While standing on the sidelines cheering my eldest on at his soccer game is enough to get me reaching for my water bottle, my kindergartener with the flushed face needs a little reminding to hydrate. As temperatures soar it becomes especially important to make sure our children are hydrated – dehydration and heat stroke are all too common in the region and in the emergency department. And children are more prone to dehydration and heat stroke than adults.

As kids have a smaller mass-to-surface-area ratio, they can lose fluid more quickly than adults and become dehydrated more rapidly. Children also have a higher metabolic rate, so their bodies use more water, too. Add to that their kidneys do not conserve water as well as an adult’s and kids often may not drink or eat when they are not feeling well, and you have a recipe for a dehydration disaster! Luckily dehydration is easily preventable. Given the average temperatures here in the desert, we need to be aware year round and teach our children how to prevent dehydration.

To encourage my 5 year old to make a habit of hydrating, I follow two pieces of advice:

Remember: be a good role model -drink sips of water often. Throw a slice of fruit in your child’s water, or a silly straw, or perhaps fun colored ice cube shapes – anything that will encourage constant sipping.

The advice below is not a substitute for seeing a physician.

*أحيانا قد يكون طفلك مصابا بالجفاف بسبب الإسهال. لا تنس علاج الجفاف.

ماي

ابق باردا هذا الصيف،

ميليسا

هذه النصيحة لا تعوض عن نصيحة الطبيب. إذا كنت قلقا من أنك أو أطفالك قد يعانون من ضربة شمس أو جفاف متوسط إلى شديد، يرجى طلب المشورة الطبية الشخصية.