WIBU to speak to school?

[Queenofthestress]

I've just done the school run. Leaving out the doors, look behind me to check where DS is and spot his friend (same age, 4) chugging on an energy drink. I know that it was definitely an energy drink because I've had the same one before and it said it down the side of the can. I don't feel like I can raise it with the mum as I see her once in a blue moon.
Should I raise it with her when I see her next which more than likely won't be for another couple weeks or raise it with the teacher at school?
First time encountering this type of issue so I have no idea what's normally done

Of course the school can do something if they are banned on school grounds.

The school can 'do something about it' as the child had something on the school premises which is banned from the school premises.

I still probably wouldn't get involved, though.

It was one of those red devil ones, the spar sells them as far as I know, I used to drink them in college until one of our friends had a stroke after drinking too many

Might be a bit outing, but I just put a link on the school parents facebook page about the danger of energy drink , and fizzy drinks in general.

most will probably think I am deranged odd, but OP you could do the same, or ask the school to put a reminder in their newsletter. What else can be done? I hate this "report them" mentality.

It's an energy drink, something that is illegal to sell to minors

Its not illegal.

My children's school would want to know, but they are very vocally against them.

Schools aren't stupid. If there is no problems with the child's behaviour or development etc they will smile say thank you and forget it.

If it's part of a bigger picture of problems it could be one more piece of the jigsaw to help the family and child.

Apologies for the dailymail link

www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2837194/Can-energy-drink-poison-child-2-000-children-age-six-hospitalised-symptoms-including-abnormal-heart-rhythms-past-three-years.html

But energy drinks are very dangerous and for a 4 year old can be very serious. And supermarkets have banned them for the under 16s.

This thread shows exactly why they are dangerous because people tend to think they are ok

This thread shows exactly why they are dangerous because people tend to think they are ok

But nobody on this thread said they were ok, not one person?? All people are saying is that it is not the OP's place to get involved in how other people parent their children.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43287125. Quite a few supermarkets plus Boots have banned sales to under 16s. I certainly wouldn't want my kids drinking them

Energy drinks are not suitable for children and are often labelled as such and supermarkets are increasingly putting an age restriction on them. While I am sadly used to seeing teenagers swigging away on cheap bottles of the stuff, giving such a high concentration of caffine to a small child has a small potential for harm and is likely to affect their behaviour.

It is worth mentionning to school as it may be useful information as part of any bigger picture of the child's well being. The school may want to put a generic notice out, find it useful for that specific child or disregard, but it's better to let the school make that call.

If you believe they are so dangerous (and I agree to be honest) why didn't you do something then? Replace energy drink by alcohol, would you just rant about it once home, bitch about the mother and smugly report to school days later, or be a grown-up and act immediately? 4 year old kids are not wandering around unaccompanied.

That's the attitude I have a problem with, not the energy drink ban!

And this is why we end up with a nanny state, the legislation is in process so it will become illegal for u16s to buy or be given energy drinks. A colleague came into the office gobsmacked a few weeks ago, he'd popped out to get some lunch and saw a toddler having a tantrum in his buggy, the mother screamed at him not to be such a 'fucking little shit, it's mine', he thought initially she was referring to the cigarette she was smoking and waving around directly over the child, but then she said 'oh just fucking have it then' and gave the child a can of relentless, those huge fans of energy drink. I know Mumsnet will say he probably had a medical need for that drink, and I have my judgey pants on, but the circumstantial evidence would suggest otherwise. If you see it again OP say something to mum or teacher there and then, holding on to it makes it a bit weird to bring up now.

Actually OP I understand your point. Fizzy juice/sweets/crap aren’t anything to get involved about, they’re not ideal in large quantities but it is what it is.

An energy drink full of caffeine and other shite is a risk, an immediate risk, to a small child. It messes with your heart rate, your liver and kidneys and in the case of a caffeine overdose (I’ve had one from
Energy drinks on nightshift) can be really fucking dangerous.

So aye, I would say something.

I've already said I'm going to leave it guys, if I see it again I might ask about it in more of a curious way than anything,
I didn't exactly have the time to say anything at that point, hence why I thought of just mentioning it to the teacher
ikeepaforkinmypurse you try keeping hold of a pushchair and an autistic bolter during the rush out of a single door and see how you fair trying to talk to someone. There's a reason that I only see her once in a blue moon and that is because we leave school early to avoid the rush. Do not say I didn't act as a grown up when you have no idea why I couldn't speak to her if I wanted to at the time thank you.

For crying out loud this is not an alternative and equally valid parenting choice.
This is a tiny child swigging down toxic levels of caffeine. I would say something. It's abuse to let him drink that.

I would mention it. It’s not just a fizzy drink, kids are not allowed to buy this stuff in shops anymore (can’t remember what age they can buy it from?). I hate seeing anyone drink it let alone kids, sorry, it’s just one of my hates.

Just checked and supermarkets no longer sell it to under 16’s .

They say that the total amount of caffeine in some cans or bottles of energy drinks can exceed 500mg, which they say is equivalent to 14 cans of common caffeinated soft drinks. To put this in context, they say that a lethal dose of caffeine is considered to be 200–400mg per kg of weight (about 6g for a 30kg child).

Energy drinks often include the plant extract guarana. This extract contains caffeine, and 1g of guarana is equivalent to 40mg of caffeine. Therefore, guarana will increase the total caffeine content in the beverage. In the energy drinks that the researchers sampled, they found that the drinks contained up to 30mg of guarana per 240ml.

These are from the NHS website about energy drinks for small children and the extreme dangers. I think the posters having a pop at OP ought to read them and rethink their ideas.

how other people parent their children

people parent differently

Giving a 4yo an energy drink is not equivalent to giving them a bag of crisps. I would have thought it would have really unpleasant physiological effects on a child that small.

I would speak to the school. It may well explain the child’s behaviour in school (eg hyper for the very first bit) and stop this been attributed to other reasons. Also if the high levels of caffeine causes a medical issue then the school need to know. I doubt the school would rush out and tell the parents to stop but it would inform discussions with them if necessary.

Its really not ok and I don't blame you for being concerned.
But its not illegal so it would be like phoning the school and saying you saw a kid have a can of coke.
We know the energy drink is worse than the coke but legally and safeguarding-wise there is no real distinction.

My DS was carrying my energy drink while I popped in the shop and I heard his friend walk past and say 'are you going to drink that? If you do you will get a hole in your heart and DIE!'