This week’s Ask Amanda is a public service announcement of sorts from your friendly pediatric dietitian. Most of the kids and parents I have worked with this summer are not drinking enough water.
Water is important for everyone, including toddlers and kids, especially during the summer months when we tend to be outside more. In most cases, for healthy children, water is the very best fluid for hydration. It helps regulate our body temperature, helps with weight control and helps prevent and treat constipation! Dehydration can even negatively affect mood (in other words, it can actually make kids cranky).
It is important to remember that thirst is actually a later sign of dehydration. However, if your kiddos are like mine, they won’t ever ask for water. I try to keep a water bottle easily accessible and whenever I go for a drink of water, I try to offer some to my kids as well. Having water available, offering often and modeling good habits by drinking plenty of water are helpful ways to keep our kids well-hydrated this summer and all year long!
Ask Amanda is a weekly column from Feed to Succeed dietitian Amanda Gordon. Have a question? Email Amanda and let her know or submit an “Ask Amanda” question for a future column.
