Sports Drinks – They are designed to replace minerals (electrolytes), salts and sugars during and after intense exercise and should not be used on days when kids are not exerting a lot of energy.These drinks can also lead to dependence and should not be given to children. Energy Drinks – These are usually loaded with caffeine, sugar and other ingredients like taurine that should be limited for a growing child.Artificially Sweetened Drinks – This includes any beverage labeled as “diet.”.Most flavored milks like chocolate, vanilla and strawberry are loaded with extra sugars and should be avoided unless for a special treat. Flavored milk – Milk alone has lactose, which is a natural sugar.Even ‘diet’ sodas are not recommended for children. Soda – Sodas are loaded with sugar and sometimes caffeine.Many juices include artificial flavors, colors and added sugars these drinks should be given in limited quantities to children. Juice – 100% fruit juices are loaded with vitamins but also contain a lot of sugar.When selecting a beverage for your child, here are some sugary drinks to limit: Beverages that are high in sugar can discourage kids from drinking water and can even make them less hungry for nutritious food. While a little bit of juice or chocolate milk here and there is okay, it is important that the drinks you choose are low in sugar. Water and milk or milk alternatives should be the staple drinks in your child’s diet. Homemade popsicles with a little fruit juice and lots of waterĬheck out more about healthy drink alternatives for your child.Fruits and veggies high in water content (watermelon, cucumber, zucchini, celery, berries).This is a great way to encourage your child to drink more water. Make a game out of it! Put a water drinking chart on the fridge and add stars for each cup of water they drink in a day.Here are some fun and creative ways to make sure your child stays hydrated: Getting your child to drink enough water can sometimes be a challenge. Infrequent urination or dark-colored urine.This is especially true for active children as well as during warmer weather. Sunken soft spot (fontanelle) on the baby’s headĪ child will likely not know they are thirsty until they are already dehydrated, so it is important to keep a close eye on them.The most noticeable signs of dehydration in babies include: If you are worried that your baby may be dehydrated, please call your pediatrician immediately. Dehydration may happen as a result of physical exercise, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, or simply not drinking enough water. Signs of dehydrationĭehydration occurs when a child loses more fluid than they consume, and their bodies no longer have enough water to carry out normal functions. After that point, you can begin to slowly transition your toddler to water as their primary beverage. Breastmilk or formula will continue to be their primary drink until they reach the age of twelve months. After the six-month mark, you can start to give your baby 2-3 ounces of water at a time, in addition to breastmilk or formula. When can a baby drink water?īabies should drink only breast milk or formula until they reach six months. For example, if your child weighs 125 lbs., they should be drinking close to eight 8-ounce glasses a day, for a total of 64 ounces of water. When it comes to weight, it is a general rule that you should try to drink close to half an ounce of water for each pound you weigh. While we recommend using age as the primary criteria for toddlers and younger children, weight can be a helpful metric when determining water intake for older children and teenagers. These amounts do not include other beverages they may consume in a day such as milk and juice. It is important to note that children should drink the number of 8-ounce cups of water equal to their age, with a minimum of 64 ounces of water for children over the age of 8. If dehydrated, their bodies can’t sweat enough to stay cool.Īt CHOC, we recommend that kids drink the amounts of water below according to their age. When children don’t drink enough water, The body cools itself by the evaporation of sweat from the skin. When our bodies heat up-because of a hot day or because of physical activity, for instance-the brain alerts the sweat glands to produce sweat. Water also allows us to regulate our body temperature. It is essential in keeping bowel movements regular and helping to prevent conditions such as urinary tract infections and kidney stones. Water is one of the most important parts of any child’s diet. To help you get started, we’ve created a guide to help you learn why water is so important, and how much of it your child needs to drink every day. As a parent, it can be hard to gauge how much water your child needs to stay properly hydrated. Just like adults, kids need plenty of water to carry out daily functions.
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