‘Children more susceptible to dehydration than adults’

Study shows individuals must consume up to two litres of water daily

LAHORE: Do you feel your child is drowsy or lethargic? Do they suffer from headaches or feel weakness? If yes, then you may need to up your child’s water intake; they may be dehydrated.

According to a paper published in March 2010 in the European Food Safety Authority Journal, on average, it is important to drink at least two litres of water every day as part of a balanced and healthy diet. It should be noted that the amount of water varies based on age, weight, lifestyle and other factors.

Remaining hydrated is an essential part of ensuring that our body carries out its natural functions, the research stated. In a span of a day, our body suffers from water loss, which needs to be replaced in order for it to function properly. Even something as inconsequential as breathing causes our body to lose water, the research read.

Children often forget to drink water causing them to become dehydrated which in turn makes them irritable, expressed nutritionist Dr Shagufta Feroz.

“Countless times, I have heard mothers complaining about how their children are uncomfortable or angry or restless. They fail to recognise these as signs of dehydration,” she said.

Children, especially, are at a risk of becoming dehydrated. Firstly, they are negligent of their thirst, often delaying it which results in an insufficient intake of water. This becomes all the more alarming when your child is engaged in physical activity. Therefore, it becomes the parent’s responsibility to ensure their child is hydrated.

Dr Mazhar Hashmi, who runs his own clinic in Samanabad, maintained that drinking water and staying hydrated were essential elements for living a health life.

“Children are too young to understand their needs. Therefore, it becomes our responsibility to unsure they are drinking a sufficient amount of water. Especially now, with summer just around the corner,” he said.

He added that children typically have a higher body surface temperature as compared to adults which means they lose more water through their skin. As their bodies are still developing thermoregulatory systems, they are more vulnerable to ‘heat stress’, a phenomenon in which the body absorbs too much heat, he stated.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 5^th, 2018.