Beat the Heat! Essential Tips for Keeping Your Child Hydrated

Make sure kids get plenty of fluids this summer. 

When kids are having a lot of fun outside in summertime temperatures, it’s easy for them to forget to replace fluids, but doing so can lead to some problems. Less serious effects of mild-to-moderate dehydration can include lack of energy, headaches, dry mouth (which can cause bad breath), and dry skin, but severe dehydration can become dangerous. See below for a complete listing from the QHSE DOCS about the effects of mild, moderate, and severe dehydration. One thing to remember – don’t wait for kids to say they are thirsty because by then some degree of dehydration has already occurred. Kids should drink throughout the day, and obviously, increase intake when outside and active. For younger kids, it can be helpful for parents to keep an eye on how often kids are going to the bathroom. If you are concerned, it’s also a good idea to occasionally check to make sure a child’s urine isn’t too concentrated, as that can be a good indicator of dehydration.

So, have fun this summer, but do so while drinking lots of fluids! See below for some additional tips. Thanks, and see you next month!!!

Six Tips to Help Your Kids Stay Hydrated

Six Tips to Help Your Kids Stay Hydrated:

Let kids pick out their water bottles and personalize them however they like – this will increase the likelihood of their carrying them with them.

Push water as their main drink but spice it up with bubbles (such as soda stream), lemon or lime wedges, or infuse with other types of fruit.

Put a drinking chart on the fridge – check mark for every 8 ounces or more. Recommended intake varies by a child’s weight but goes here for a calculator.

Popsicles are a great, cool way to replenish fluids. Look for the no sugar added/all fruit variety. It’s also entertainment for kids to form their own.

Push fruit! One of the many great aspects of summertime is the abundance of fruits: watermelon, other types of melons, berries, peaches, plums, cherries. . . and the list goes on and on. Find some your kids like, and you’ll have a healthy, effortless way to help them rehydrate.

Kids love sports drinks, but they can often contain as much sugar as soda or juice. So, use them in moderation to replenish electrolytes, especially after sports or other heavy activity. One way to reduce the sugar hit is to cut sports drinks with water.

The QHSE DOCS provides signs and symptoms of mild to moderate and severe dehydration. Mild to moderate dehydration is possible to cause the below severe consequences:

1. Dry, sticky mouth
2. Fatigue or tiredness — kids are likely to be less active than normal
3. Decreased urine output
4. No wet diapers for three hours for infants
5. Few or no tears when crying
6. Dry skin
7. Headache
8. Constipation
9. Dizziness or lightheadedness

Severe dehydration, a medical emergency, can cause:

1. Extreme thirst
2. Extreme carefulness or laziness in infants and children; annoyance and confusion in grownups/adults.
3. Extreme dry mouth, skin, and mucous membranes
4. Little or no urination — any urine that is produced will be darker than normal
5. Sunken eyes
6. Dehydrated skin that lacks resilience and doesn’t “bounce back” when exhausted into a fold.
7. In infants, sunken fontanels — the soft spots at the top of a baby’s head
8. Low blood strain
9. Rapid heartbeat
10. Rapid breathing
11. No tears when crying
12. Fever
13. In the most extreme cases, delirium, or unconsciousness
14. Let’s help our children beat the heat while enjoying their summer activities!