How much water should a child drink per day? Answered by a pediatrician

Every mother wants her child to be healthy. It is important to follow not only the regimen, proper nutrition, but also the water balance. The latter is often forgotten, but it is an important element in the formation of the child’s body and strengthening immunity.

neurologist, chief physician of the Clinic of Restorative Neurology – KMV (Pyatigorsk)

Water is involved in all processes in the child’s body. Lack or excess of water can lead to health problems: dehydration, swelling, headaches, decreased immunity, impaired memory and concentration.

How much water should children drink?

The rate of fluid intake depends on a number of factors. Among them: age, body weight, climate, physical activity and health status.

In infants under one year of age, the daily fluid requirement is about 100-150 milliliters per kilogram of body weight. With breastfeeding, the child receives enough fluid from the mother’s milk, so there is no need to give additional water.

With artificial or mixed nutrition can offer water between feedings, but no more than 100-200 milliliters per day.

With age, the need for fluid will increase:

• for children from 1 to 3 years of age, the norm is about 1-1.2 liters per day;
• for children from 4 to 6 years – about 1.3-1.5 liters per day;
• for children from 7 to 10 years – about 1.6-1.8 liters per day;
• for adolescents from 11 to 14 years of age – about 2-2.2 liters per day;
• for adolescents over 14 years of age – about 2-2.5 liters per day.

Fluid should come not only from water, but also from other drinks (tea, compote, morsels), as well as foods (fruits, vegetables, soups).

At the same time, the norm of fluid intake can vary depending on various factors. Which ones?

Diseases. In case of fever, vomiting, diarrhea, blood loss or dehydration, the child should be given more fluid to replenish losses. The amount may increase by 50 to 100 milliliters for each degree of fever above normal.

If vomiting or diarrhea occurs, children should drink water 5-10 milliliters every 5-10 minutes. With dehydration, it is necessary to give rehydration solutions. For example, “Rehydron”, “Oralit” or sugar tea with salt.

Climate. In hot weather or dry air, the child sweats more and loses a lot of fluid. Therefore, he should be given water more often and in large quantities. The norm can increase by 10-20%.

Activity. During physical activity, sports or games, the child also actively sweats and loses a lot of fluid. This means he needs to drink water before, during and after activity. The norm can increase by 10-20%.

Benefits of water for a child

Water for children is useful for many reasons. Here are the main ones:

1. Keeps the body optimally hydrated and prevents dehydration.
2. Helps to cleanse the body of toxins and toxins, improving kidney and liver function.
3. Promotes normal digestion and prevents constipation.
4. Improves blood circulation, oxygen and nutrient delivery to cells.
5. Strengthens the immune system and increases resistance to infections and colds.
6. Improves brain function, memory and concentration.
7. Supports healthy skin, hair and nails.
8. Keeps muscles active and joints flexible.

Signs that your child is not drinking enough water

A deficiency of water in the body can be manifested by the following signs:

• dry and chapped lips;
• dry and itchy skin;
• dry and irritated eyes;
• dry and sore throat;
• frequent thirst;
• insufficient or dark-colored urine;
• constipation or hard stools;
• headaches;
• fatigue and drowsiness;
• irritability and tearfulness;
• decreased appetite and weight loss.

If you notice these symptoms in your child, you should increase the amount of fluids in his or her diet and see a doctor to determine the cause of dehydration.

In severe cases, hospitalization and infusion therapy (a method of treatment based on the introduction of various solutions of a certain volume and concentration into the bloodstream) may be required.

What water to drink?

pediatrician, consultant on breastfeeding

It is preferable to give the baby a specialized baby water. Why? It is thoroughly tested and is safe for children.

There are strict requirements that are spelled out in the SanPiN on hygienic requirements for the quality of the product. Such water is very different from ordinary bottled water. How?

• It is softer (the indicator of total mineralization is not more than 250-500 mg / l).
• Low potassium (no more than 20 mg / l), calcium (no more than 80 mg / l), iodide-ion (no more than 0.06 mg / l), fluoride-ion (no more than 0.7 mg / l), magnesium (no more than 50 mg / l). At the same time, the chemical composition excludes the presence of silver and carbon dioxide.

It is better to buy water in bottles made of glass or polycarbonate. All others are considered dangerous, especially plastic ones made of PET and PVC. Remember that after opening the container, the product is allowed to be stored in the refrigerator for no more than three days.

But boiled water is not recommended for drinking for children, because it has practically no microelements. But there is a lot of chlorine, which persists even after boiling and is dangerous to health.

In addition, there may be lead (provokes mental retardation), detergents (detergents), calcium, magnesium and nitrates.

Many families now have water filters. If it is of good quality and purifies well, it is authorized for children to drink. Choose such purification technologies that do it at the cellular level and do not destroy the beneficial properties and structure of water.

As for mineral bottled water, you need to pay attention to its composition. It should contain microelements, taking into account the age requirement. Study the labeling on the bottles, this information is indicated by each manufacturer.

Also do not give children water with a high gas content. You can provoke abdominal bloating and increase the risk of gastritis.

Can water be replaced by something?

All drinks (tea, juice, morsels or compote), fruits and vegetables are a source of water, but there is an important rule. Pure liquid cannot be replaced by anything.

Tea is not recommended for children under 3-5 years old. It contains tannins: tannin and caffeine, which reduce the absorption of many trace elements, particularly iron. Caffeine has an excitatory and diuretic effect.

Juice in the diet of children is recommended to introduce after a year, because it contains a lot of carbohydrates and it does not quench thirst. This can adversely affect the work of the pancreas. In addition, the drink has an increased acidity, which irritates the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract.

The high content of fruit acids and sugar in juice, in morsels and compote can cause tooth decay. Nevertheless, they can be in the diet. True, provided that the mother prepares them herself.

It is necessary to use only quality fruits and berries and in no case add sugar. To consume, of course, such a product is possible, but in reasonable quantities.