Temperatures are rising and spring sports are in full swing. Now is a great time to remind kids about staying hydrated. The average child needs 48 ounces of water daily (six 8 oz cups.) Add to that an additional 8 ounces of water for each half hour of strenuous activity. Is your child drinking enough? A great way to teach children how to check their hydration status is by telling them about the pee test. Having near colorless and odorless urine and having to urinate frequently are signs of good hydration. Thus, your child can tell that its time to drink more if they don’t have to urinate often or have dark yellow colored or strong smelling urine.
Be sure to help you child choose their drinks wisely. Good old water is all that is need for day to day hydration. Water is also adequate for athletic activities less than 1 hour in length. There are a bevy of beverages available these days – fruit drinks, sports drinks, enhanced “waters” – but these for the most part are unnecessary and provide empty calories. Sports drinks and diluted 100% fruit juice can be useful for strenuous activities greater than an hour. When exercising continuously for this length of time, the sugar and electrolytes in these drinks provide additional fuel to muscles. After strenuous exercise, encourage you child to drink a glass of milk. The protein and carbohydrate in milk will help with recovery.