Keep Children Healthy Through Hydration

A newly released study by the Harvard School of Public Health has revealed that more than half of all children and adolescents in the U.S. are not getting enough hydration, most likely because they are not drinking enough water. Water and sufficient hydration is essential for physiological processes such as circulation, metabolism, temperature regulation, and waste removal.

Lack of hydration and water intake can have significant repercussions on a child’s physical and cognitive and emotional functioning abilities. Even mild dehydration can cause health issues such as headaches, irritability, poorer physical performance, and reduced cognitive abilities.

Drinking enough water is extraordinarily important in Colorado, where we live at elevation and the climate is arid, dry and hot during the summer months. Make sure to bring water with you everywhere, and focus on having yourself and your family drink more water—at low-cost, no-calorie beverage—to improve overall health. Improving a child’s hydration status may allow them to feel better in general and do better in school.