Waterborne diseases are a huge problem in the world. In fact, WHO data states that globally, there are almost 1.7 billion cases of childhood diarrhoeal disease every year. And children in India make up a significant part of that number.
So, why are water-borne diseases so rampant in the country? Well, it’s primarily due to the consumption of contaminated water. On the other hand, clean and safe drinking water can do more than just prevent your child from falling sick. There are a ton of benefits to consuming clean drinking water.
Why is it more important for children to drink clean water?
Water is essential for several vital bodily functions like distribution of nutrients, removal of waste, maintaining cell structure, and much more. It even helps deliver oxygen and build overall immunity. So, as you can imagine, it’s essential for a child to consume the required amount of water on a daily basis as they are still in the developmental phase.
Additionally, staying hydrated helps regulate body temperature and balance the fluids in the body. This in turn can help provide the necessary energy and even contribute to elevated levels of concentration and cognition.
After all, dehydration can keep your child physically slow and even prevent them from achieving their cognitive potential. So, it’s always a good idea to consume the required amount of water every day.
However, your child can only benefit from these factors as long as the water is contaminant-free.
Contaminated water is harmful to children
Contaminated water can be extremely hazardous to a child’s health. Especially, as their immunity hasn’t had sufficient time to develop. This makes them more susceptible to toxins and to various health issues. Additionally, children tend to drink more water than adults with respect to body weight. So, they end up consuming a lot more contaminants.
These contaminants can cause various gastrointestinal illnesses like typhoid, nausea, vomiting, cramps, diarrhoea, and much more. The severity of drinking contaminated water can range from feeling absolutely nothing to death.
Moreover, depending on the type of contaminants, the child may even face long-term issues. For example, consuming water with high qualities of lead can stunt the child’s mental and neurological growth. So, drinking clean and safe water is extremely important for a child.
Benefits of drinking clean water for children
Water provides a ton of benefits for your child. Not only does it help your child maintain their health at an optimal level but water also contributes to mental and physical development. Here are some of the benefits of drinking clean water for your child:
- Water provides nourishment and keeps your child healthy
Water is extremely essential for a child’s physical and mental development. As their body is active and in a constant state of growth, they need more nutrients. Water not only helps in breaking down nutrients but also helps increase metabolism, regulates major body processes, and much more.
So, drinking water regularly and drinking the required amount of water becomes crucial for a child. Even if you cannot ensure that your child consumes the necessary amount of water, you can always add water-rich food like watermelon, celery, tomatoes to their diet to ensure they consume enough water.
- Ensures smooth bowel movements
As children tend to be more active, drinking too little water may not only result in dehydration but may also contribute to constipation. Which happens to be a rather common problem in children.
When your child is constipated due to lack of water in the body, the stool tends to move slowly through the digestive tract, making it highly uncomfortable for the child. So, in addition to fibre-rich food, it is recommended that your child drink the required amount of water regularly.
- Water helps provide energy
Keeping your child hydrated is extremely important. Children are on the active side as they play and move constantly. This results in a loss of water in the body. The more strenuous the activity, the more water they lose. To prevent dehydration and its associated health issues, it’s always best to get your children to consume water regularly.
You give them a water bottle every time they go out to play or if they take part in outdoor activities. Most importantly, staying hydrated also helps prevent muscle injury and much more.
- Improves mental health
Water is crucial for the body. And it happens to be extremely important for the brain. Contaminant-free water helps the brain maintain its health. Most importantly, consuming water helps your child develop their brain optimally. They must get enough clean water as they also happen to be learning at their age and water helps them stay alert and contributes to their cognition.
There is a considerable amount of research that states that water keeps a child’s mind active, strong, alert. It even helps increase attention span and memory which directly contributes to better grades.
- Protects your child from contracting water-borne diseases
Drinking clean water not only helps your child’s physical and even mental development but also helps protect them from water-borne diseases. After all, drinking contaminated water generally results in some form of water-borne diseases like cholera, diarrhoea, typhoid, and much more. And unfortunately, children happen to be more susceptible to these diseases as they are still in the phase of developing their immunity. Children consuming contaminated water is a huge issue in India with over 3,00,000 children dying every year due to diarrheal-related diseases.
This is why you must ensure that your child has access to perfectly purified water that is free of all sorts of contaminants. Moreover, you should give your child the required amount of water daily.
Vijender Reddy Muthyala Co-Founder & CEO, DrinkPrime