Does my child need milk to thrive? 
My son is 17 months and has been off the bottle since he was 13
months. He won’t drink milk anymore. I’ve tried everything: the milk left form
his cereal; chocolate milk; strawberry milk; milk in a cup or Sippy cup.
Nothing has worked. Any suggestion?
I am
actually happy your son did not take to the flavored milk, since adding
chocolate and strawberry syrup turns milk into a dessert. For some kids it
becomes the only way they’ll drink milk, and then parents get into a struggle
about how often to serve it.
Still,
your concerns are valid. Milk’s a great way to give your son the calcium and
vitamin D he needs. But it’s not the only way. Your child needs 500 milligrams
of calcium every day. One ounce of cheese carries 200 milligrams. A half cup of
yogurt, 150 milligrams. Some brands of orange juice even offer
calcium-fortified options, with 150 milligrams per four ounces. Many cereals
and breads also have added calcium. Just look at the nutrition label on the
products you buy and note the percentage of calcium per serving. A food
containing 10 percent calcium will contain 100 milligrams of calcium; a food
with 30 percent calcium will provide your child with 300 milligrams of calcium
contain 100 milligrams of calcium; a food with 30 percent calcium will provide
your child with 300 milligrams of calcium.
Getting
enough vitamin D from food alone is more difficult. Vitamin D is called the
sunshine vitamin because our body makes it when we are exposed to the sun, but
today we cover our kids with sunscreen, so they don’t make much vitamin D. It
occurs naturally in a few foods (oily fish, egg yolks), and it’s added to some
foods, such as milk (but not yogurt or cheese), certain cereals, margarine and
orange juice.
Vitamin
D is a serious problem, which is why the American Academy of Pediatrics has
recently recommended that children who are not drinking vitamin D-fortified
milk take a daily vitamin D supplement. Based on these guidelines
(
Advice on Vitamin D)
your son
probably needs a supplement, so talk to your pediatrician about this right
away. Toddlers who do not get enough vitamin D can appear healthy but still
have suboptimal vitamin D levels.
Bottom
line: If your child does not like milk, offer him other calcium-rich foods and
ask your pediatrician about vitamin D supplements.
