Children's diet: how much water is needed for health. how much water should i drink how much water should i drink per day
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The child does not eat. What to do?
Day after day, the mother tries to feed the child, but he does not eat, or eats very little, or eats only under persuasion, a cartoon, a book, a song, a grandmother's dance, etc. In addition, a child can be very selective in food, preferring not the most healthy foods. What to do?
All doctors and print media talk about the benefits of water for the human body, but few people specify how much water we need for a normal life.
Quite often, parents are faced with two opposite situations: the child drinks a lot of water - and the child almost does not drink water. The mothers of such children are concerned about this problem and begin to limit the use of water or, conversely, try to force them to drink. So, where is the “golden mean” and how much water should a child drink?
To begin with, it is worth noting that we refer to water as ordinary water - spring, bottled, boiled, filtered, etc. Juices, compotes, sweet water, carbonated drinks, milkshakes, fruit drinks, tea, herbal decoctions, infusions - to the concept of "water" do not apply.
What is the best water to give a child?
Proper drinking water, essential for the normal growth and development of the child, must comply with the hygienic standards set forth in SanPiN No. 2.1.4.1116-02. Definitely, the water that flows from the tap in the apartment is unlikely to meet these standards and it is not worth giving it to children to drink. If you have a well or well, then this water may be more drinkable. But to find out, take the water samples to the laboratory, where they will conduct a special study and give you a professional opinion. It is best to give kids bottled drinking water to drink. This water must be labeled "water of the highest category" or "children's water".
Requirements for "baby water":
Balanced mineral composition. Remember, the amount of salts and their concentration in children's water is much lower than in ordinary water.
Should not contain preservatives, including carbon dioxide and silver, microorganisms.
Baby water should not be treated with chemicals.
Children's water intake
Consumption rates depend on the age of the child, nutrition, lifestyle, season. It must be remembered that water enters the child's body not only with clean water, but also with porridge, soup, vegetables and fruits.
Children up to a year
Those who are only breastfed do not need water (WHO recommendations). If the child is bottle-fed or complementary foods are introduced, then the child should be supplemented with water 100-150 ml per day. In the hot season or at elevated body temperature, the volume of water can be increased, provided that the baby drinks it and does not spit it out. As soon as solid food appears in the diet, the child must be given water at the rate of: child's weight X 50 ml - volume of liquid food (soup or milk) X 0.75.
For example, your baby weighs 10 kg and eats 300 ml of milk per day:
1. 10 kg. X 50ml. =500 ml.
2. 300 ml. X 0.75=225ml.
3. 500ml. - 225 ml. =275 ml.
225 ml is the amount of water that your baby should drink per day.
Children from 1 to 3 years old
At this age, children already walk, run and actively play outdoor games. Therefore, at this age, the amount of water needed reaches 800 ml. Do not forget that all children are different. If your child prefers to stand next to you and watch other children play, rather than participate, then 500 ml per day may be enough for him. But if your child is actively running around, then the need for water can increase up to 1.5 liters.
Water should be drunk strictly between meals, 20 minutes before meals or 20 minutes after. It is not recommended to drink water together with food, as the digestion process worsens.
Children from 3 to 7 years old
The consumption rate at this age will be from 1.5 to 1.7 liters. The boundaries of the norm may vary depending on the activity of the child and his gender.
Children over 7 years old should drink water in the adult norm - 1.7-2 liters. We increase the amount of water if the child plays sports, gets sick.
In order for the growth and development of a small person to correspond to the norm and health indicators, his parents need to monitor his drinking regimen. not only replenishes the baby's fluid loss, but also stimulates the immune system, increases its protective functions. After all, no one will argue with the fact that the health of the child is the main concern of parents. Even such an elementary question as “how much liquid should a small child drink?” Should worry parents.
Many sources - articles, textbooks, advertisements, informative brochures for mom - indicate that water is necessary for human development. It is known from biology and anatomy that we are 80% water, and this liquid directly affects all the processes that occur in our body. You will be surprised, but very often the development of certain diseases indicates that the body is sorely lacking in water.
The sooner you teach your child to drink water correctly, the easier it will be for him to maintain a competent drinking regimen in adulthood.
The effect of water on the body
Water has a very positive effect on the general condition and well-being of a person. Constant drinking of water normalizes metabolism, helps to lose weight, maintains optimal body temperature, regulates blood pressure, reduces the manifestation of allergic reactions, relieves fatigue, and improves mood.
Water deficiency in the body, defined in medicine as dehydration, deprives vitality, leads to a feeling of fatigue, provokes the occurrence of a number of diseases. The optimal drinking regime must be observed during illness and on very hot days.
