Importance of drinking water for children

The human body is primarily made up of water, making it one of the most important factors needed to have a healthy body. Children, in their growing years, need the utmost healthcare.

However, a lot of kids give in to their taste buds and are highly partial to drinking sugary drinks and fruit juices. They may contain a lot of nutrients in them, but none can replace water.

Water has numerous benefits in general terms. It helps regulate body temperature. One cannot go on without having water for longer than 11 hours. But when you live in a hot tropical country like India, the time spam goes down further.

Water aids digestion and functions as the main component of saliva, mucus, and lymph. Water is required for sweat formation in the body, which helps the body cool down by perspiration effect. If your child does not drink plain water, there are many different ways you can make him/her drink water.

The recommended amount of water for kids differs in many ways, as per age as well as weight. Babies before the age of 6 months must not drink water, nor should the baby formula be diluted with excess water.

After the age of 6 months, a steady increase in the water dosage should be observed. When the child is between 5-8 years of age, nearly five glasses of water are required. Children aged 9-12 years need around 7+ glasses of water.

Heatstroke

Children love playing outside, you can provide them with n number of indoor games but nothing will stop them. Be it raining or fuming hot sun outside; nothing affects their determination to indulge in outdoor games. But playing in the sun will increase the chances of dehydration and heatstroke.

It can be fatal in severe cases. But by drinking water, this is simply avoidable. Frequent water consumption hydrates thoroughly and allows the kids to play in the sun without any trouble.

Digestion

Drinking water at the right time helps in the digestion of food. It cleanses the digestive tract too and keeps the kidney function in check and results in appropriate urine formation. It also aids in stool formation that helps the child in comfortable discretion.

Teeth

Little children are very fussy about toothache but will not stop eating candies and sugary treats that may decay their teeth. They do not brush their teeth efficiently, as well.

But drinking water frequently helps in cleaning the mouth effortlessly. Sometimes when a safe amount of fluoride is added to water, it helps fight tooth decay better.

Sports

Sportspersons cannot emphasize enough upon drinking water for better activity performance. When children are newly introduced to sports such as cycling or cricket, they tend to get involved in it pretty quickly.

Drinking water must be inculcated at this very introductory stage to maintain optimum health status while being physically active.

Obesity

Children are fond of tasty food. Sometimes these foods cost too many unhealthy calories. These cause a lot of negative impacts on the child’s body. It may lead to obesity.

Drinking water helps control body sugar levels and positively impacts in ingesting calories. Replacing water with sugary drinks while having a burger might be the way to start a healthier habit.

Skin

Water has been known to have a positive impact on the skin. But how does that affect kids with soft baby skin? Enough water in the body will allow the skin to stay hydrated, which otherwise can lead to dryness, and mothers then have to look for lotions.

Children with a healthy habit of drinking water deal with lesser skin problems in their teenage years. In puberty, the skin tends to become acne-prone and oily. Water keeps in check good skin.

Lymph

Water is one of the main components required in the formation of lymph. Lymph is an important part of the immune system that fights illness. By taking sufficient water, the kid’s immune system will be boasted to help protect them against diseases.

Motor skills

Drinking water has proven to help develop fine and gross motor skills in children. Allowing young and curious minds that are eager to perform more tasks by themselves, drinking water helps their case. The hand-eye coordination required to drink water is one of the safest ways to develop skills such as holding, lifting, squirting, etc.

The recent inclination of young minds that has been diverted into wanting more flavored fluids has led to a severe reduction in their consumption of water. This may pose a danger to their health. Hence drinking sufficient amounts of water is highly essential.

Water is essential for children as well as adults. Drinking sufficient amounts daily will help in the long run. Water helps in keeping the organs healthy and helps in functioning smoothly.

Childhood is the best time to start inculcating good habits, such as having water from time to time. When kids have water in the right amounts right from the start, they will most likely face less illness in the future.