7yo not drinking enough

[MedusasBadHairDay]

For some reason it's really difficult to get DD to drink enough. If left to her own devices she would barely drink at all.

We give her a drink every morning, which she will have a sip of unless we stand over her. She takes a bottle to school, but it comes home with the same amount of water in it. Same happens after school. We tried drawing lines on the bottle to let her know how much she should drink at break and at lunch, which worked for 2 days then stopped. We tried sending her in with cartons of fruit juice (school were happy with this), hoping that having something more tasty would help, but those come back too.

At home she gets offered squash occasionally, but same result.

The only time she willingly gets a drink is at bed time as a way to delay going to sleep

Any ideas? Because having to nag her to drink is ridiculous.

We did try taking the pressure off and not nagging, but then she just didn't drink and ended up constipated. We don't get angry or tell her off - we don't want to make it stressful or cause her to dig her heels in. But we do need her to drink more than a glass and a bit a day.

Have you talked about the importance of drinking and the problems of dehydration and constipation. There should be some episode about these either on BBC eg Get Well Soon or Operation Ouch

Have you tried plain lolly ices? Not ideal but maybe she'd like them? Also, a range of herbal teas might appeal? Mine liked those as they made her feel grown up. I made her a sort of "tea stand' with them all displayed...got her a little teapot and a strainer thing too.

not sure any of mine have ever drunk more than that. THe obsession with drinking is a new thing, she needs to drink when it's hot but otherwise I'd leave her to it.

We went through this with DS2 - he kept feeling sick at school through dehydration! His class teacher was brilliant though and would get him to have a drink whenever she went for her water bottle. However, I think you will have to nag, and remind her that she will feel poorly if she doesn't drink.

Another one for ice lollies/pops.
What’s her favourite drink?
I think a little bit nagging won’t do any harm

Milk or very milky cereal? This used to be my main source of liquid as a child as I wasn’t too keen on water or juice.

Mine won't drink in the moring and will occasionally sip her drink in school. She has anxiety relating to having to use the toilet in school.

Could there be a toilet problem?

@Nataliafalka

not sure any of mine have ever drunk more than that. THe obsession with drinking is a new thing, she needs to drink when it's hot but otherwise I'd leave her to it.

Except leaving her to it leads to constipation and her feeling unwell - so I can't really do that.

@anothernewtop

Mine won't drink in the moring and will occasionally sip her drink in school. She has anxiety relating to having to use the toilet in school.

Could there be a toilet problem?

There used to be, she was hard work when we were doing toilet training. Used to try and hold it in, which resulted in more pain, which made her hold it more, etc.

Thankfully that was years ago now, but I do wonder if this is a hold over from then. It's nowhere near as bad as then thankfully

@minipie

Milk or very milky cereal? This used to be my main source of liquid as a child as I wasn’t too keen on water or juice.

I give her some milk, but she was lactose intolerant as a baby. So while she can handle milk now, it still has to be in moderation. We do give her cereal every morning, so at least she's getting some fluids that way.

@FortunesFave

Have you tried plain lolly ices? Not ideal but maybe she'd like them? Also, a range of herbal teas might appeal? Mine liked those as they made her feel grown up. I made her a sort of "tea stand' with them all displayed...got her a little teapot and a strainer thing too.

That's an idea. She did briefly improve when we bought her a new mug, so that might work. Even if not actually tea, maybe just a fancy little cup and saucer would introduce some novelty.

@Fitforforty

Have you talked about the importance of drinking and the problems of dehydration and constipation. There should be some episode about these either on BBC eg Get Well Soon or Operation Ouch

I'll have a look for those, she's a clever kid, so understands the consequences but still ignores us. Maybe hearing it from someone else will help

DD simply doesn't get thirsty which led to terrible problems with constipation and impaction. Before her I was of the opinion that you offer water and milk and if they are thirsty they will drink, despite it being the case for DS, how wrong I was.