If you do not drink enough water per day, then this can provoke such pathological conditions as:
- Allergy;
- Infectious manifestations;
- The formation of kidney stones;
- Violation of the gastrointestinal tract;
- Metabolic disease;
- Diseases of the oral cavity.
It is very important for a child's body to receive the necessary amount of fluid, since it is in the first years of life that all the internal organs and vital systems of a small person are formed. You can be sure that the sooner you teach your child, the less he will get sick and you will visit the doctor much less often.
Water - what to give?
How clean the water will be for your child depends on his well-being and, of course, overall health.
Never give your child untreated tap water (even if you boil it first). Water from a well or bottled water sold on tap is not suitable for a child to drink. Why? It is very easy to explain this - children's drinking water must comply with SanPin standards (regulatory sanitary requirements). What are these requirements?
Sanitary standards and requirements for children's water:
- Children's water should have a balanced composition of minerals and mineral salts - their amount will be less than in ordinary "adult" water;
- During the manufacturing process, such water is not treated with various kinds of chemicals;
- No preservatives, flavorings, dyes;
- If you buy bottled water, be sure to pay attention to the label, it should indicate “baby water”.
- Alkalinity of children's water should not exceed 6.5 mg-eq/l, hardness - no more than 7 mg-eq/l.
When buying water, pay attention to the label. It must include items such as:
- Name of water;
- date of manufacture;
- Storage conditions;
- Best before date;
- Chemical and physiological composition;
- Full information about product registration;
- Place of water spill.
Consumption rates
Do the norms of water consumption differ at one month of a child's life and at 2 years? Below are the norms for drinking water consumption by children.
If the child is under one year old
As a rule, a child under 6 months (if he is breastfed) does not need additional supplementation. All of the beneficial nutrients are found in breast milk. At this point, it is important for the mother to drink enough pure water to give it to her baby with breast milk. It is recommended to drink 2 to 3 liters of water per day. If the child is on, then he needs water. But, there is no need to be zealous here either, because water fills the child’s small stomach very quickly, creating a false feeling of fullness.
If a child was born in a very hot summer, then it does not matter what kind of feeding he is now on - breast milk or formula, he needs to be supplemented with water. Enough 1-2 tsp. per day to meet the baby's need for water.
Water is necessary for a child in case of fever, flatulence, diarrhea, vomiting, hiccups.
A bottle-fed baby can drink about 200 milliliters of water per day.
Important! In case of diseases of the cardiovascular and urinary systems in a child, the norms of water consumption should be agreed with the attending physician.
To summarize, on average, a child under 12 months old needs to consume 50 ml of water per kilogram of body weight. That is, if a child weighs 6 kilograms, then on average he should drink about 300 ml of water. Approximately the same amount of water is needed for children from 1 year to 3 years.
You can find out that a child has a water deficiency in the body by symptoms such as:
- Dry chapped lips;
- Dry skin;
- Lack of urination for 6 hours (can be determined by the dryness or wetness of the diaper);
- The child is capricious, restless, nervous;
- Urine has a sharp strong odor;
- The child drinks water very eagerly.
The older the child gets, the more water he needs to consume. For example, for children aged years, the daily water intake is 1.5 liters.
Water is necessary for every person to sustain life. It is not necessary to exclude it from the diet of infants, especially those who are bottle-fed. Many mothers are wondering what kind of water to give the baby. To answer this question, you need to know what effect it has on the body and what properties it has.
A small child receives enough liquid along with breast milk. But this applies only to the first month of life. As the child grows, physical activity also increases, the child sweats a lot. To replenish the lost moisture, he definitely needs to drink a sufficient amount of liquid. This is especially true for babies who are fed mixtures.
How much fluid does a small body need? The baby should drink 60 ml of water per day. It doesn't need to be heated up. The liquid should be at room temperature (23-24 degrees) or slightly warmer. Every month the daily dosage increases and by the end of the year should be about 100 ml.
Water should be raw, it does not need to be boiled. Raw water contains many trace elements necessary for the development of the body and the full functioning of internal organs. During boiling, all substances die. Before you give your child to drink, the water must be filtered.
If the child is prone to constipation, then you should know that boiled water further fixes the stool.
What to Consider
Some experts agree that it is not necessary to give water to a child up to six months. This is explained by the following points.
- Water disrupts the intestinal microflora, and there may be a risk of developing dysbacteriosis. During breastfeeding, along with nutrients, beneficial bacteria enter the body, which are settled in the intestines. They help the digestive organs work in a normal healthy mode. Water can bring an imbalance in this process.
- The body of a newborn child in the first months adapts to new conditions. Internal organs continue to form and do not fully perform their functions. This also applies to the kidneys. Water carries an extra load on this organ. It contains more salts than breast milk. The main function of the kidneys is to remove excess salt from the body. The danger lies in the stagnation of salts.
