give him a small amount of tea, not too much coz it maybe be bad. Happy posting.

Hi Jstmarfz, for me, i will not allow my little princess (she is 2 years old now) to drink even a sip of coffee, because i really scare about the caffeine impact towards them. Even i didn't find any related article on what are the impact but base on parents and people's advice, is better not to let them drink. Thus my choice is still NO COFFEE to my little kid.

His dad should have not allowed his young son to drink a cup of coffee. It's really not good for the boy either because the coffee contains caffeine and this won't be healty or any benefits. I drank coke since I was 8 years old but only very small allowance.

When i was young, i also drink coffee, my grandmother give me a coffee and i drink it. i think it is not bad for a child to drink coffee unless it is too much. the coffee i drink when i was child is that what so called here as 'kapeng barako" which is purely coffee and add sugar to have taste, if we dont have that coffe, then my grandmother get some rice and place it in caserole and let it cook until it turns black then she add water, and then we place some sugar, and that will be our coffee.

there are some types of coffee that have almost no caffeine, if the boy likes the taste of it, well, and if it's a milked coffee, and if he driks occasionally, it wouldn't do him any harm; all those sweets flavored & colored are more a harm to the boy's health

An old belief in my culture said that a teaspoon of coffee can prevent a little child (below 5 years old) from having a sudden overheat when he/she got fever. But only a teaspoon of coffee not a cup and not everyday.

An old belief in my culture said that a little bit of coffee (i.e.:a teaspoon)can prevent a little child (below 5 years) from having a sudden overheat when he/she got fever. But only a teaspoon of coffee not a cup and not everyday.

I think it is fine for kids to drink coffee.. well mine atleast was trying it around 5 or so. He didnt like it but i am always wanting him to try new things.