Hydration tips for children

Drinking water sounds easy enough, but getting your child to drink as much water as they need can be difficult. Children's bodies are not as efficient at cooling down as adults, which makes them more prone to dehydration, especially on hot days and when they're doing physical activity.

Proper hydration is key to helping your child avoid heat-related illness and health complications. Yonique Petgrave, M.D., Pediatric Nephrologist at Children's Health℠ and Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern, shares tips on how to keep kids hydrated, signs of dehydration and when to see a doctor.

How much water should kids drink?

The amount of water a child should drink can vary depending on age, weight, activity level and the weather. As a general rule, take half of your child's weight (up to 100 pounds) – that's the number of ounces of water they should drink every day. For example, an 80-pound child should drink around 40 ounces of water per day.

An approximate recommendation for how many 8-ounce cups of water a child should drink per day, based on their age, is:

• 1-3 years old: 4 cups of water per day
• 4-8 years old: 5 cups of water per day
• 9-13 years old: 7-8 cups of water per day
• 14-18 years old: 8-11 cups of water per day

Babies under 6 months old do not need to drink water, they stay hydrated with breast milk or infant formula. Babies over 6 months old can typically have small amounts of water along with breast milk or formula. If you baby is formula fed, be sure to mix formula as directed on packaging as incorrectly mixed formula can lead to certain types of dehydration.

Children playing sports or spending a lot of time outside in hot and humid weather may need more water. Have them drink a few extra cups of water before a sports event or going outside and encourage them to drink at breaks and throughout the day.

Check with your pediatrician if you have questions about hydration and how much water kids should drink.

What is dehydration?

Dehydration happens when your body doesn't have enough water and is losing more water than you take in. Children can become dehydrated if they're not drinking enough water, especially on hot days and/or when they are participating in physical activity. The most common cause of dehydration in children is when they are sick and experiencing severe vomiting and diarrhea, which causes the body to lose a lot of fluids.

Drinking more fluids will fix mild dehydration, but severe dehydration can be dangerous and requires immediate medical attention.

Signs of dehydration in kids

Signs of dehydration can be different depending on your child's age. In babies and young children, symptoms include:

• Little to no tears when crying
• Urinating less often or having fewer wet diapers than normal
• Fontanelle spots ( areas on the head that look soft and indented) in infants
• Irritability
• Sleepiness or lightheadedness

Signs of dehydration in older children and teenagers include:

• Feeling very thirsty
• Peeing less often than usual
• Feeling tired, dizzy, confused or lethargic
• Pee that looks dark yellow or brownish

When to see a doctor for dehydration

Seek immediate medical care for signs of severe dehydration which include:

• Rapid heartbeat
• Severe dizziness or confusion
• Loss of consciousness

Call your child's doctor if they have had diarrhea for more than 24 hours or have not been able to drink fluids for several hours (for example, because they are vomiting and cannot keep liquids down).

How to stay hydrated

If you're having trouble keeping your child hydrated, follow these tips for how to drink more water:

• Have your child pick out a water bottle with a fun color or design. This could help them want to carry it with them and use it.
• Mark lines on your child's water bottle to show how much they should drink by a certain time.
• Add flavor and variety to water by adding fresh fruits, vegetables or herbs.
• Give your child water in cups with designs or characters that they enjoy or offer fun straws to drink water with.
• Set an example by drinking water throughout the day and carrying a water bottle with you.
• Use the pee color chart above to explain to your child how the color of their urine can show signs of dehydration.
• Avoid soft drinks, caffeinated drinks, energy drinks and sugary sports drinks or juices, as these drinks can be dehydrating.

Learn more

Staying hydrated is one of many ways you can help your child be healthy in the summer. Find more safety tips to ensure your kids have a healthy and happy summer.