- Water can interrupt a child's healthy appetite. As a result, he will not receive the right amount of nutrients and will stop gaining weight.
- Danger lurks and the process of lactation. Sucking stimulates the mammary glands. Milk is produced in the right amount. If you give water at night instead of milk, then this process is disrupted. It is at night that the hormone prolactin is produced in large quantities, which stimulates the production of daytime milk.
- By giving bottled water to drink, there is a danger that the baby will refuse to suckle. The liquid from the slot in the nipple flows easier and faster, no need to exert force to get enough.
When is water needed?
The need for water increases after a month of age of the newborn. Breast milk by this time ceases to fully fulfill the function of quenching thirst. How much water can be given for the first time? You need to start accustoming to water with a few teaspoons.
In what cases is additional liquid simply necessary?
- Drink plenty of water in the summer when the weather is hot. And in winter, when the heating is turned on in the room.
- Children. prone to increased sweating, should drink the required amount of fluid per day.
- During colds, especially those accompanied by fever, fluids should be given. It is able to remove viruses from the body.
- It is not uncommon for young children to have symptoms associated with stool disorder. If you have diarrhea or constipation, you just need to drink water.
- In the first month, jaundice may appear in children. This disease passes faster when the baby drinks plenty of fluids.
A few tips for introducing fluids into the diet.
- In some cases, the liquid helps to wean children from night feedings. A child who drinks water instead of milk will soon stop waking up for night feedings altogether.
- Don't force your child to drink water. The child's body itself lets you know how much fluid is needed. If he cries, is naughty, pushes the bottle away, then suggest you need to try at another time. The baby may not need to drink until 9-10 months of age.
- To get your baby to drink water when needed (when formula-fed, during complementary foods, or in hot weather), you need to get his attention. You can start giving dried fruit compotes. It will be easier to accustom to water in this case.
- If a child drinks more water than normal, there is a chance that he will refuse to eat. Or eat it in small quantities. The danger is that the body will not receive enough vitamins and minerals that are part of breast milk. Mom should carefully monitor how much water the baby drinks.
- How many grams of water should a child drink at a time? A single dosage should not exceed 20 grams. When the dosage is not exceeded, this will not create an unnecessary burden on the functioning of the urinary system and kidneys. It is better to offer to drink from a spoon instead of a bottle.
- If the baby drinks milk immediately before feeding, then he will not eat. It shouldn't be done that way. It is better to accustom to drinking an hour before feeding, or immediately after feeding.
- It is necessary to drink a child only with high-quality water. An allergic reaction may occur in the form of a rash, cough, and stool disorders.
- Mineral water, both with gases and without, is also harmful to a small organism. It contains a lot of salts.
- With constipation, you can make water with the addition of raisins. To do this, pour some raisins with boiled water and insist for several minutes. If you teach a child to this infusion, then the stool will improve.
- If the child drinks a lot of liquid, does not drink the required amount, you need to consult a doctor. This can be a sign of a disease such as diabetes.
Which water should you choose
The ideal option is special bottled baby water, which can be found on store shelves or in a pharmacy. It completely passes all stages of cleaning, non-carbonated and ready to use. You can not only drink it, but also cook your baby's favorite dishes: cereals, soups, mashed potatoes.
It is not worth taking risks with the water that flows from the faucet. It may contain pathogenic microbes that adversely affect the functioning of the body.
If the water has passed through a special purification filter, then you can not be afraid to offer the baby to drink.
Melt water is considered beneficial for the body. The purified liquid is poured into the container and placed in the freezer. When it is completely frozen, remove from the freezer and place in a warm place. Do not give your child cold water to drink. The nasopharynx of newborns is not yet strong and inflammation may begin.
Babies should not be given sparkling water. Mineral water with gases is also prohibited. Can harm the digestive system.
Mineral water is approved for use in children older than one year and only by special appointment of a specialist.
No need to add sugar and other sweet syrups to the water. You can harm the functioning of the organs of the endocrine system or disrupt tooth enamel. You need to accustom to ordinary filtered water.
Signs of dehydration
There are several signs by which you can understand that the child urgently needs water.
- Apathy, lethargy.
- There is dryness of the oral cavity (dry lips, lack of saliva).
- The fontanel sinks.
- Rare urination.
- Urine acquires a sharp unpleasant odor and changes color.
What do we have to do? In these cases, frequent attachment to the breast is indicated, as well as additional supplementation between feedings.
Several options on how to give a child some water.
