Staying hydrated is an important part of our daily routine. No matter what we do in the day whether it’s sitting on the couch and binge watching Netflix or running a marathon, we must drink water for our bodies to function. Although it may be easy for us to tell if we need water, it’s not as easy to tell if your child is staying hydrated.
With kids going back to school, it’s hard to know if they are getting enough water throughout the day and sometimes, your kids don’t even recognize the early signs of dehydration. Because of this lack of awareness and education about staying hydrated, kids are often more vulnerable to dehydration.
Dehydration can cause symptoms that include dry lips, decrease in urine, cold or dry skin, low energy levels, no tears when crying, and sunken eyes. It’s said that infants and children are especially prone to dehydration since their bodies are composed of 70 percent water. So, how can dehydration impact your kids’ health and lifestyle?
More Vulnerable to Injury
If your kid is one of the 45 million children that play sports each year, it’s extremely important they are drinking enough water to make up for the loss of water caused by sweating. Stop Sports Injuries recommends that hydration should begin before the exercise period. Drinking 16 ounces of water one hour before exertion. Hydration should continue with 4 to 8 ounces of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes as long as exertion continues. Drip Drop states that in 2012, 1.35 million athletes under 19 years old were affected by a serious sports-related injury with the most common being strains and sprains. The cause of this? Often times, it’s said to be caused by dehydration. So those extra few glasses of water could help prevent your kid (or you) from getting a severe injury during football or soccer season.
Sick, Again?
Constant dehydration can produce inflammation throughout the body, which can lead to serious medical conditions such as asthma, high blood pressure, cancer, obesity, pain disorders, and more. According to New Vision, all of these conditions can be linked to a chronic state of dehydration.
Class Performance
Dehydration can cause sleepiness and drowsiness, which can ultimately impact your child’s performance in class. According to Medium, it can also impact your mood, cognitive and motor skills, and memory.
This is just a few of the many things that can be caused by dehydration, which is why it’s incredibly important to make sure your child is drinking plenty of water. To help prevent dehydration, make sure your child grabs their Glasstic for all their adventures. It’s also recommended to stop with the sugary drinks, pack food that also has plenty of water, and educate your child on the dangers of not drinking enough.
