The many benefits to an early start - building a strong "drinking water" habit with your children

Water…so important for your children

While we all know the benefits of milk for strong bones and more in growing children, we often forget about the benefits of drinking enough water. Whilst there are no nutrients in water per se, it has a vital role to play in helping the body metabolise (use) other nutrients.

Water makes up more than half of kids' body weight and is needed to keep all parts of the body functioning properly. Some of the physical benefits if drinking water include preventing constipation, aiding digestion and ensuring proper circulation.

Dehydration

Some argue that, since a child is smaller than an adult, they require less water than an adult; however the reverse is true. A child, living in the same environment as an adult, would have to consume more water than the adult to stay adequately hydrated. There is no specific amount of water recommended for children, but it is a good idea to give them water throughout the day, not just when they’re thirsty. A child’s thirst mechanism is not mature enough to induce thirst before dehydration set in, so generally when a child feels thirsty, they are already dehydrated. The ability to concentrate and to perform quality mental functioning is also severely affected by dehydration. It makes sense therefore to ensure that your child takes water to school with them.

My kids won’t drink water?

Most parents know how hard it can be to convince your child to drink water; water is seen a boring in the era of an endless array of fizzy and sugary drinks. Fizzy drinks, squashes and 'juice drinks' contain lots of sugar; this means they contain a lot of calories and very few nutrients. So try to keep these to a minimum. The added sugar they contain can also damage teeth.

If your children like fizzy drinks try diluting fruit juice with sparkling water instead. It’s still fizzy! Remember to dilute squashes well for children if you want to reduce how much sugar you're children are getting. This will also be good news for their teeth.

Children who have lots of sugary drinks, such as fizzy drinks and squashes, are more likely to be overweight. Potentially, having one 500ml bottle of regular fizzy drink a day over one year can add 5kg in weight in a year. So, encouraging moderation and offering alternatives to reduce the amount of sugar consumed can have huge health benefits. Be wary of any health claims on drinks products, like ‘contains vitamins’; refer to the amount of sugar on the nutrition panel. Sports / energy drinks are also full of sugar and acid and are not necessary safe for children to drink. Caffeine in these drinks can disrupt sleep and make children feel tired. Water will rehydrate them, is cheaper and better for them overall.

Getting enough water tips

If your child doesn’t like the taste of water, add some lemon or lime for flavour. Fruits and veggies are also good sources of water. Kids should drink more water when they’re ill, when it’s hot out, and when they’re physically active. Avoid serving soft drinks with meals at home; opt for water instead. Give your child a water bottle to take to school so they can refill throughout the day.

Exercise

Children will need more water when exercising; to keep them properly hydrated they should drink slowly and drink water before (as well as during exercise). Drink every 10 to 15 minutes to continually replenish any water lost through sweat. For regular exercise of less than an hour, fresh water is all they need to drink 

Start the habit early

With any bad habit, it is a lot easier to avoid a habit than try to break it after it has formed. The same is true when it comes to fizzy and sugary drinks in children. From when your child is an infant (a few months), avoid adding any type of sweetener or squash to their water. If you introduce sweeteners early, you will find that they will soon start to refuse water unless it is sweetened. What they don’t know, they won’t miss! When a child gets older and they start getting more independent to make choices themselves then it is up to them what they choose, however when under your control, at least they will have no access to harmful sweeteners. Education is important; reinforce to your children from an early age the damage that fizzy and sugary drinks are bad for their health. This will mean they are more likely to make healthy choices when old enough to decide themselves.

A few simple rules can help your child get the type of hydration they need to grow, learn and develop in the healthiest way possible.

Health Services for children

Health services in Whelehans Pharmacy for children include a chiropodist every Tuesday and Thursday. Common conditions he treats for children include warts and verrucas, athlete’s foot and ingrown toenails. Whelehans can check your child’s iron levels with our 2 minute haemoglobin check. You don’t need to book an appointment and it costs €5. We have our own range of tonics, cough mixtures and creams for children which our pharmacist formulates. Examples include Whelehans Children’s tonic (formulated for children who don’t eat a balanced diet), a paediatric cough mixture, Whelehans Nappy rash cream and Whelehans Intensive Moisturising Cream which is deep penetrating for dry skin conditions. Do not forget, no child should need any supplement like a tonic or vitamin supplement long term (or at all) if they eat a healthy balanced diet.

*This article is for general information only. It is not meant as a substitute for individual and targeted advice or assessment from a dietician or your medical professional.

For bookings or advice call in to Whelehans, dial 04493 34591 or log on to www.whelehans.ie