AIBU to be surprised by a five-year-old given cola in a bottle?

[Freshtona]

On a flight the other day and a child of about 5 was having total meltdown and was given a baby bottle with Coca-Cola to calm them! The parents had bottles of coke with them to top it up!

I think child was ND, but regardless of that, why would anyone give that to a 5-year old child??? I try not to judge other parents and my own DC aren't strangers to sugar but cola is not allowed. The caffeine and sugar would surely make meltdowns even worse, not to mention the effect on teeth.

I seen a family the other day in Greggs and the (probably also around 5yo) little girl was getting lucozade. That’s a whole other level of neglect.

It shows the case of a little boy who, due to autism, had very limited and restricted diet. Exactly the sort of case you and others seem to think could be sorted by just being stricter and withholding safe foods.

It is not a rare condition amongst ND children at all.

I try not to judge other parents

You've failed

You’re just assuming there was nd involved, though?
There are plenty of spoilt children around who are given exactly what they demand, regardless of how appropriate it is.

What I think is that if I see a child having a tantrum on a plane and a parent caving by offering bottles of coke, sweets, ipads etc. 9.9 times out of 10 it'll be weak parenting rather than a serious, life threatening condition. We all see it every day.

I shared the story in response to those saying things like ‘what did ND children do in the past, ND children wouldn’t just starve if they had their safe foods withheld’

Specifically to those talking about ND children to show that-

Restrictive eating is a common trait of autism
Some children absolutely would starve without their safe foods
No you cannot ‘cure’ it by being strict

What I see is a child having some sweets and screen time on the way to their holiday.

At 5 the child is too young for fizzy crap and too old for a baby bottle. Some people shouldn't be parents.

Anything goes on a plane to help keep kids quiet.

My 5 year old had his tablet for the whole flight back from Sri Lankan (with the break of a 1.5 hour nap).

💯 Why would you even introduce it to a child that young? It’s not a treat 🤦🏻‍♀️

In the history of humanity, how many cases are there of voluntary starvation amongst children? I.e. nutrients are abundant but individual dies surrounded by all the nutritious food nevertheless?

🤣🤣🤣 love it

Well, reading the story of the boy who did indeed starve, many of the articles including interviews with other parents who have autistic children with severely restricted food intake (sometimes only two or three safe food) who also require medical care. I think it’s safe to say that this absolutely happened in the past too, it was just unlikely it would be recognised as food avoidance or arfid due to autism or ND.

i mean if people are that hellbent on denying it’s a thing, maybe message some of these parents that you know how to solve it 🙄 some of them are desperate and at their wits end.

I work with children and families in a safeguarding role. I have come across quite a few small children over the years who are routinely given coke, milkshakes, and even energy drinks from baby bottles. Sometimes the parents genuinely believe this is harmless. Sometimes they are fully aware that it's not harmless, and they feel guilty about it, but are struggling to break the habit. In some cases, but certainly not all, SEND is a factor.

Regardless of the reasons, the impact of routinely drinking sugary drinks like Coke from a baby bottle on a 5 year olds speech, teeth and physical health could be significant. We are seeing an increasing number of children who are having to endure severe dental pain and multiple invasive procedures, including dental surgery under general anaesthetic. Judgement isn't helpful, but parents absolutely should be supported and encouraged by schools, medical professionals and other services to find a safe way of keeping their child calm and hydrated. Strangers on planes through, they need to mind their own business and not comment on others parenting unless a child is at immediate at risk of harm.

In certain situations, with particular medical conditions these things ARE recommended. My severely disabled brother was recommended chocolate when he was similar age by his consultant (albeit 30 years ago) but I recently read a report regarding a 4 year old from a consultant at Great Ormond Street Hospital recommending offering 'sweet treats and carbonated drinks'. I presume very specific to the child in questions needs, but equally he doesnt wear a badge saying 'fizzy pop as directed by the doctor'......

It’s not something I personally do (cola or baby bottle for a 5yo) but two things: (1) don’t judge other parents, it’s a terrible habit and (2) on a plane I’d say most people have a rule that “anything goes” to keep the kids calm and un- disruptive of others! Unlimited biscuits and screen time is my approach to planes but not the rest of life.

Thank you !!! Children are rational, it’s some parents who are not. They will eat when hungry and if you give them a healthy meal they will start to eat that too if hungry

Yes. There are children who aren’t.

Did it work?

lol no, I grew up in Africa, had ND relatives and a neighbourhood boy. We all ate the same food. We also have disabilities etc and we see them. I also have a ND nephew and believe it or not, when he’s with me, he eats what I cook, but when he’s with his grandma he eats pot noodles because of his autism and that’s all he will have. His mum cooks for him too and there is no other option. If given an option he will eat noodles and McDonald’s everyday.

Just to say it’s not only in western countries you have ND children, we have them in developing countries too and they aren’t eating crisps and biscuits for every meal.

Why don’t you message some of the parents who are quoted in the news stories about the little boy (the one who literally starved to death due to his autism and restricted diet) who have autistic restricted eaters and are at their wits end since you know how to cure it 🙄 if only they’d thought of that hey!

There is no way your DS would starve himself to death if not given safe foods. He may not eat for a day or 2, but that won’t kill him. Once hunger takes over, he will eat what he is given.

read more about the world, look at countries who experience famine etc, trust me they have ND children too in their population, but when faced with no food a person will eat what is available to them.

Your option goes against science and biology. Your son would not starve himself to death. It’s sad you think so and I say this with the most compassion. Pray we don’t have ww3 because how else will ND children survive if certain foods were restricted.

That’s just shitty, shitty parenting. It really is.

I didn’t say it was a cure for epilepsy. It would have been in the world press, if it were.

I said, it used to stop non convulsive status epilepticus in DD1. Hunger was the number one trigger for DD1 at that time. A quick dose of sugar removed the trigger. She had to be able to swallow the Coke, which she could usually, in between focal seizures.

So, I don’t go round judging other parents for what they do legally, with their children to cope in a stressful situation, because strangers know nothing about the background.

No one bats an eyelid though on holiday when you’ve got kids drinking slushies, fizzy, mocktails.

I guess in the moment it looked worse as they were drinking it out of a baby bottle.

If they had a sip out of the coke bottle you’d likely not notice or judge.