Water for children: how to choose water for a child, how much and when to give water to a child, advice from pediatricians and parent reviews

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

We all know that the human body needs a certain amount of fluid every day for normal functioning. The body of the baby has its own characteristics, which we will consider in the framework of this article. Let's try to figure out whether it is necessary to give the child water.

Baby water

A child's body consists of 80% water. Naturally, in order to maintain a constant composition of tissues and cells, it is necessary to replenish the body with new portions of fluid daily. It is the aquatic environment that takes on the main function of transporting nutrients through the blood and excreting decay products.

Blood is one of the most important tissues in the human body. It is due to blood circulation that all organs and tissues can function. Useful substances, minerals and vitamins are taken by the blood from the digestive system and carried to all cells. The blood takes away the waste products of decay, which are formed in the process of cellular metabolism. Blood is 90-92% water, so maintaining a constant water balance in the body is vital.necessity.

A child's body needs water, it must be clean and he althy. The composition of water should include the necessary trace elements and s alts. The child should receive water not only from soups and drinks. Clean water consumption is important.

Bottled

Some manufacturers offer specialized water for babies. Many people think that this is just a marketing ploy, because water for children is much more expensive, but this is not entirely true. Children's water, according to SanPina standards, should be enriched with calcium, potassium, magnesium, iodide ion, fluoride ion. There are also certain limits on the concentration of substances in the water content: no more than 0.6 and no less than 0.2 mg / l. Baby water is much softer than regular water. Such water is produced in artesian wells, which are located in ecologically clean areas.

There are two types of baby water: drinking water and formula water. Such water is most often used during complementary feeding, when the child is 6-7 months old. In the case of artificial feeding, water for the preparation of mixtures is used from the age of two months of the baby.

Please note: the manufacturer does not have the right to write "Children's water" on the bottle if he does not have a certificate of registration from Rospotrebnadzor, as well as a declaration of conformity.

Boiled

It is very important what kind of water is boiled. If you are using regular tap water and trying to purify it by boiling it, then this is unlikely to be beneficial for the child, and possibly evendamage the child's body. Tap water contains chlorine, harmful to the human body, which is used to kill microorganisms in the liquid. And the digestive system of a small child is still in the stage of formation and development, its microflora is very sensitive to such aggressive substances. In addition, old pipes are being exploited in some old houses. Water, flowing through the pipeline system with rust, is saturated with small particles of iron oxide, and then all this settles in the child's body.

If you still decide to use tap water for cooking and drinking, take care of the multi-stage cleaning of the liquid. The filter must completely eliminate harmful impurities and sediment. Water must be visually transparent. After installing the filter, make sure that it functions productively - take a water sample for analysis to a chemical and biological laboratory.

If you boil pure bottled water and use it for drinking, then it will also not be a source of useful minerals and other substances. The quality of water is disturbed when boiled, it becomes useless and ceases to carry the required elements into the body.

Benefits of mineral water

Mineral water contains a large amount of useful substances, s alts and elements that must be supplied to the body in the required amount. But is it possible for a child to drink water with such a composition? Let's try to figure it out.

It is contraindicated to give mineral water to children under three years of age. S alts can overload the kidneys. childrenolder people can give such water, but in strictly limited volumes: no more than 4 ml per kilogram of weight. Drinking mineral water for medicinal purposes should be within 20-30 days.

Sometimes children are prescribed to drink mineral water to normalize the digestive system with gastritis, stomach ulcers, heartburn. In medical sanatoriums baths from mineral water are offered. This procedure is useful for children who suffer from chronic diseases of internal organs and skin diseases. Choose quality mineral water. It is better to give preference to a well-known brand, such manufacturers carefully monitor the quality of their products. Water must be still.

What water should baby drink?

Artesian purified water would be ideal for a child. It is rich in minerals and has beneficial properties. This is the water you need to drink to quench your thirst.

You don't have to buy specialized bottled water for babies, regular bottled water will do just fine. Give mineral water to children with caution. After all, it can be useful, and can harm the body if the dosage is violated. S alts and elements contained in the liquid tend to accumulate in the body and deposited in the tissues.

If you have your own source of water, then make sure that the liquid is thoroughly cleaned from harmful impurities. Periodically, you need to take it to the laboratory for chemical and biological analysis.

If you canafford to buy specialized water for children, this will be an ideal option for a child of any age. Such water not only has a useful composition, but also the right concentration of trace elements and minerals.

Should I give water to my baby?

