Is Rice milk bad for babies?

I have an 18 month old daughter. She was breast fed for 4 months then she went to soy formula. After she was 13 months I took her off formula. She hates the taste of milk so I gave her soy milk, now I researched soy milk and I'm really not comfortably with the possible thyroid links (runs in my family). So she is on Rice milk. There is a warning label on the rice milk to NOT give it to children under 5. I just saw that label today! Well, I'm going to ask the doc about it tomorrow. BUT I don't think mainstream US docs know jack about natural alternatitives to milk. Can anyone else help me? Maybe if you are health food savy or a natural or holistic healer.. or if you are from a country that is more educated on these matters. Please help! Any imput is welcome. Thanks :)

Answers:
Rice milk usually does not have enough calcium in it for growing children. It has been awhile since my son was young, and we used rice milk, but at the time, it had NO calcium. I am not sure if they supplement it these days. It also is not just the calcium factor, but you need vitamins A&D to absorb calcium, which milk is usually fortified with. Just taking a calcium suppliment won't help if all you give her is rice milk. Vitamins A&D should really be discussed with doctor too, as those vitamins can be lethal if taken in the wrong doses. However, they are necessary for calcium absorbtion. Children need all that to ward off against osteoporosis in later ages of life. Bone density and growth are vital at these young ages.

All in all, it won't hurt to give her rice milk, it just won't help the way growing children need help. By all means, consult a doctor, and also see if you can consult a nutritionist to find adequate ways to fill in her diet where necessary.

Have you tried skim milk? Some kids who don't like milk, don't seem to mind skim milk as it does not have the flavor of the fat.

Rice milk does not contain as much goodness as cows milk etc. If she tolerated the formula milk why not keep it going, you know on cereal or in a cup as a drink. You can get special formulas for toddlers here in Australia like Toddler Gold etc. which you can also use in real fruit smoothies etc. does she like yoghurt? If it is only the taste of milk she doesnot like and is not allergic or anything then try milk based ice creams etc and make sure she gets enough calcium in her other foods like vegies etc. your Dr can give you a list of high calcium foods to include in her diet to ensure she has strong bones and teeth especially in this rapid growth stage of her life, when her bones are growing very quickly and need a good start as they have to last her a very long time
Unless you are giving your daughter a calcium citrate supplement, the label is correct. Rice milk has very little calcium and is almost completely a carbohydrate, no protein to speak of. Furthermore, unless your soy milk had calcium added to it, soy DEPLETES calcium levels in our body. It's why women of a certain age who eat alot of soy also tend to take a calcium supplement. See if, instead, she'll drink yogurt smoothies, which you can easily make. Pick up the organic, whole milk variety. Your child will need the protein and fat in it to absorb the calcium more readily and in a sufficient quantity. Mix it up with a bit of fruit or make them peanut butter and jelly style (my dauther loved those...I know, sounds gross..and she loved the peanut butter and honey ones even better. You may now feed your daughter honey, by the way). I had an allergy to cows milk when I was an infant so I was given goats milk. You might try that too. Just go with organic if you can, clear across the board, ORGANIC. NO pesticides, no HGH and other crap.
No, it is an excellent remedie for diahrea in babies.
Rice milk has too many carbs (26 g/serving) & NOT eneough protein, calcium or fat(0%). Babies are growing their central nervous system (particularly for the 1st 24 months) which requires lipids, amonst other things, to grow the myelin sheath around the spinal cord, as well as the brain itself.

(This is also why children under 24 months should not be given fruit juice or soda pop.)

;-)
The main reason the label warns against using for children under age 5 is because they require more protien and than older children in order to develop properly. Rice milk doesn't contain enough to be a good substitute for milk. As long as your daughter is not lactose intolorant or alergic to dairy products, there is no reason you can't augment her diet with cheese and yogurt. I have had many children come through my classroom who did not drink milk but liked other dairy products fine.
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