Can I Have a Drink?
©Arlene R. Taylor PhD
How many times have you been asked that question by
children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews? Too many to count! Your response
can impact the child's brain and immune system--positively or negatively.
In 1980 study, the Water Research Council in Britain found
that tap water constituted about 50% of the total fluid intake of participant
groups (1-4 year old's and 5-11 year old's). A very small proportion of soft
drinks were being consumed by these age groups.
Fast forward fifteen years to a similar survey by Petter, a
fourth year student at Southampton Medical School. Parents kept a diary of all
drinks consumed by their child over a period of 48 hours. The results showed a
very different pattern from the 1980 study:
• 72% of preschool children ages 2.1 to 4.3 years and 50% of
school children ages 5.5 to 7.0 never drank plain water during the study period
• In general, plain water had been replaced by carbonates,
fruit juices, fruit drinks, and other flavored drinks
Of course, the concern is that replacing plain water with
other drinks, especially soft drinks, appears to have significant nutritional
implications. In the youngest group these can include failure to thrive and
bowel disturbances; in the older school children, diminished appetite resulting
in missed nutrients at mealtimes, obesity, and dental caries.
Children are a targeted group for soft-drink
advertising--some of which are even marketed as "health drinks--and are
being conditioned against drinking plain water. This is reinforced when parents
and teachers role-model juice or soft drinks as their beverages of choice.
Because the body needs water to process surgery drinks, the children may
actually become dehydrated.
Mild dehydration can produce symptoms such as
light-headedness, dizziness, headaches, tiredness, reduced alertness and
ability to concentrate, and a preference for a high fat diet. Chronic
dehydration can lead to a variety of health problems and illnesses including
urine infections, bed wetting, constipation and increased risk for colorectal
cancer. Even a small amount of dehydration in a child can lead to a reduction
in mental and physical performance, including reduced concentration in the
classroom along with potentially less participation and lower test scores.
According to the American Dietetic Association, children can
easily become dehydrated during warm weather and/or through physical activity.
In general, children:
• do not tolerate temperature extremes as well as adults
• have less sensitive thirst responses
• produce more heat but acclimate to heat more slowly
• have less well-developed kidney function and sweating
ability
• have a larger surface area to body mass ratio so are more
likely to lose water by evaporation
Obesity in children continues to rise, placing them at
higher risk for type two diabetes and heart disease. The high sugar content of
soft drinks has been identified as a contributing factor. Sugary drinks may not
quench thirst as well as water does, either, so children may want to drink even
more of them.
What can you do to help?
1. Keep no sugary drinks in your home. Replacing soft drinks
and fruit drinks with water (e.g., no calories) can help children with weight
control.
2. Role-model drinking water on a regular basis (before you
experience thirst).
3. Provide pure water in fancy glasses before children go
out to play or engage in sports activities and send water with them so they can
remain hydrated throughout the day.
4. Encourage children to study water and related health
benefits, especially if they need to do a science project for school.
"Can I have a drink?" That question again, this
time from a little guy who was visiting with his parents.
"Certainly," I replied. A bit of pouting followed when he realized
there were no soft drinks or fruit juices in my refrigerator. "I think I
have the best water in town," I said.
He eyed my new machine, his little face twisted into
complete skepticism. Soon, however, standing on a stool by the kitchen sink, he
held a cut-glass tumbler under the spout. After a sip or two, the look on his
face changed to one of surprise and he said, "Oo-o-oh. More. This is so
smooth!"
Over the next three hours, the little guy drank nearly a
liter of purified-ionized-alkaline water. Maybe he was intrigued with the
equipment, maybe he had a visual sensory preference and loved the cut glass,
maybe he was highly kinesthetic and exquisitely sensitive to taste. Whatever.
But since he made only one trip to the rest room during the same time period,
my guess is that he was very thirsty and probably dehydrated.
Bottom line?
Children need water--maybe even more so than adults. Your
role-modeling and encouragement can have a huge impact on whether or not they
drink plenty of pure water and learn to prefer it to soft drinks. And, yes,
preventing dehydration can have an impact on their health, performance, and success
at home and at school.
Arlene Taylor, PhD
