Toddlers from one to three years old are recommended four, and children aged four to eight years five cups of water a day
Recent analyzes of urine samples from children and adolescents have shown that as many as half of the respondents from developed countries do not drink enough water, while every fourth child does not drink water at all during the day. Such data are worrying because water is the main ingredient of the human and even children's organism. Although a child's body is smaller than an adult's, it needs almost equal amounts of water to function normally.
– Four cups of water a day are recommended for children from one to three years of age, and five cups of water a day for children from four to eight years of age. From the age of nine, the amount of required water intake in boys and girls changes, so boys from nine to 13 should drink six, and girls of the same age should drink five to six cups – experts claim.
They also note that the mechanism for thirst is not fully developed in children and that preschoolers and students in the lower grades of primary school are at the highest risk of dehydration. This also means that it is the duty of parents to remind them at this age to drink water, but also to encourage them to build the habit of regular fluid intake.
Juices and carbonated drinks cannot and must not replace water. Although they contain a certain amount of water, these drinks, due to a large amount of sugar, can cause dehydration, obesity, and other health problems in children. Tap water is bacterial and technically correct, but due to the passage through old and runny pipes, it can be acidified more than desired, so it is recommended to use purifiers or bottled water of proven quality.
every fourth child does not ingest water at all during the day, which must be specially adapted to the child's body. The water must be age-appropriate, in terms of mineral composition and concentration. It is equally important that it is of natural origin and exactly the same composition – in the bottle as well as at the source.