The Importance of Hydration in Children

Hydration is absolutely essential for life and survival in general, and particularly in the case of infants and adolescents, since their bodies require a higher amount of water to function properly. In part, the increased water requirement in these age groups is due to the fact that children’s bodies contain more water than adults. Children also have a higher surface area-to-mass ratio compared to adults. This difference levels out by adolescence, when children nearly reach adult dimensions. At this stage, gender differences also begin to appear: since women store more adipose tissue than men, the female body has a lower water content compared to the male body.

Important to Remember!

1. Children need water daily to maintain body temperature, produce bodily fluids, and function properly.
2. Dehydration is more common in children and infants.
3. If a child is very thirsty, they are probably already dehydrated.
4. Mild dehydration can be treated at home through oral rehydration with fluids or water, NOT with sugar-rich drinks.