Coffee has always been a crowd favorite drink among all age groups. But we all know that caffeine has a different effect on everyone. Doctors often express how young kids and teens should be careful about caffeine but new guidelines regarding this set a firm boundary when it comes to teen health and caffeine. Health experts, working with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, have new advice on healthy drinks for kids and teens in the age group of 5-18. The guidelines say that water and milk are the best drinks for them. They want kids to get into good drinking habits early so they can stay healthy. They're also worried about kids drinking too many sugary and caffeinated drinks. This new guide helps parents know what's good for their kids to drink.

How Did Caffeine Become So Popular Among Teens?

The new guidelines are especially relevant because caffeinated drinks have become increasingly popular among teenagers. Coffee shops, like Starbucks, are popular hangouts for teens, and energy drinks, often packed with caffeine and promoted by social media influencers, are widely available. And a very popular theme on social media is coffee, people enjoy having different varieties of it, making to a very affordable and trendy thing to enjoy! There are accounts dedicated to coffee consumption and often kids and teens partake in these trends.

A recent poll by the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital found that nearly a quarter of parents say their teens consume caffeine almost every day. The most common sources are sodas, followed by coffee and tea, and then energy drinks. Even chocolate contributes to caffeine intake. The amount of kids who consume coffee raises concerns about the potential health effects of caffeine on young people, whose bodies and brains are still developing. The easy access to these beverages and the marketing strategies targeting young audiences contribute to the problem.

Could The Lack Of Guidelines Be A Reason?

Right now, there aren't any official rules about how much caffeine kids can have. This makes it hard for parents and doctors to know what to tell kids about caffeine. The new report tries to fix this by giving some advice based on research. Experts are worried about how caffeine affects kids' sleep, mood, and health. Kids are more sensitive to caffeine than adults. Caffeine can keep them awake, make them anxious, and might even affect their hearts. Because there aren't any rules, it's important to have experts telling us what's safe.

How Caffeine Affects Kids

Caffeine is something that makes your body speed up. Adults can usually handle some caffeine, but it's different for kids and teens. Their bodies are smaller, and their brains are still growing, so caffeine can affect them more. It can make it hard for them to sleep, make them nervous, and even give them headaches or stomachaches. It can also raise their blood pressure and heart rate. Caffeine can also change their mood, making them cranky or unable to focus. We don't know all the ways caffeine affects kids in the long run, and that's another reason to be careful.

The report says that plain water and plain milk are the healthiest drinks for kids and teens. They say it's okay to have a little bit of 100% juice, plant-based milk, or flavored milk, but not too much. They also say kids should stay away from sugary drinks like soda, sports drinks, and lemonade. And, very importantly, they shouldn't drink caffeinated drinks or other things that give you a jolt. This advice is based on what we know about how these drinks affect kids' health. Sugary drinks can cause weight gain and other problems, and caffeine can mess with sleep and other things.

Vapes were marketed as a safer option than cigarettes, but research now shows they carry serious health risks -- from lung damage to meningitis to cancer.

Vaping has been a serious concern in the United States, with New York Attorney General Letitia James in 2025 filing a lawsuit against e-cigarette manufacturers and distributors.

The lawsuit accused the companies of fueling a youth vaping crisis, alleging that these companies that manufacture vapes, especially with flavors, have misled consumers about the safety of their products while deliberately targeting young people through deceptive marketing.

Now, a new study, published in JAMA Network Open, has for the first time assessed trends in young children's nicotine exposures across all types of products.

Shockingly, electronic cigarette-related incidents increased 243 percent over the past eight years in young children, especially among those under five years of age, said researchers from the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

In contrast, tobacco exposures from conventional products such as cigarettes decreased by 43 percent.

Unlike cigarettes, these devices are often ready to use, brightly colored, require little effort to activate, and appear more like toys than a harmful product.

"This significant spike in children breathing in these substances tells us the risk has changed: It's no longer just about a toddler swallowing something they found on the floor," said lead author Perry Rosen, who conducted the research at the New Jersey Poison Control Center.

"Many recent cases involve children actively using e-cigarette devices after gaining access to them," Rosen added.

Key Findings

The findings were based on an analysis of more than 92,000 reported nicotine exposures in children ages 5 and younger between 2016 and 2023.

The researchers noted that vaping risks often involved children who inhaled the vapors directly from the devices. They also found that children exposed to e-cigarettes were more likely to require a visit to a health care facility compared with those exposed to cigarettes.

According to researchers, young children naturally mimic the behaviors they see around them. So, parents and caregivers must keep vaping devices away from the reach of young children.

Previous research has shown that even moderate ongoing nicotine exposure can lead to lasting health effects on developing lungs, including increased risk of bronchitis and worsening asthma.

"When children see caregivers or older family members vaping, they may copy that behavior—bringing the device to their mouth and inhaling—without any understanding they are exposing themselves to a harmful substance," said Diane Calello, executive and medical director of the New Jersey Poison Control Center.

