Keep Sipping During the Summer Months

Tips to Keep Your Children Hydrated

“Mom! I’m thirsty!” Sound familiar? Just like adults, children’s bodies are about 60% water, but unlike adults, kids are far more prone to succumb to dehydration, especially during the long, hot days of summer.

Dehydration simply means that you’re using and excreting more fluids than you’re taking in. Children are at higher risk for dehydration because their bodies don’t cool down as efficiently as adult’s bodies do.

Symptoms of dehydration include excessive thirst, dry mouth, sleepiness (or a decrease in energy for children), dizziness, muscle weakness, headache and irritability.

Thankfully, reversing mild to moderate dehydration is as simple as drinking, but the easier path is to not let kids become dehydrated to begin with. By utilizing the following tips, you can ensure that your little ones are safe from dehydration this summer.

Tips to Keep Kids Hydrated

1.    Get your children used to drinking lots of fluids, especially water. Try prompting kids to drink at least 8 oz. of water between meals, along with enjoying a drink with meals.

2.    When children are extremely active – swimming, playing in the sun, playing sports and even exploring amusement parks, consider offering a sports drink, which can help balance the body’s electrolytes which are lost through sweating.

3.    Mix it up. Studies show that children drink up to 90 percent more when their drinks are flavored. Adding low-sugar flavorings could make a significant difference in how much fluid your children drink, especially if they’re not big fans of drinking water.

4.    Freeze! One of the easiest ways to get fluids into children is through frozen ice treats. Single stick ice pops offer about half of a serving of fluids for children. Every drop counts!

The best thing you can do for children to keep them hydrated is to get them in the habit of drinking at least six 8-ounce servings of fluids each day. One kids have become accustomed to drinking regularly, it’s much easier to ensure they are adequately hydrated during the steamy summer months.