Is your child tired, irritable and have a hard time concentrating? Two thirds of the children between the age of three and fifteen are not drinking enough water. Four percent of the parents say their children don't drink any water at all. Some signs that the child may not be drinking enough are lethargy, headaches, bad breath and irritability. Children need water to develop mentally.
37% believe they are hungry when they are actually thirsty. A 3% dehydration results in slowed metabolism such as fatigue and weight gain. A 2% loss of water results in short term memory loss and trouble focusing. If a child is dehydrated the body will take water out of the colon instead. Pure water is needed for so many functions in the body. Water will carry the waste way, and it carries nutrients and other substances throughout the body.
It is important to keep the body hydrated, so a child should drink water every two hours. It is especially important during the hot summer months since the water helps the body regulate the temperature by allowing it to sweat.
So, is it as easy to just go and grab some bottled water at the store? I wish it was that easy, but it has been shown that bottled water is not as pure as many believe. An independent test performed by the Environmental Working Group revealed 38 low-level contaminants in bottled water, with each of the10 tested brands containing an average of eight chemicals. Disinfection byproducts (DBPs), caffeine, Tylenol, nitrate, industrial chemicals, arsenic, and bacteria were all detected.
We bought a water distiller a few years old for our house, and you can also use reverse osmosis system to make sure your water is free from contaminants.
If you have a hard time getting your child to drink water you can try the following.
Tips to make your child drink water
- Freeze raspberries or strawberries into ice cubes and add to a glass of water.
- Start by diluting some unsweetened fruit juice in water, and slowly add more water.
- An obvious one, don't have any sugary drinks at home.
- Be a good example and drink only water.
- Let your child assist you in pouring the water.
- Let the child drink out of a fun cup, and make the water accessible for everyone in the family. Make sure the cups are BPA free.
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Johanna is an aromatherapist and an independent distributor of Young Living Essential Oils She is passionate about educating people about health, essential oils, real food, natural remedies, and nutrition so they make healthier choices in their lives. She also runs Naturally Sports & Wellness together with her husband.
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Follow Johanna on twitter and facebook for more health tips and information.
This post is linked up to:
WFMW, Eco-Kids Tuesday