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Children's health

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Original poster

I don't think dd, 5, drinks enough...

20 replies

notnowbernard · 02/12/2008 19:32

She had a cup of water with breakfast (her choice of drink)

Took a bottle of water to school for break-time (hardly touched it)

Packed-lunch carton of juice came back unopened

She had a cup of water when we got back from school. And nothing since (I've just realised)... maybe a few sips at dinner time

This isn't enough, is it? Could it also be why sometimes she wets herself a bit, because her bladder isn't full enough for her to have a strong urge to go to the loo?

All thoughts welcome!

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Original poster

notnowbernard · 02/12/2008 20:08

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DoubleBluff · 02/12/2008 20:09

doesn't seem much but not sure how much children should drink.

Original poster

notnowbernard · 02/12/2008 20:12

It doesn't look a lot, does it? She's never been a huge drinker. I don't know how much a 5yr old should drink though

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LoveMyGirls · 02/12/2008 20:13

I think my dd is the same but she's 9, how do you make them drink more though? I make drinks for her, she can make her own but she doesn't drink very much really and also does the wetting herself a little bit now and again.

lisasimpson · 02/12/2008 20:14

I could have written the exact same post about my ds. The trouble is I know I don't either, so I often forget to remind him. I always ask him which drink he would prefer and just lately he has got keen on milkshakes which helps. He says he's just not thirsty - and doesn't see the point in drinking if you are not thirsty!

NorbertDentressangle · 02/12/2008 20:14

She sounds like my DD who at the age of 9 still doesn't drink enough and never has done.

DD had a glass of milk with breakfast, didn't touch the drink in her packed lunch, managed to not the blackcurrant squash I put on the table for her after school (if you don't stand over her and remind her/make her drink it she just doesn't bother with it) and then finally drank it with dinner.

I swear that she doesn't recognise thirst (and sometimes I don't think she recognises hunger either).

I'm not sure what the secret is to making them drink though I'm afraid.

NorbertDentressangle · 02/12/2008 20:16

sorry that should be:

managed to not drink the blackcurrant squash

JiminyCricket · 02/12/2008 20:19

Dd1 doesn't drink much or wee very often. The only problem it seems to cause is mild water infections (feeling like she needs a wee all the time) sometimes. I think they do get quite a lot of fluid from food too, I don't really worry about it, its just her. Having a cup of water by her bed at night, she will sip that.

Original poster

notnowbernard · 02/12/2008 20:25

Thanks for replies

Just wondering if I should push fluids a bit more as she is 5 and I still have a bit of control over these things

I mean, I know she's healthy and everything but it occured to me today that she doesn't drink much and that I wasn't sure how much an average 5yr old should have a day

ANd whether the occasional wetting was something to do with it (it's not a lot, but she can tell)

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Surfermum · 02/12/2008 20:29

DD is also 5 and drinks about the same amount - and I worry terribly about it. She often goes through periods of having accidents at school and getting sore round her bits and I'm sure they're linked.

I don't have the answer though. Reward charts don't seem to motivate her. I'm just hoping that if I tell her enough the link between the accidents and not drinking enough will eventually sink in and she'll realise she has to drink more.

Original poster

notnowbernard · 02/12/2008 20:34

Surfermum - sounds a bit like dd

She can get sore at night if she's been a bit wet in the day too

Reward charts are a waste of time with dd for anything - I think they're a bit crap generally

Think I'll just start offering more drinks. I.e a drink as soon as we're back from school, another one before dinner, with dinner and after dinner

Might get some juice in for mealtimes and see if that encourages her a bit more

Obv can't control what she does at school though

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Surfermum · 02/12/2008 20:38

Blackcurrant is meant to be the worst one to give them. The nurse practitioner told me to avoid any red drinks.

Needless to say blackcurrant is her favourite!

Sidge · 02/12/2008 20:51

They should have 6-8 drinks a day, of at least 150 mls.

The less they drink the more likely they are to have infections, wetting and irritation of the vulva/urethra/penis. Dehydration can also cause headaches, constipation, poor attention, dry skin, backache and irritability.

For some children you can use reward systems eg star charts, sticker books, physical reward eg after you've had your drink you can watch TV etc.

Others need more authoritarian methods, eg you can't watch ANY tv until you've finished that drink.

Try straws, sports bottles, using an 'adult' glass, even a baby bottle if necessary (I saw a 6 year old recently who refused to drink - we worked out that because she had wobbly teeth it hurt her to drink from a rigid cup, so until the teeth fell out we let her use a baby bottle at home).

NorbertDentressangle · 02/12/2008 20:58

DD's lack of drinking makes her as irritable and moody as hell.

As soon as she walks out of school I can tell instantly if shes drunk anything all day.

Original poster

notnowbernard · 02/12/2008 21:03

Sidge - thankyou, that's really useful info

She doesn't refuse to drink, just doesn't seem to much! I've just mentioned it to dp who agrees and says she's never been a big drinker (true)

I think a fancy straw would do the trick, in a fancy beaker. I'll get some apple juice in for mealtimes (she doesn't like milk as a drink)

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Sidge · 02/12/2008 22:40

No probs

Older children (about 8+) obviously need more fluids, ideally 6-8 drinks of 250 mls.

Some children never have drunk much, but then it can become a habit in the same way that drinking loads can be a habit. Try gently upping the volume, and then the frequency. For a child that drinks little suddenly being made to drink 6 drinks when they've only ever had 3 for example can be quite a jump. I would recommend giving say 150 mls where they've only had 100, then up to 200. Then when they can drink that move on to more frequent drinks of the same volume. Before they know it they're drinking double what they used to and should be feeling the benefits!

Surfermum · 03/12/2008 11:56

Thank you Sidge, that's really helpful.

I think my laidbackness probably hasn't done dd any favous in this instance. I might have to try the authoritarian route.

Surfermum · 04/12/2008 20:14

How's it going notnowbernard?

We are on day 2 of coming home from school with wet knickers again.

Of course what I forgot was Sidge's great advice to gradually increase the volume when I was standing over her saying "drink!". I'd better back off a bit.

I have realised that she get extremely excited about chocolate coins, so I might try bribing her with a chocolate coin if she drinks all her water at school.

FrayedKnot · 04/12/2008 20:21

I have this problem with DS and now he's started school he drinks less than ever so I need to try and get him to drink more.

He won;t drink anything in the morning unless I stand over him, has toast and fruit.

Often ignores his juice carton at lunch.

Doesn;t appear to drink his water which is available all day in teh classroom.

Has a few sips in the afternoon and at tea time.

Has water to sip at night.

He does eat lots of fruit and his wee always looks very pale but I am getting pretty concerned.

If anyone finds a good method of bribery, let me know!

Original poster

notnowbernard · 05/12/2008 10:14

Surfermum - she's doing well! Drinking much more (I explained all the reasons why it was important to drink more than she does)

Hasn't been wet for a while now

Haven't had to resort to bribery but did buy a fancy beaker to take to school and got some straws for at home

Hope things improve for your dd, too

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