Keep Kids Hydrated In Summer
June 28, 2017Keeping Kids Hydrated in Summer
Summer is time for happy, healthy, and hot fun in the sun. All that running and swimming around can certainly work up a sweat—which means it’s important to keep little ones hydrated.Keeping kids hydrated in summer
Water & Health
While drinking when we feel like it is a good guideline for adults, don’t wait for your child to speak up about being thirsty! It’s important to offer plenty of water and hydrating foods throughout the day to stay ahead of the dehydration monster, which can bring about symptoms like dizziness, fatigue, and headaches.
Water does far more than slake thirst, more importantly, it is a cooling mechanism. It transports fluids and nutrients, helps with digestion, helps with cognitive function and maintains a healthy weight.
When a child is dehydrated, the fluid and salt balances in his body are out of whack, and proper nutrients and fluids can’t get to his tissues. And on hot summer days, it can happen quickly if the moisture lost by sweating isn’t replenished.
Recommended Water Intake
For children who may not be able to communicate their thirst, monitoring water intake and boosting good drinking habits is vital for healthy summer fun. As a rule of thumb, children should drink at least six cups of water a day.
For more specific suggested beverage intake, below is the recommended intake:
1-3 years: about 4 cups
4 – 8 years: about 5 cups
9-13 years: about 8 cups for boys, about 7 cups for girls
14-18 years: about 11 cups for boys, about 8 cups for girls
Aside from complaints of thirst, it can be hard to tell when a child is dehydrated. Some signs could be decreased or dark urine, dizziness and lethargy. Here are some ideas you can ensure that your kids get their recommended intake of fluids with these tips:
Make Sipping Fun
Let your kids pick out their own drinking cups or travel bottles in their favorite colors or decorated with their favorite characters. Buy a set of crazy straws. Invest in ice cube trays that make ice in fun shapes.
Jazz It Up
If kids balk at drinking “boring” water, give it some flavor and color. Freeze berries or cranberries into ice cubes, or infuse water with fresh fruit, herbs or vegetables such as lemon, mint, watermelon or orange. Even adding unflavored soda to water makes it more of a treat – bubbles without the calories.
Make Popsicles
Make your own popsicles for a fluid-rich treat. Puree fruit or use no-sugar-added fruit juice and pour into freezer molds.
Make It Accessible
Make sure water is easily accessible for little ones. If they can’t reach the sink or the water tap in your refrigerator, set up an easy-to-use water dispenser and a few cups in a place where they can reach it.
Info in this blog courtesy of: http://www.ohpkelowna.com/keeping-kids-hydrated-summer/#sthash.rQyXFCdl.dpuf
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