Babies who are breastfed do not need additional water in the diet. Infants receive water from mother's milk, the composition of which is fully adapted to the unformed digestive system of the baby. The right amount of liquid, nutrients, hormones and vitamins enters the child's body with mother's milk. So, should you give your child water? No, it is better not to do this until six months.

If the child is bottle-fed, then you can additionally supplement the baby with water. It is not recommended to give water to a one-month-old baby. From the second month, you can give water through a syringe without a needle or through a bottle. The daily amount of water should be approximately 30-40 ml. Do not force your child to drink if he refuses water - do not insist.

If the child does not drink water

Sometimes it happens that parents observe the complete indifference of the child to the liquid. They begin to worry, because replenishment of the body with moisture is necessary, especially in situations where it is exhausted from the heat or during moments of increased physical activity. This is a very dangerous phenomenon, as the body may suffer from dehydration.

Children who have had time to taste sweet carbonated drinks are unlikely to want to drink regulartasteless water. They will like lemonade, juice, milk with sweeteners that quench their thirst for a while. By themselves, these products do not benefit the body, unless you have prepared them at home. But it is very difficult to explain this to a child. To reduce the concentration of such drinks, you can dilute them with bottled water.

It's especially important to give your baby fluids if they have an intestinal infection and have symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, paleness, chills, nausea, and vomiting. With profuse vomiting or diarrhea, the drinking regimen should be monitored especially carefully. Significant fluid loss will lead to dehydration very quickly. Force your child to drink water, compote, juice or other liquids.

Daily Value

To determine if a baby is drinking enough fluids, you need to know the average daily intake for a certain age. So how much water does a baby need? Let's figure it out. The average daily dose of water for a child under the age of three months is 100-200 ml, while a single serving should not exceed 40 ml. This applies to formula-fed and mixed-fed babies.

Depending on the age and weight of the child, the daily dose of water drunk will vary. For a child of eight months who weighs 9 kg, the daily water intake is 900 ml. For every kilogram of baby's weight, 100 mg of water should be consumed. Liquids in this case include soups and all drinks. Always carry a bottle of water or dilutedjuice for a walk. Let the container with the liquid be always at hand during outdoor games. It is at this point that the child may be thirsty.

How can I tell if my baby is getting enough fluids?

The first step is to start observing the baby's behavior, his drinking regimen, physical activity, frequency of urination. Pay attention to the color of your child's urine. It should be light and transparent with a yellowish tinge. If the urine has a rich yellow color - there is reason to be wary. The kidneys retain fluid to maintain bodily functions. This means that the child is not getting enough water. Remind your child about water when he is passionate about the game and may simply not pay attention to thirst. Encourage him to drink more often, especially when the baby is physically very active and loses a lot of energy and fluids through sweat.

Signs of lack of water in the child's body

With a lack of fluid in the body, mild dizziness, malaise and weakness may occur. The skin turns pale, the child does not have the strength to move, and he looks very tired. The skin may be dry, especially on the skin around the mouth and mucous membranes.

If these signs occur, the child should be given water immediately, even if he refuses to drink. This sometimes happens when a child is sick and not feeling well. He may not feel thirsty, but the body at the same time feels a lack of fluid. You can give your child juice diluted with water, or weakly concentrated.compote. Lightly sweetened green tea works well.

Severe dehydration is very dangerous even for an adult, not to mention a child. This condition can be fatal if left untreated, but it rarely happens.

Reasons for high consumption

The first and most common reason for heavy drinking is exercise and hot weather. The body releases water with sweat to maintain normal body temperature, so the unconditioned reflex is triggered, which causes the little person to replenish fluid reserves in the body. Usually the child drinks a lot of water during outdoor games. If so, don't worry, it's normal.

The child may have eaten fatty or s alty foods. This explains the craving. Analyze the child's diet and understand the reason for the abundant water intake. Perhaps at dinner the child did not eat soup, but only the second, then he will drink more water or drinks than usual. After all, the basis of the broth is water, the reserves of which in the body need to be replenished in the absence of liquid food.

There are also psychological reasons for excessive water consumption, for example:

• Child may ask for water if you put him to bed and he doesn't want to.
• It also happens: a child drinks a lot of water because of stress and anxiety.
• Some kids just enjoy drinking from a bottle with a pacifier, so they calm down and relax.
• If a child asks you to bring him water, this may also indicateyour lack of attention. Perhaps this is how he achieves contact with you.

In conclusion

Water is a vital component of a child's diet. Make sure that the baby gets it in the right amount. A child's he alth directly depends on both the quality of food consumed and the quality of water drunk.