After the parents weigh the pros and cons of additional feeding of the baby, the right decision will be made. Consulting a pediatrician will help you make the right choice. He, taking into account the characteristics of the development of the child's body and the characteristics of lactation, will help determine the timing of the introduction of fluid. Tell you how much water to give.
Liquids include water, drinks (tea, dairy and sour-milk products, juices) and food, including smoothies and soups. It happens that by the necessary for a teenager, for example, 2 liters of fluid per day, we understand water and also add other fluids to it, which is not entirely correct. The British Nutrition Foundation believes that 70-80% of the recommended amount of fluid for a child should be obtained from drinks (of which 6-8 glasses of pure water) and 20-30% from food. That is, two teenage liters should be distributed between water, drinks and food.
The amount of clean water should be evenly distributed throughout the day - one glass before each meal + 1 to 3 glasses the rest of the time.
A glass of 100-150 ml is for children under 5 years old.
150-250 ml - for children and adolescents from 5 to 18 years old.
The European Food Safety Authority has established guidelines for fluid intake for children, following which adequate fluid intake is achieved in conditions of moderate ambient temperature and moderate activity of children.
Lack of fluid in the body leads to headaches and constipation, and can also cause increased irritability and deterioration of the brain, which especially affects schoolchildren. In the long term, mild chronic dehydration contributes to a number of pathologies, including urinary tract infection.
If you do not restore the spent supply of fluid, dehydration may occur. Therefore, children need to be taught to drink water from childhood, and it is important that the child gets used to maintaining the balance of fluid in the body. You need to drink plenty of water and other drinks that help maintain the required level of fluid, such as milk, juices, soft drinks. However, when choosing a drink, it is important to consider its nutritional content, calorie content, caffeine level, and impact on dental health.
In the summer, you should pay special attention to the drinking regime. Children are more susceptible to heat than adults and become dehydrated more quickly, especially when exercising in hot weather. Accordingly, in hot weather and after intense physical exertion, more fluid is required. In adolescents, thirst indicates a lack of fluids. Remind children to drink the right amount of water after playing and other physical activities.
Informational
How much water a child needs to drink per day and what is the correct drinking regimen for children - this is a simple question, the answer to which, if we were talking about adults, is something taken for granted, but when it comes to children, it can make parents worry, especially who became them for the first time.
A bit of theory. Water is one of the most vital components for the body. A person can live without food for up to six weeks, and without water for no more than 4-6 days. Water is also the most common substance in the human body, accounting for up to 75 percent of body weight.
Due to its high content in the body, it provides all vital functions. Such, for example, as maintaining a healthy temperature, supplying nutrients to all organs and systems of the body. With the help of water, a normal volume of blood is maintained, our joints function well, and the mucous membranes always remain moist. That is, without exception, all organs and systems of the body depend on the right amount of water.
A child's body also depends on water, like an adult. Given that the child is growing, depending on the age, the amount of fluid needed may fluctuate.
The daily rate of water depends on the age, weight, gender of the child, as well as on the climate in which the child lives, and most importantly, on his individual characteristics. If you understand that all children should consume enough water per day, then some will do it with joy and drink even more, while others will have to tell many interesting stories in order for this process to take place.
Drinking norms are standards for practically healthy children. If the child needs medical help, then the drinking rate is set individually. The total amount of liquid consumed by the child during the day should include drinking water, various drinks, first meals, fruits and other liquid foods.
Fruits and vegetables have a high water content and should therefore be part of a healthy child's diet.
How much water should a child drink per day
The average daily intake of water (liquid) is as follows:
- 0-6 months - usually the drinking regimen of a child up to a year is adjusted independently. water enters the body as part of breast milk or infant formula, and additional supplementation is not required. but this issue requires consultation with a pediatrician, and adjustments depending on weather conditions.
- 6-12 months - water comes in the composition of milk, infant formula and complementary foods (diluted juices, children's compotes, soups, cereals). if necessary, you can and should offer water in small quantities.
- 1-2 years - 0.7-1 liter per day. at this age, the child learns to ask for water when he is thirsty.
- 2-5 years - 0.8-1 liter per day.
- 5–8 years - 1–1.2 liters per day.
- 9–12 years old - 1.5–1.7 liters per day.
- 13+ - 2 or more liters per day.
When the child is physically active, the amount of fluid consumed should increase. Also in the summer, when the child spends a lot of time outdoors in active games, you need to periodically replenish the body with fluid even before the onset of thirst. For a street walk, which is accompanied by the active movement of the child in the fresh air, often in sunny hot weather, you can provide him with a 0.5 liter bottle of water - convenient, cheap, hygienic, useful.
It is important that parents do not neglect such a moment as adequate hydration of the body, and also teach the child to drink from childhood, although for most babies this process takes place naturally and independently.