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Why Kids Should Drink More H2O
The importance of water in child health.
Without water our bodies would stop working.
Water makes up more than half of our body weight, and a person can’t survive for more than a few days without it. Why? Our bodies have lots of important jobs and water is needed to do many of them. For instance, our blood, which contains a lot of water, carries oxygen to all the cells. Without oxygen, those tiny cells would die and our bodies would stop working.
Water is also in lymph, a fluid that is part of our immune systems, which helps fight off illness. Water helps keep our temperatures normal. We need water to digest our food and get rid of waste. Water is needed for digestive juices, urine, and poo. And you can bet that water is the
main ingredient in perspiration too. Besides being an important part of the fluids in our bodies, water is needed by each cell to work. It assists healthy child development by sustaining optimal mental and physical function.
Our bodies don’t get water only from drinking water. Any fluid we drink will contain water, but water and milk are the best choices. Lots of foods contain water too. Fruit and vegetables contain quite a bit of water – for example, cucumber and watermelon are over 90% water!
What amount of water should
a child drink?
There is no magic amount of water that kids need to drink every day. The amount kids need depends on their age, body size, health, and activity level, plus the weather (temperature and humidity levels), but here is a good guideline to use:
- Boys & girls: 4-8 years – 1.1 to 1.3 litres/day
- Girls: 9-13 years – 1.3 to 1.5 litres/day
- Boys: 9-13 years – 1.5 to 1.7 litres/day
The importance of having plenty of water available when driving your child in a warm car (and in hot weather in general) can’t be stressed enough. In instances where your child is losing fluids faster than usual (such as in the event of diarrhoea), it is crucial to provide your child with replacement fluids that are balanced with the necessary minerals that are simultaneously depleted.
Kids have higher water requirements than adults. Hydration is particularly important for children as they have higher water requirements in relation to their body weight than adults. Infants and young children, in particular, are also less heat-tolerant and so drinking small amounts often is essential, particularly in hot weather, or when
they are very active and fluid losses are higher. As children don’t always recognise the early stages of thirst, they are at risk of becoming dehydrated. Even mild dehydration can make children irritable, and can cause tiredness, headaches, and lack of concentration.
How do I know if my child is dehydrated?
Look out for these signs:
- a dry or sticky mouth.
- few or no tears when crying.
- eyes that look sunken.
- in babies, the soft spot (fontanelle) on top of the head looks sunken.
- peeing less or fewer wet nappies than usual.
- dry, cool skin.
- irritability.
- drowsiness or dizziness.
When do I get medical attention?
In young children, especially those under a year old, mild to moderate dehydration can happen very easily, particularly if the child has diarrhoea or is vomiting. You should go to your nearest medical emergency centre if you observe these symptoms in your child…
