SAN ANTONIO — Calls to poison centers for children consuming energy drinks have jumped 20% in the last year, leading to potentially dangerous consequences.
For children, the number of calls about overconsumption of energy drinks was fairly stable through 2022. So what has made that number jump so much in recent years?
"Energy drinks are just being more consumed in general in a family amongst adults. And so it may not be uncommon for a child to grab a can and sip on it without parents or other adults in the household knowing," said Umo Callins, a sports dietitian and fitness coach.
Some of the signs of a caffeine overdose to look out for are an increased heart rate, heart palpitations, heightened blood pressure, anxiousness and rapid breathing.
"It's just really important just to make sure that just be aware of your child, your tween and make sure it is drinking enough water and staying far, far away from those things," Callins said.
The FDA says the typical cup of coffee has 95 mg of caffeine. One Monster energy drink contains 160 mg of caffeine. But Bang energy drinks each have 300 mg. That's what is safe for an adult to drink throughout the day, and we're talking about children!
Dr. Shawn Varney, an emergency medicine doctor at University Health and UT Health San Antonio, and the medical director for the South Texas Poison Center told KENS 5, "For a child or for a teen, smaller body size and consuming multiple beverages into three or four cans of this of these substances, that can cause some pretty dramatic symptoms."
America's Poison Center reported 2,834 calls in 2023 about children consuming energy drinks, up in a big way from 2,323 just the year before. About one of every two calls were reported as unintentional, with the number of cases for 12-year-olds twice as much as 6-year-olds.
"You will feel bad. It will increase your anxiety. So with today's society where anxiety is already at a baseline, just pretty high, this is not what you need," said Dr. Varney.
If your child has consumed something you believe they shouldn't have or if you have any concerns about potential illnesses from poisoning, just call the poison center at 1-800-222-1222.
For more advice from America's Poison Center on what to look out for and how to help your child avoid a trip to the ER, check out their website.