She is a little better now after seeing how purple and jam like her blood was and a nurse administering a blood test saying how dehydrated she must be, but it is still a battle.

I have fruit juice in the house at all times, despite having concerns about that for her teeth, as well as sugar free squash, despite concerns about the sweeteners . I agree about fruit lollies and I try and give her watery food like melon and cucumber.

I have found that a very small cup helps as well as a larger water bottle being in her vicinity at all times. If I put her out a small drink with her meal it is much easier to make her finish it before she gets down from the table than if she had a massive glass. I also withold treats or tablet time etc until she has finished a small drink.

It's terribly tiring and I feel like a controlling old nag, other people must think we are nuts going on at a 10 year old like she is 2, but bitter experience and years of health issues and soiling in the past mean it is the least worst outcome.

High water content foods? I've never drunk much either, and DS only really drinks decent amounts at bedtime (when he wakes in the night)

Oh and I also get him to check the colour of his wee and set a little competition with himself to get it the right colour

@DialsMavis

DD simply doesn't get thirsty which led to terrible problems with constipation and impaction. Before her I was of the opinion that you offer water and milk and if they are thirsty they will drink, despite it being the case for DS, how wrong I was.

She is a little better now after seeing how purple and jam like her blood was and a nurse administering a blood test saying how dehydrated she must be, but it is still a battle.

I have fruit juice in the house at all times, despite having concerns about that for her teeth, as well as sugar free squash, despite concerns about the sweeteners . I agree about fruit lollies and I try and give her watery food like melon and cucumber.

I have found that a very small cup helps as well as a larger water bottle being in her vicinity at all times. If I put her out a small drink with her meal it is much easier to make her finish it before she gets down from the table than if she had a massive glass. I also withold treats or tablet time etc until she has finished a small drink.

It's terribly tiring and I feel like a controlling old nag, other people must think we are nuts going on at a 10 year old like she is 2, but bitter experience and years of health issues and soiling in the past mean it is the least worst outcome.

I am glad it's not just us, it's tiring isn't it? The smaller cup idea might help

@trunumber

Oh and I also get him to check the colour of his wee and set a little competition with himself to get it the right colour

I like that idea too.

Glad I asked on here 😁 Got a few ideas to try now

How about rice or oat milk? When I mentioned milk in my previous post I didn't say that we don't drink milk as thought it irrelevant.

I would love DD to drink water all day like DS but am happy with as much water as I can get down her, Cereal with (rice) milk, glass of squash, cup of juice, watery fruit and veg and maybe a Milkshake (fruit and milk blitzed up)

Oh one other idea. I try to give the DDs a large bottle of water while they have their screen time. I use the Camelbak ones with a straw so they can drink while watching.

The water just disappears, they drink without thinking about it iyswim.

Even if not actually tea, maybe just a fancy little cup and saucer would introduce some novelty.

Why wouldn't you give her actual herbal tea though? Kids often like it...particularly berry flavours or mint. You can add cold water once it's brewed so it's not too hot...mine like it.

@FortunesFave

Even if not actually tea, maybe just a fancy little cup and saucer would introduce some novelty.

Why wouldn't you give her actual herbal tea though? Kids often like it...particularly berry flavours or mint. You can add cold water once it's brewed so it's not too hot...mine like it.

I'll definitely try her with it, was just saying it might still be a solution even if she turns her nose up at the tea

Here are some guidelines which are helpful with regard to hydration.

https://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/hydration/hydration-for-children.html

If my patients are struggling with fluid intake sometimes I find it helpful;

To sit and have a drink with them
Little and often
Chart it! Write down in mls how much she has drank-and you could make it a challenge with rewards.
Use science-I have colour charts for urine at work which are helpful.
Go and buy a cool cup together-if she picks it she will be more likely to use it.
Always have a drink with you-DS has a water bottle he carries with him always- and we do the same.
Link it to feeling good.
I personally have no issue with sugar free squash but DS prefers water.

Don't be disheartened, I have lots of patients who don't drink enough

It's a bit twee but could be good