Can children drink milk when they have a cold?
Mar 13, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Zhou Xiaofeng
Introduction
Children can generally drink milk during a cold. Milk is rich in nutrients, can enhance immunity, promote recovery, and there is no evidence that drinking milk during a cold will worsen symptoms. However, moderation is necessary because gastrointestinal function may weaken during a cold, and excessive milk consumption could increase the burden on the digestive system. At the same time, it is also important to increase water intake during a cold to accelerate metabolism.
Generally speaking, children with a cold can drink milk, but in moderation. The detailed explanation is as follows:
Milk is a nutritious dairy product rich in essential nutrients such as protein, calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin D. Consuming milk helps supply necessary nutrients and energy to the body, enhances immunity, and promotes recovery. Furthermore, there is currently no evidence indicating that drinking milk exacerbates the severity of a cold or causes other discomfort. Therefore, children with a common cold generally can consume milk.
However, during a cold, gastrointestinal function may weaken and intestinal motility may slow down. Thus, even though milk can be consumed, it should be done in moderation to avoid overburdening the digestive system. Depending on the child's condition, the milk can be warmed before drinking, but should not be heated for too long to prevent nutrient loss.
In addition, children should increase their water intake appropriately during a cold to accelerate metabolism. It is also important to keep warm and avoid getting chilled again, which could worsen the illness.
