Summer is always the best time for outdoor activities especially for children. They can play for long hours not realizing they are drenched in sweat and getting dehydrated. The problem arises when the fluids leaving the child’s body through sweating are more than the fluid intake. While mild dehydration can be covered using plenty of liquids, severe dehydration can be life-threatening. Here are some precautions that will allow you to ensure your child does not dehydrate and enjoys summer to its fullest.
Solids with high water content– Fruits contain a good amount of water to keep up hydration levels of the body. The best choices in summer fruits are watermelon, peaches, cantaloupes, cranberries and strawberries. You can serve these fruits with chocolate powder or make smoothies with crushed ice. Vegetables such as cucumber, tomato and radish also have rich water content.
Dairy products- Fruit yogurts and flavored milk are everyone’s favorite. Buttermilk is a wonderful alternative for water and can keep your child refueled and hydrated for a long time under the sun.
Ice and popsicles- After a vigorous activity, ice cools down the body temperature rapidly and helps with thirst. As children are very fond of ice you can buy ice molds to create different shapes or prepare homemade popsicles by pouring juice into icing tray and adding an ice-cream stick in each part. Freeze them and enjoy healthy and delicious popsicles
Keep water available– Make sipping water fun using colorful straws and sippy cups. For older kids buy an assortment of smart bottles that are easy to carry on a bike ride, playgrounds or car.
Low sugar drinks- Drinks with high sugar levels slow down the absorption of fluids in the body. It is recommended to use lightly flavored drinks that are exciting to drink and are not packed with sugar. You can add drops of lemon, few tablespoons of squash or fruit extracts to make water seem more appealing to children.
In addition to the above-mentioned tips, you must keep an eye on your child to see if there are any physical symptoms of dehydration. Common symptoms include reduced physical performance, dizziness, fever, pale and less urine. In case you spot your child showing any signs of dehydration, schedule an urgent appointment with an expert pediatrician to treat it at earliest.
