TOLEDO, Ohio — With school out, many parents are enrolling their kids in summer camp programs. But with the extreme heat this week, it's important to check in with your little ones.
Ellen Watkins, director of Camp Miakonda in Sylvania Township, said the camp constantly reinforces hydration in a fun way with their cub scout kids.
"We have a chant that we do with our campers, a hydrated camper is a happy camper," Watkins said. "We have igloo coolers with ice stationed all throughout camp."
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She said another way they get the kids to cool off is by turning on misting stations that have been built at the camp for this exact reason in the summertime.
Beverly Foltz, a certified nurse practitioner with ProMedica, said adults need to remember to keep themselves hydrated, too.
"You definitely want to throw in some electrolytes, Foltz said. "That could be something as far as liquid IV, some salt, some magnesium, potassium, those sorts of things. Gatorade, Powerade, anything will definitely help to hold onto that water."
It's not always easy to get a kid to drink water, though.
Brenda Hartley, a ProMedica pediatrician, said there are nutritious foods that can help your kid stay hydrated, such as "Fruits with water in it, watermelon and strawberries and peaches and vegetables with water, like cucumbers and celery."
Foltz advised avoiding caffeine and alcohol when it's hot outside.
"I would avoid like pop, coffee, any alcoholic drinks as well because they're going to make you urinate more frequently," she said.
So, to keep water fun, Hartley recommended getting creative with your water options.
"You could do a flavored water, a fruit water, popsicles, JELL-O," she said. "Things that have water in them are just as hydrating, you just may have to do them a little more often, especially with the heat and humidity that we're having."
Signs of dehydration in a child include irritability, headaches and throwing up, Hartley said. If your child is showing signs, she says to avoid throwing them directly into a pool and work on slowly getting them cooled off.
"It's always good having something on hand within arms reach from you," Foltz said. "It's better to have small sips of water throughout the day than just to maybe go a few hours and then to drink something very quickly."