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A Toddlers and Tiaras mom who was filmed giving her two-year-old daughter a concoction of Mountain Dew, sweet tea and Pixie Stix before pageants says she is on the verge of signing an energy drink deal.
On the latest season of the TLC reality show, Tori Hensley from Lampasas County, Texas, said she gives her daughter Alexa the potent drink to keep her 'motivated and happy' during pageants.
Even though viewers were up in arms, Mrs Hensley told Yahoo! an energy drink deal with a 'big' company is 'in the negotiation stages', and she hopes it will be named 'Tinker Tea', after her caffeinated invention.
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Energy drink for children? Toddlers and Tiaras mom Tori Hensley (right), who gives her two-year-old Alexa (left) a high-caffeine concoction called Tinker Tea every morning, says she is set to market the drink to the masses
Ingredients: The potent breakfast cocktail is a mixture of Mountain Dew, sweet tea and Pixie Stix
She says the drink will not only be marketed to other pageant girls and dancers like Alexa, but it will also be geared towards children with hyperactivity disorders.
'Caffeine actually reverses it in some children, not all, and can calm them down, instead of putting them on all these pills,' Ms Hensley claims.
Her opinion poses stark contrast with those of child health experts, though, who have voiced their concern about energy drinks for children, given that a single can of Mountain Dew or Red Bull contains as much caffeine as a cup of coffee.
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ShareAnd a 2011 report from the American Academy of Pediatrics stated that children who have too much caffeine are at raised risk of neurological and cardiovascular problems.
Its authors warned: 'Energy drinks are never appropriate for children or adolescents. In general, caffeine-containing beverages, including soda, should be avoided.'
'Of course we're going to have doctors and lawyers, or else the FDA would be all over us'
Mrs Hensley added that she will 'of course' enlist 'different doctors, lawyers, everything like that' to ensure the drink meets health standards, 'or else the FDA would be all over us.'
Whether or not the drink will be successful is yet to be seen, especially since some health experts have shared their concern over Alexa's consumption of such a potent cocktail.
New York-based Dr Sue Decotiis told MailOnline: 'Of all the dietary no-no's, soda is the worst. It's been associated with a dramatic rise in childhood as well as adult diabetes, more so than any other junk food.'
Target: The drink will apparently be marketed not only to other pageant girls, but also to children with hyperactivity disorders
Differing opinions: Even though Mrs Hensley insists she is just trying to keep her daughter 'motivated and happy' for pageants, one doctor said giving a child a drink like Tinker Tea is 'criminal' to their health
She added that feeding your child a drink like Tinker Tea is 'really criminal' to their health.
'It causes a temporary rise in blood sugar, with a resultant insulin spike which lowers sugar an hour or so later, making the individual hypoglycemic and very hungry.'
'People are quick to judge, but they don't see her playing outside or eating pork chop or broccoli'
Still, Mrs Hensley says she doesn't believe all the negative hype surrounding energy drinks for children.
'Alexa is very, very bright for her age,' she said.
'She learned Spanish off apps on her iPad, and she started walking at nine months old. So for my child, I disagree with that.'
Earlier this month, the pageant mom sparked an outcry among viewers when the ingredients of her Tinker Tea were revealed on an episode of TLC's Toddlers and Tiaras.
Precautions: The deal is still in the negotiation stages, and Mrs Hensley says she will enlist 'different doctors, lawyers, everything like that' to ensure the drink meets health standards, 'or else the FDA would be all over us'
Sugar rush: In an episode of the reality show, Alexa runs around in circles and is unable to keep still after drinking her Tinker Tea, until she finally crashes later and drifts off to sleep on the floor
She admitted that all the negative press has been 'nerve-wracking', but says it is unwarranted.
'A lot of people are very quick to judge you on an hour-long program,' she said. 'But they don't see her playing outside or eating a pork chop or broccoli. It's reality television, but it's not real.'
In the now infamous episode, Mrs Hensley is also seen giving Alexa a cup of coffee, a drink the two-year-old has enjoyed since she was about nine months old.
'Whenever I drink it, she drinks it,' she explained. 'But I drink a lot of iced coffee, so it's not hot or anything.'
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