What can be done to help them secure more water? What are the useful tips to make them drink more? Here are the advice of the Italian Society of Preventive and Social Pediatrics (SIPPS)
In summer with high temperatures, the body eliminates a greater amount of fluids through sweating that it needs to replenish in order to make the body work better and defend itself from the heat. Experts recommend consuming larger amounts of water. A recommendation that is valid at any age, even for children. But how do you get them to drink more? A piece of advice that mothers and fathers must always follow "is to propose to your child several times a day to drink, even more so with the arrival of heat and if he is outdoors or practices playful and motor activities that can further distract his attention or mitigate his need , says Giuseppe Di Mauro, president of Italian Society of Preventive and Social Pediatrics (SIPPS) who drew up the Decalogue Safe summer to help parents choose healthy drinks and foods. "When a child feels the stimulus of thirst, an initial phase of dehydration has already been triggered, the perception of which is less prompt and effective and the aggravation of which can become a real emergency on a clinical level", warns the expert.
What to drink
Water should always be preferred, possibly fresh and not frozen. "The daily water requirement varies according to age. From 4 to 6 years, the daily water consumption should be 1.4 liters. From 7 to 10 years instead of 1.8 liters and from early adolescence onwards around 2 liters. The consumption of water must also increase in proportion to the losses due to physical exercise, environmental conditions and the possible presence of disorders or diseases, for example vomiting, diarrhea and febrile illnesses ", explains Giuseppe Di Mauro.
How to help the little ones drink more
To help children drink more water «you can add the juice of half a lemon to each and a half liters of water. In addition to giving the drink more flavor, the mineral salts it is rich in replenish those lost with sweat. You can also create nice popsicles by putting water and lemon in the special molds .
Drinks to avoid
Consumption of packaged fruit juices should be avoided. They provide lots of added sugars that are easily assimilated by the body, little fruit and lots of calories. A 100ml glass of fruit juice, depending on the type, can bring from 45 to 60 calories. In addition, ready-made juices are sold in “family size packs” which risk making them consume more without realizing it. Better to give precedence to smoothies, smoothies and extracts prepared at home with fresh seasonal fruit that provide a smaller amount of sugar.
Reduce the taste of chlorine in drinking water
Often children don't drink a lot of water because tap water has an unpleasant taste. Chlorine is generally added to drinking water in the evening and is volatile so, as the hours go by, you feel less and less. It is therefore possible to eliminate or greatly reduce the aftertaste by taking the water that will be drunk in the following 24 hours before chlorination, that is, in the late afternoon. In this way the water will be much more pleasant.
Add the fruit to the water
To add flavor to the water and entice children to drink it, flavor it with fresh fruit, adding a little lemon or a little fruit juice.
No to sugary drinks
"Better to avoid orange soda or cola-based drink. They have little thirst due to the high concentration of sugars. Furthermore, the caffeine present in those based on cola, as well as not being suitable for children, can cause dehydration ”, explains Giuseppe Di Mauro.
For a snack, seasonal fruit
«Fruit is always an excellent snack or food after a meal. Summer offers a lot of them: peaches, apricots, melon, watermelon, plums, plums, pears, figs, prickly pears and grapes. Rich in water, vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients, fruit has no contraindications and can also be offered to the child with tasty smoothies, slushes or ice creams ", explains the expert.
On the beach there is space for vegetables that are easy to peel
“It is neither convenient nor hygienic to bring cooked vegetables or salads from home. A valid alternative can be vegetables such as cucumbers or watermelons to be peeled at the moment. They are high in water and potassium and low in calories. Excellent as a snack or to eat during lunch , says Giuseppe Di Mauro.
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