Week of June 1, 2009Theresa Spezzano, StanislausCounty

Nutrition, Family & Consumer Sciences Advisor

DEHYDRATION IN KIDS

As the weather heats up and our kids to begin to play outside in the heat we need to remember to keep them hydrated. Children dehydrate faster than adults and tend to take longer to cool down. Kids often forget to drink water when they are busy outside playing. Thirst is actually a late symptom of dehydration. Symptoms to look out for are:

  • Irritability
  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Cramping
  • Memory loss
  • Dark urine
  • Thirst

Severe dehydration can cause seizures, coma, or even death. The AmericanAcademy of Pediatrics suggests the following adviceon keeping kids hydrated:

  • Children should drink 1 cup water before going out to play, 1 cup of water every 15 – 20 minutes during play, and 1 ½ cups of water after play to replace lost fluids.
  • Water should be the beverageof choice because it is the mainbody fluid initially lost during play.If your child finds plainwater unappetizing, try adding small amountsof juice or lemon slices to thewater.
  • Children exercising in hot, humid conditions for more than anhour will lose electrolytes (salts such assodium, potassiumand chloride) that can’t be replacedby plain water. Therefore, your child should drinksmall amounts (around5 ounces) of electrolyte-replacingfluids,such as water mixed with juice or sportsdrinks, every 15 to 20 minutes. Sports drinks, however,areunnecessary for children who exerciselessthan three hours in normal weather conditions.
  • Sports drinks containing fructose or carbohydrate concentrationsgreater than 8% should be avoided to reducethe risk of weight gain and dental and gastrointestinalproblems.
  • Energy drinks are not the same as sports drinks.Traditionalsports drinks contain electrolytes,a limitedamount of sugar and no caffeine. Most energy drinks contain large amountsof sugarand caffeine and other stimulants that don’t makeup forlost electrolytes. Energy drinks can increase blood pressure and cause headaches and more frequenturination,which leads to further dehydration.

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News Release

June 1, 2009

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  • Soft drinks will also increase dehydration do to the high levels of sugar and caffeine therefore these drinks should not be consumed in the heat or after play or exercise.

To prevent dehydration:

  • Keep water accessible to children at play and remind them to drink it while they are playing. It may be helpful to let them pick out a water bottle they can take with them when they are out playing.
  • Keep food with high water content ready for snacks. 20% of the water our bodies need comes from the foods we eat. Some examples of foods with high water contents are:

  • Watermelon (92%)
  • Oranges (88%)
  • Yogurt (85%)
  • Apples (84%)

  • Be a role model. Your children copy what you do. If they see you drinking water throughout the day they will too.

When Should You Call The Pediatrician?

If your child shows symptoms of dehydration such as dark urine, tearless crying, sticky mouth, lethargy, and mottled (red blotchy marks) hands and feet and is getting worse despite your care, contact your pediatrician. Severely ill children may need intravenous fluids.

Keep your kids healthy this summer, keep them hydrated!

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TS/mh