Every summer we hear the same thing –make sure you drink lots of water and stay hydrated! Well why is drinking water so important? Let me tell you…

As humans our bodies are made up of around 70% water with children having an even higher body water content. On an average day we lose around 2.5 litres of water from the body in many ways; perspiration, going to the toilet and even breathing. If more water is lost from the body, than what goes in, we become dehydrated. With children being less tolerant to heat, they are more likely to become dehydrated than us as adults.

Signs of dehydration include; feeling thirsty, a dry mouth, drowsiness, dark coloured/strong smelling urine and headaches/loss of concentration.

To prevent your children from becoming dehydrated it’s important to educate them from a young age that drinking plenty of water is to allow them to perform better mentally and physically as well as maintaining bodily functions. What is also important is to teach them what they should drink to stay hydrated so below are a few pointers:

• Water – hydrating without providing extra energy or risking harm to teeth
• Milk – can provide water and nutrients
• Fruit juice (150ml) – provides water and some vitamins and minerals. Choose 100% fruit juice and dilute where possible Preferably drink at mealtime
• Smoothies – provide water and nutrients. Can be sugary, try to introduce more vegetables than fruits, drink at mealtimes where possible