Kid's Health

Water is essential for life and drinking enough of it is crucial, especially in the warm Middle East climate. This is particularly the case for children, who are so active and always running around. They can easily become dehydrated, especially in summer, so keeping them well hydrated is very important. To replenish your family’s fluid levels, make sure to give everyone lots of water and enrich your meals with high-liquid-content foods.

How to know if your child is dehydrated

You will know if your child is drinking enough water by checking the colour of his urine. Your child’s urine should be light in colour and have a neutral smell throughout the day, except when he wakes up in the morning.

Increase your child’s fluid intake by:

- Giving him water throughout the day, as well as other liquids like milk and fresh juices

- Encouraging him to eat fresh fruits and vegetables regularly, as these are high in water content. They also have healthy fibre, vitamins and minerals
- Incorporating foods like salads, which are rich in water, into your meals
- Keeping fresh fruit juices in the fridge, so that they are easily available to your child
- Offering delicious milkshakes with fruits, sorbets (fruit ice cream) and cold chocolate-flavoured milk

If your child is playing outdoors in the summer:

- Make sure he wears a hat
- Let him take a break from playing outdoors at midday, as this is the hottest time of the day. Instead, let him play indoors or in a shaded area outdoors
- Sprinkle water on his head when he gets too hot

Physical activity during summer

During hot summer days, always choose indoor or shaded areas for your child to play in, rather than the sunny outdoors. Despite the heat of summer, it is good to let your child play games, especially games that require at least some physical activity, even if he is playing indoors.

In this part of the world, the summer is very hot and humid. To revitalise this summer, make sure to offer your family enough water and enrich your meals with plenty of liquids.