I have been asked this question numerous times. And have had parents complain that while there is practically everyone out there telling adults how much water they need and giving unsolicited advice, no one really talks about how much water does one need to give to their children in a day.
It is a valid point. And considering the blistering heat this particular summer has brought with it, the question is more relevant than ever.
Now, the simplest answer to the question would be drink water whenever thirsty. However, there is a catch; Children have different requirements and functions as compared to adults.
For eg:
Thirst sensitivity is not well developed in infants and toddlers. As we drink water when we feel our throat has grown dry, infants are unable to distinguish that.
Infants and toddlers have higher skin surface area to body weight than adults. Hence, they lose more water due to sweating. Even 1-2 bouts of diarrhoea and vomiting can lead to sudden dehydration in children.
An infant has higher respiratory & metabolic rate due to which water lost via respiration and dramatic growth in 1st year of life, is high.
Newborn babies have immature renal function, i.e. the renal system is not fully developed to excrete urine according to the status of hydration of the body. So even if the baby has dehydration the kidney still produces dilute urine and not concentrated urine, which leads to more dehydration.
Also, as a Homoeopathic physician I know for a fact that thirst varies from person to person irrespective of the weather.
Q: What is the best drink to quench thirst? The answer is WATER.
A lot of times, we end up giving our kids fruit drinks, soft drinks, flavoured mineral water and sports drinks. These are mostly not healthy because they contain excessive amounts of sugars and unnecessary calories. And even though they claim to have “adequate minerals and vitamins” the truth is different. These vitamins and minerals can be obtained from a healthy nutritious diet and they are not a necessary constituent of what we call a “healthy diet”.
The advantages of water over these are pretty clear and something most of us know. But to list a few:
Water is easily available (in most parts)
It is inexpensive or even when charged for (tap water), it is a lot less expensive than all the other types of drinks.
More than 70% of our body is composed of water and what we lose through sweat and other eliminative functions should be made up by drinking that which the body needs in abundance. It should really be our only source of hydration apart from what we naturally obtain from fruits and vegetables.
Tap water contains fluoride, which is necessary for developing strong bones and teeth.
It helps remove the toxins and waste products from our body.
Protects against bladder/colon cancer, helps in maintaining good skin and hair, contains no calories, improves the digestive system and prevents constipation etc.
Now that we have established it is the best drink to quench thirst and it is essential for proper growth and development, let’s understand how much is enough?
For children up to the age of 6 months: exclusive breastfeeding is recommended. Breast milk contains adequate amounts of water and nutrients for the age group. Separate administration of water is not required.
Age
Daily requirement of a childYoung infants (6 months-1 year)
150ml/kg
Toddler (1-3 years)100ml/kg
Above 3 years50ml/kg
For example if your toddler weighs about 10kg then the daily intake of water will be 10X100 = 1000ml of water. A child between the ages of 1 to 3 years usually needs about 1.3 litres of fluids a day. This includes milk as well as water, coconut water, soups, fresh juices, dals and any other fluids that he/she regularly consumes.
On an average, children between the age of 4-8 years should consume about 5 glasses of water per day.
Children between 9-13 years of age require about 7-8 glasses of water per day.
And, children between the age of 14-18 years require about 8-10 glasses of water per day.
These figures might vary with respect to gender, activity, temperature etc.
In certain cases, as in tropical countries, water intake might not suffice as a lot of electrolytes are lost via the medium of sweat.
In such areas, in addition to water children can be given fresh home-made lemonade with a pinch of sugar and salt, coconut water and also chaas.
Be sure to add little sugar and avoid packed juices as much as possible due to the high sugar content in juices.
Too much juice may result in diarrhoea, abdominal pain, bloating and flatulence. It also can contribute to increased dental cavities when taken by mouth.
To sum it all up, water is essential and we must prefer it over other sources for our children. As Thomas Fuller rightly said, “We never know the worth of water till the well is dry.”
Watch out for the upcoming blogs on topics related to paediatrics and mother’s health.
Till then, let’s stay healthy, let’s stay happy J
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