Vaping: A Concern

Vaping has become a more common form of tobacco use among American middle and high school students.

As per the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 1.6 million students used e-cigarettes in 2024, with 87.6 percent of them opting for a flavored product.

It is the flavor that makes it even more addictive, and people want to keep smoking it, resulting in it being emptied and refilled way more quickly.

This means those who smoke flavored cigarettes consume more tobacco than those who smoke unflavored ones.

Conceiving after 7 years of marriage—riddled with societal shame and self-doubt and a host of tests—was a moment of immense joy to Shalini, a 30-year-old IT professional.

Shalini was cared for, pampered, and showered with gifts. But the happiness was short-lived. At 10 weeks, her doctor delivered devastating news: there was no fetal heartbeat, and the pregnancy would have to be terminated.

Shalini couldn’t process; years of taunts of not being able to deliver a child came back to her ears—a voice so profound that she was unwilling to abort, let come what may.

However, in a week, the miscarriage occurred. She woke up at 2 am with intense abdominal pain and felt her womb rolling. She rushed to the toilet and found herself in a pool of blood. Her baby was gone.

For more than an hour, she continuously pushed out huge chunks of blood clots—the flesh of her unborn baby. Shalini cried. Then she went numb.

Doctors cleaned her up, but nobody bothered to heal her emotional burden—of not being able to deliver a baby successfully.

Years passed; Shalini delivered a healthy baby girl, but deep inside her, she still cries for her lost baby.

Shalini is not alone; more than one in five pregnancies worldwide end in miscarriage. While physical recovery is often addressed, emotional care is still met with silence.

The body may heal with treatment and nourishment, but internally, many women grapple with grief, anxiety, and a profound sense of loss that often goes unrecognized and untreated, said doctors, stressing the need for addressing the emotional toll.

What Is A Miscarriage?

A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy or the unexpected ending of a pregnancy in the first 20 weeks of gestation.

Most of them occur in 12 weeks and are classed as early miscarriages, while far fewer happen between 13 and 24 weeks.

Symptoms include

• vaginal bleeding,
• cramping like a period pain,
• decrease in pregnancy symptoms.

These occur when the fetus stops growing before 20 weeks.

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), miscarriage is the most common reason for losing a baby during pregnancy. WHO defines a miscarriage as a baby that dies before 28 weeks.

Miscarriage: Mental Health Implications

Also read:UK Women Who Suffer From Miscarriage May Get Two Weeks Paid Leave

Miscarriage often causes sadness, disinterest, sleeplessness, and depression. Many times, women experience low self-esteem and guilt.

There can also be marital issues, differences in psychological reaction of the spouse, and self-blame. There is also a sense of deep personal loss and trauma. It can lead to symptoms such as

• PTSD,
• feelings of yearning,
• emptiness,
• emotional numbing.

HealthandMe spoke to some mental health experts to understand what women who face the unexplained loss suffer.

“Miscarriage in women leads to many adverse consequences in psychological, social, marital, and physical domains. Most immediate effect is an acute feeling of loss, grief, and bereavement,” Dr. Savita Malhotra, President of the Indian Psychiatric Society, told HealthandMe.

She added that women who faced miscarriage can also feel anxiety over future pregnancies.

“About 20-30 percent of women after miscarriage show clear depression and anxiety. A similar number may show PTSD. Women who have an earlier history of miscarriage, trauma, or mental illness are more prone to mental ill health,” Dr Malhotra said.

Also read: Why Many Older Men Struggle to Conceive Despite ‘Good Health’

So why do women face these emotional turmoil?

"The lack of open conversation can intensify isolation, making women feel their pain is invisible or minimized. Social stigma and well-meaning but dismissive comments further deepen the wound," Dr. Chetna Jain Director Dept of Obstetrics & gynecology Cloudnine Group of hospitals, Gurugram, told HealthandMe.

Dr Deepak Raheja, a New Delhi-based psychiatrist, said that miscarriage is not just a medical event; for many women, it represents the loss of a deeply hoped-for future.

"Hormonal changes, lack of open conversations around pregnancy loss, and a tendency to internalize blame can make the emotional impact even heavier," the doctor told HealthandMe.

The experts urged the need for better familial support and good marital relationships that can prevent mental health issues in women.

Recognizing miscarriage as both a medical and emotional event is essential. Compassionate care, counselling, and supportive communities play a critical role in healing and long-term wellbeing.

Also read: Planning A Pregnancy In The 30s: Expert Answers FAQs On Women's Fertility in 30s

Dr Malhotra said, "There's a need for clear mental health intervention and psychiatric treatment."

"It is important to recognize miscarriage as a legitimate form of bereavement," added Dr Raheja.

Compassionate care from families and healthcare professionals, along with timely psychological support, can help women process the loss more healthily and gradually rebuild emotional resilience.