Summer Hydration in School-Age Children

To wrap up the school year, a local elementary had a health fair and I was asked to teach a class. My assignment was to teach the kids the importance of staying hydrated. I decided addressing second graders would be best if I used the Go, Slow and Whoa approach used by the We Can! campaign.

Here is a breakdown of the lesson, feel free to use it!

Lesson Plan: Summer Hydration in School-Age Children

Objectives and Goals: 
To introduce the concept of making wise beverage choices using the Go, Slow and Whoa approach.

The basic idea is to designate a variety of beverages into four categories (Go, Slow, Whoa and STOP) based on nutritional content. This is  a very basic list and numerous beverages can be discussed and added.

It is important to discuss that beverages in these categories are not "bad" just that sometimes we need to make choices based on what we are doing.

What to Create:

• a poster board of a traffic signal with black foam board and construction paper
• search google images and collected, printed and laminated all the drinks listed on the image above
• large Stop sign
• I got a large Stop sign poster from my local teacher supply store and taped a paint stick to the bottom for a handle. {picture below}

References to Read:

Sugary Drinks: A Big Problem for Little Kids

Go, Slow, Whoa Food Charts

Fluid Drinks Before, After and During Sports: Important for Children

Class Discussion:

Go: healthiest option and appropriate for everyday consumption.

Slow: occasional drinks, not everyday choices. These beverages usually contain added sugar.

Whoa: least healthy options. These beverages contain added sugar, fat and in some cases caffeine. They provide excess calories and should be chosen on special occasions and not weekly.

STOP: The STOP category lists 2 beverages that are not appropriate for school-age children to consume: coffee (cold or hot) and energy drinks. 

Handouts:

*Sports drinks are listed in both the Go and Whoa groups. Sports drinks are a GO when a child is actively participating in prolonged play or sports (at least 45 minutes of active play and when there is excessive heat and perspiration). It is a WHOA drink if chosen in place of water or during casual activities (watching TV or leisure activities like bowling, etc.). 

Fluid Needs for the Young Athlete

Currently, the recommendations for children ages 6 to 17 is 1 hour of active play per day.  For the young athlete this recommendation is easily met each week. What becomes next important after physical activity is fluid needs. It is important to remember that children are NOT young adults and that they can dehydrate very quickly. Thirst is a poor indicator of fluid need in children because they are typically to busy to recognize the need for water.

General Rule of Thumb:

• Drink every 15 minutes during activity
• Drink even if your not thirsty
• Parents job to remind/enforce/monitor (especially younger children)

Signs your child needs more water:

• Headache
• Tired, muscle weakness/cramps
• Dry mouth
• Urine color & smell
• Weather (heat, humidity, time of day)
• Skin tone (very flush)

Daily Fluid Recommendations for an Average, Healthy Child who actively plays one hour a day:

4-8 yrs: 5 1/2 cups
9-13 yrs, girl: 9 cups
9-13 yrs, boys: 10 cups
14-18 yrs, girls: 10 cups
14-18 yrs, boy: 14 cups or 1 gallon

If your child consumes the recommended amount of fruit and vegetable servings each day, their fluid needs are between 6 to 8 cups a day. Raw fruits & vegetables have a high water content, are rich in vitamins and are low in calories.

During Activity & After
It is VERY important that a young athlete stay hydrated during physical activity (practice, games, tournaments, etc). Every 15 minutes they should gulp down water, ideally, a cup or more at a time. Once activity is over it is important that the child eat OR drink a carbohydrate rich food within 15 to 20 minutes. For example, any fresh fruit (bananas, grapes, apples, peaches, pears, oranges) and/or a sports drink.

I referred to fluid as water throughout this post. Water is the best fluid replacement, however, there may be times when it is necessary to use sports drinks. Our rule for our kids: if they are excessively sweating during activity or will be active for multiple hours, then we pull out the sports drinks.

It is NEVER appropriate to give a child an energy drinks.

National Running Day 2013

Flatulence & Food

Fart, toot, poot, gas or passing wind... however you choose to identify, everyone does it. Some people choose to do it privately and others choose to be open. Whatever the case, we ALL do it whether we want to or not... WE PASS GAS.

There are some fruits and vegetables that may be the cause of undesirable gas.

Eating these vegetables raw increases the likelihood of gas forming but cooking them breaks down some of the soluble fiber that is responsible for causing stomach discomfort and gas.

 

Soluble fiber is great and has a long list of health benefits. But the sudden introduction of this fiber into your diet may cause excessive gas to form.

You might find yourself in this situation if you decide to drastically clean-up your diet and introduce high fiber foods. If this is the case then you want to back away from some of the listed foods, increase your water intake and then slowly start adding them into your diet. Your gut needs time to adjust to the new workout you are giving it through increased fiber intake. 

Think of it in terms of beginning an exercise program. You have to start somewhere and small. Maybe you walk for the first few weeks and build up stamina. Next, you begin with a slow jog for a few more weeks and so on until you are able to run for an extended length of time. BAM! In time you are getting into shape. 

Your GI is an out of shape gut and needs time to train and prepare for the "fiber workout" it needs (and deserves). Slowly introduce high fiber foods AND water. Give your body time to adjust to the new water, poop and "workout" demands.

How Do You Drink All That Water?

One of the biggest struggles I have with my health is water... I have a really hard time drinking enough. I am prone to kidney stones and water is the key to preventing what I like to refer to as pain-worse-than-giving-birth-a-dozen-times! kidney stones = worst pain ever 

My version of a water bottle. FYI: I don't really drink the glitter.

So, as my general rule of thumb, I only drink water. I am sensitive to caffeinated beverages and they dehydrate me quick. Dehydration is very common, especially in kids. Sugary beverages seem to be the go-to choice when thirst strikes. The problem with drinking a sugary drink when your thirty is two-fold. 1. your thirst will only increase & 2. Now, you need even more water! Your body needs more fluid to help flush out all the excess sugar. 

Quick Water Facts 

• Water is essential to the human body
• One of the most important nutrients in the body
• 55 to 65% of your total body weight is water    

Water & Body Function

• Controls body temperature
• Carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells
• Removes waste (urination)
• Cushions joints
• Aids in the protection of organs and joints  

Side Effects of Inadequate Water Intake

• Headache
• Weakness
• Muscle aching
• Dry mouth
• Dark urine
• Dry or cracking skin   

Water Recommendations

General fluid recommendations for adults:
Men should aim for 13 cups (104 ounces) daily

Women should aim for 9 cups (72 ounces) daily

Individual need may vary if you are exposed to extreme temperatures.

For a more personalized water recommendation use this formula:

                      body weight / 2 = daily water needs in ounces

I will use myself as an example: 120 / 2  = 61 ounces or ~8 cups of water each day.

For children use the following:

child's weight x 1.5 ounces = daily fluid/water needs 

Tips for increasing water intake

• Take a water break instead of a coffee break

• Drink a glass of water before and after meals

• Drink water BEFORE you feel thirsty

• Drink water before, after and during any activity 

A good indicator that you are drinking enough water is when your urine is very clear and close to colorless.  

Now go and find your own catchy water bottle and start drinking! 

Different diseases may require more or less fluid daily (i.e. kidney, liver, colon, diabetes). For this reason, there are specialized fluid guidelines.

Source Material: Water The Beverage of Life, American Dietetic Association. www.eatright.org