Is YOUR child drinking enough at school? Parents' desperate struggle with dehydration

It's thought children aren't drinking enough during the day at school

THE new school term is going swimmingly for most - but do you know how hydrated your children really are while they're in education?

 

It's been revealed parents across the UK are struggling to monitor their children’s drinking habits whilst at school. 

Nearly three quarters of parents don't know how much water their children are drinking during the school day and, scarily, 66 per cent aren't sure of the recommended daily intake of fluid.

The research, from BRITA, surveyed 2,000 parents of primary school children. And it found 92 per cent believe hydration to be important as it helps boost concentration levels during lessons. 

When they come home from school, parents recognise the symptoms of dehydration in their children; with over half saying they are irritable and 59 per cent noticing they are tired.

 

Most parents understand the need for water, but kids at school are out of their control

Renowned London dietician and nutritionist, Jo Travers said: "Children are less likely to recognise the early stages of thirst, which adults are more aware of, meaning they can forget that drinking water regularly is important. 

"When children return to school, after being under their parent’s guidance during the holidays, they can quickly get out of the habit of drinking regularly if they aren’t being reminded."

She added: "Children require higher quantities of water in relation to their body weight than adults,

"When hydrated, children have greater cognitive function, better visual attention, improved accuracy in motor skills such as handwriting, and more concentration which helps them to perform better.

 

BRITA has created limited edition child-friendly stickers for the Fill&Go bottle

"Therefore it is important that parents have access to the right information and support to help them keep their children hydrated throughout the school day."

In response to this, water filtration expert BRITA has launched the Back to School Hydration Initiative to encourage children to drink water and to help parents monitor their intake. 

BRITA has created limited edition child-friendly stickers for the Fill&Go bottle, which are available to win via BRITA’s Facebook page. 

The stickers provide a measurement level for break time, lunchtime and home time so that children know how much to drink and when, encouraging healthy habits and helping them stay alert and hydrated all day.