Toxicity from tea ingestion in an infant: a computer simulation analysis

A seven-week-old infant presented with tonic posturing and nervous irritability after concentrated tea ingestion. The tea was analyzed and found to contain caffeine, a methylxanthine central nervous system stimulant. With the aid of a computer, projected blood levels were calculated over a thirty-hour time period and comared to the infant's clinical status. It is recommended that beverages containing xanthines be given to infants and small children with caution.