Cow's milk can produce iron deficiency by providing little dietary iron itself, and at the same time producing iron loss by inducing gastrointestinal bleeding. Iron deficiency anemia makes children act inattentive, apathetic, and irritable. The American Heart Association has strongly urged people to reduce their consumption of milk and dairy products due to milk's relationship to atherosclerosis. Diarrhea, cramps, acne and skin rashes have also been linked to drinking whole cow's milk. And if these don't provide enough evidence that milk is anything but a wonder food, add leukemia, multiple sclerosis, ear infections, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile diabetes, and bronchitis to the list.
Many mothers give their children milk to build strong, healthy bones and teeth.
The irony is that milk may actually lead to tooth decay. Dr. Frances Castano, a dental researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, believes that milk may actually destroy the teeth of children who are given a bottle to go to sleep with. This common practice can lead to very rapid decay. Many parents fear that removing dairy products will hurt their child due to the calcium they will lose. This argument is not valid.