Water norms for children of different ages
Up to six months
At this age, children receive the necessary amount of liquid with breast milk. Pediatricians do not recommend giving babies water so as not to spoil their appetite and prevent the formation of intestinal microflora. An exception is made in case of diarrhea, vomiting, high temperature or heavy sweating. In these cases, the child should be given water from a spoon between feedings.
Children who are bottle-fed are given water from the first day of life. On average, 50 milliliters of liquid per kilogram of weight per day. The baby’s body should receive about 75% of this volume with food, so you need to monitor the amount of formula consumed.
From one to three years
When a child begins to eat solid food and actively move, he cannot do without water. The daily norm is calculated according to the same scheme – at least 50 milliliters per kilogram of weight. This amount does not include juices, fruit drinks and other drinks.
From three to seven years
By school age, a child drinks 1.2–1.7 liters of water per day. The more energetic he is, the higher the need for liquid. Make sure that water is always freely available.
From seven years and up
Children of this age are recommended to drink at least 1.7-2.5 liters of water per day. When playing sports, in the heat and during illnesses, the norm increases. Do not limit your child in water, focus on when and how much he wants to drink.
Signs and Causes of Dehydration
Small children cannot complain about thirst and ask for a drink, but losing a large amount of fluid is dangerous for them. Common causes of dehydration:
- prolonged exposure to the sun;
- heavy sweating;
- high temperature;
- taking medications with a diuretic effect;
- diabetes mellitus.
When severely dehydrated, children become sleepy and irritable, their pulse quickens , and their blood pressure drops.
What and how much can children drink?
Water
In most cases, tap water is safe for a child, but it is better to boil it before use. Water from wells and boreholes can be contaminated with heavy metals and nitrates – check its composition in a laboratory to make sure there are no risks. If this is not possible, it is safer to use baby water: it contains an optimal amount of minerals and does not contain harmful impurities.
Juices
Juices are potential allergens. They also lack fiber, which is essential for digestion. Because of this, the natural sugars in juices are absorbed too quickly, which can lead to obesity. It is best not to offer these drinks to infants under one year of age unless otherwise recommended by a doctor.
The daily norm for children aged one to three years is up to 120 milliliters, and from four to six years – up to 180 milliliters.
Compotes, fruit drinks and kissels
From the age of four months, the child can drink compotes, kissels and fruit drinks without sugar – homemade or intended for baby food. Introduce them into the diet gradually. By the age of one year, the baby can drink 100-200 milliliters of such drinks.
Milk and fermented milk products
It is allowed to feed a child cow’s milk from 12 months. Before this age, the digestive system and kidneys of children are not ready to cope with this product – it contains too many proteins and minerals.
Children aged 12 to 23 months can be given up to two glasses of unflavored milk or fermented milk products daily.
Alternative milks made from soy, oats, cashews, coconut or almonds are allowed from 12 months. Choose sugar-free drinks fortified with calcium and vitamin D.
Limitations
Children under two years of age are not recommended to drink tea, coffee and cocoa, even in small quantities. The caffeine contained in these drinks negatively affects the development of the child’s nervous and cardiovascular systems and impairs calcium absorption.
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