What are the best drinks for my child?
Milk and water are best for children and safest for their teeth. Milk provides important nutrients and, like water, will not encourage a sweet tooth. Full-fat cow's milk can be given from one year. At two years, semi-skimmed can be given if your child is eating well, and skimmed milk can be introduced after five years.
Pure fruit juice can be given with meals as it contains vitamin C which helps with iron absorption. However, it also contains sugars so frequent consumption can damage teeth. Many children drink juice in between meals, filling them up so they do not want to eat. It should be diluted very well and offered just once a day with meals.
Other drinks such as squashes and juice drinks contain sugar (or additives) and are not recommended. This includes special 'baby' juices and herbal drinks. As well as causing tooth decay, sugary drinks can lead to excess weight gain, poor appetite and poor growth. Fizzy drinks contain sugar and acid which can erode teeth. If you do give sugary or fizzy drinks very occasionally, dilute well, give at mealtimes and only from a cup, never a bottle. Also, give your child a straw so that the liquid does not come into contact with the teeth at the front of the mouth.
Tea is not recommended because it contains tannins which interfere with iron absorption. If tea is given to encourage milk consumption, it must be very weak and not given with food.
Are 'diet' or 'no added sugar' drinks all right?
Carbonated soft drinks or juice drinks labelled 'diet' or 'no added sugar'
may still harm children's teeth, as they often contain some sugar and may be acidic. If in doubt, check labels before you buy. These words indicate sugar is added: glucose, honey, syrup, fructose, dextrose, invert sugar, maltose and hydrolysed starch. Be aware that sugar is often replaced with sweeteners, or additives which are not recommended for children under three years.
What if they don't like milk?
After 12 months of age children need less milk. However, they should still have about 350ml (4oz) per day to provide calcium for growing bones and teeth. Many children who will not drink milk will eat dairy foods such as cheese or yoghurt. These are perfectly suitable alternatives. Offer dairy products three times a day, for example, milk with breakfast cereal, cheese sandwich, custard or rice pudding dessert, macaroni cheese or other meal made with a white cheese sauce.
When should you start giving a cup?
Cups should be introduced from six months and bottles discouraged past one year. Prolonged bottle use can lead to poor appetite and food refusal, iron deficiency, poor growth and poor speech development. Open-lidded cups are best, but to start with you may like to try a free-flowing trainer cup.
Make sure your child does not have to suck on the spout to get the fluid.
What can you do to encourage cup use?
Many young children get used to their bottles, but the longer they are allowed them, the harder it is to break the habit. Introduce a cup as a toy to allow your child to get familiar with it. Remove their bottle from sight and you may find they soon forget about it. Offer them a little sip from your own cup until eventually they will want their own!
Help! My child will not sleep without a drink.
Many children become accustomed to a comforting sweet bedtime drink, such as sugary tea or hot chocolate. At first, gradually reduce the amount of drink offered and when it is finished, do not give in to cries for more.
Try a bedtime routine that does not involve drinking. Find other ways to comfort your child, such as reading a book, telling a story or having a cuddle - with all cups and bottles out of sight!
