Dr Phil Kieran: My child refuses to drink water in winter, I'm worried about dehydration
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Hydration can be a struggle with kids and it's something I talk to parents a lot about in my practice.
Many countries, including Ireland, recommend that adults drink approximately 2 litres of water daily and that a six-year-old should aim to drink about 1200ml.
However, the scientific basis for these guidelines has recently come under scrutiny. Largely, they stand because there is no compelling evidence to overturn them, and within reason, being well-hydrated is better than being under-hydrated.
The guidelines above refer to fluids drunk during the day, with semi-skimmed milk and water being the healthiest options for most.
However, the original recommendations refer to the volume of fluids that need to be taken. So, the food you consume also contributes to your overall fluid intake. This is particularly relevant if your child likes to eat a diet with a decent amount of fresh fruit, berries or water-containing vegetables.
I tend to steer away from a prescriptive approach when it comes to fluids. I usually tell parents to encourage their children to drink healthy fluids and eat healthy foods, which often contain a lot of fluids.
If you are concerned that your daughter is becoming dehydrated her urine colour is a good guide. Not counting the first urine of the day, which is always more concentrated, it should be a pale straw colour. Put another way: it should not be completely clear like water nor as yellow as apple juice, but somewhere between the two.
If her urine is pale in colour, you can be reassured she is sufficiently hydrated. During colder weather, we sweat less and tend to be less active, so the fluid requirement will also drop at this time.
I encourage parents to consciously push their kids to drink more fluids in certain cases. This is particularly necessary when there are any issues with constipation or headaches. In these settings, fluids are essential to help alleviate the problems, but for healthy children, it is often reasonable to encourage them to drink but let their thirst guide them.
Given your daughter declined fluids for being too cold, you could consider giving her room temperature or warm water or milk to drink. Alternatively, you could encourage her to eat more high-water content fruits like oranges and pears or vegetables such as cucumber, lettuce, and tomatoes to ensure sufficient fluid intake.
- If you have a question for Dr Phil Kieran, please send it to parenting@examiner.ie