Ah, glorious summertime. School is out, the days are longer, and your kids are probably busy swimming, hitting the playground, or playing sports with friends. However, with temperatures climbing, it’s important to ensure our kids are drinking enough water throughout these sunny summer days.
Signs of Dehydration
When kids lose too many fluids via sweat from playing in hot weather or excessive physical activity, it can lead to dehydration. And yes, you can sweat even when you’re swimming.
If you notice the following signs of dehydration in your child, have them take a break from the activity and start giving them small sips of water:
- Peeing less or fewer wet diapers
- Dark yellow or brown urine
- Dizziness or feeling lightheaded
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Dry mouth or lips
- Decreased tears when crying
“A dry or tacky mouth, lack of tears when crying, sunken eyes, fussiness, and drowsiness are signs often associated with moderate to severe dehydration,” says Maggie Bale, MD, a pediatrician at University of Utah Health. “So your child should be seen by a medical provider since they may need intravenous hydration.”
How Much Water Does a Child Need?
The exact amount of water appropriate for your child will depend on their age and how active they are. Older children participating in sports or playing outside in high temperatures will need to drink more than a toddler, for example.
If you know your child is going to be in warm temperatures or doing an activity like swimming, hiking, or sports, make sure they drink plenty of water beforehand and take water breaks every 20 minutes.
Babies younger than 1 year old should get their fluids from breastmilk or formula.
Some of your child’s daily hydration can come from cow’s milk, but water should be the primary source of hydration.
Drinks with a high sugar content can make dehydration symptoms worse, so it’s best to offer the following only in moderation as a special treat, or avoid them altogether:
- Sodas
- Juice
- Sports drinks
- Flavored milks
- Other sugary drinks like lemonade or fruit punch
“When kids are not sick, they get plenty of electrolytes through the foods they eat, so they don’t need the extra salt and sugar in electrolytes solution,” Bale says. “Sweetened drinks are empty calories, meaning that they contain a lot of calories with little other nutritional value.”
Tips to Encourage Water Breaks
Having trouble getting your kids to slow down and drink water? Or maybe you have a picky drinker who isn’t excited by plain water. The following tips can entice your kids to drink and stay properly hydrated:
- Get a fun water bottle with their favorite characters, animals, or sports depicted on it.
- Offer them water in a cup with a bendy straw or umbrella.
- Infuse water with fruits like lemons or berries to add some flavor and make it seem special. You can even freeze fruits inside ice cube molds.
- Offer snacks that have high water content, like watermelon, cucumber, berries, and grapefruit.
- Fill popsicle molds with pureed fruit and water. Your kids will think it’s a treat, but it contains less sugar than store-bought popsicles.
- Model good hydration habits by drinking plenty of water yourself.
“When parents and other adults are engaging in activities with kids, they can draw attention to every time they drink water and even make a game out of it,” Bale says. “Modeling is one of the best ways to encourage healthy behaviors in kids.”