HOUSTON – Your kids probably feel more cooped up than ever with stay-home orders and the urge to go all out while they are outside may be too strong for them to stop and drink water.
Sarah-Anne Schumann with UnitedHealthcare says you should make sure kids hydrate in advance to keep them from feeling bad from dehydration later.
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“When kids are dehydrated, they might complain about being tired, dizzy, they might be more irritable and also, if a kid is crying and there aren’t any tears or their mouth is dry, those can be signs of dehydration,” Schumann said.
The number one rule to keep hydration up, Schumann said, is to take four big gulps of water every 15 minutes. Summertime snacks can help too:
- Oranges
- Watermelon
- Celery
- Popsicles
- Smoothies
- Juice
“On really hot days where you need the extra electrolytes, you can mix maybe half fruit juice with water,” she said.
Pretzels, popcorn and bananas can help replenish electrolytes without giving children sugary sports drinks.
However, it’s still important to try to stay in the shade and take breaks from the sun.
“Hydration can help with your immune system and right now, we are all really concerned about infection and our risk for COVID-19 and staying hydrated can help decrease that risk,” Schumann said.