Patient Newsletter July 2008

Summer is here, and with the hot weather and outdoor activities kids are going to get dehydrated. It is important to monitor what and how much your kids drink. Beverages provide not only hydration, but some also provide calories, nutrients, protein and fat. The following is meant to provide some guidelines, for kids older than 1 year:

Water
Generally speaking water is the best option for your children when they are thirsty; it provides hydration and has zero calories. Tap water in this region and bottled water are both safe and healthy to drink, and children should be encouraged to drink whenever they feel thirsty. Children (and adults) should be encouraged to drink water between meals; it will help fill the stomach and prevent the feeling of hunger and prevents dehydration. During sports, and just before sports, encourage your children to drink frequently to prevent dehydration.

Milk
Whole milk for kids less than 2 and 1 or 2 percent milk for older children are an essential component of the diet. Calcium and vitamins in the milk are necessary for healthy bone development, and the proteins and fats in milk are necessary for normal growth and development. Try to limit kids to no more than 3 glasses per day, especially those children who weigh more than they should.

Juice and Soda
Juice and soda are fine as an occasional treat, but not as "all the time" drinks. Regular soda and juice (even 100 percent fruit juice) are high in calorie and are associated with childhood obesity. An occasional treat is fine, but try to limit it to 4 ounces per day, and encourage 100 percent fruit juice over soda whenever you can.

A quick note about artificial sweeteners: The artificial sweeteners on the market (NutraSweet, Sweet and Low, Extra, Splenda, etc.) have been shown to be safe when not consumed in very large quantities. If you are concerned about your child's weight you may want to offer drinks with artificial sweeteners instead of high calorie beverages.