MED INSIDER–DR RIA MASLOG
Water
For infants and children to grow healthy, adequate total caloric intake and water requirements must be met.
The water needs of the pediatric population are related to the following:
– caloric consumption
– the specific gravity of the urine and
– loss through perspiration
The daily consumption of fluid by the healthy infant is equivalent to 10-15% of his body weight as compared to adults which is only 2-4%.
Usually, the natural food of infants and children is high in water content. This means, most of the solid foods in their diet contain 60-70% water and many of the fruits and vegetables has 90% water content.
So as I mentioned earlier, the water balance depends on such factors as: fluid intake, protein and mineral content of diet, solute load presented for kidney excretion, metabolic and respiratory rates and body temperature.
Loss of water can be through the feces and this accounts around 3 to 10 percent of intake, through the lungs and skin which is around 40 to 50 % of intake and through the kidney which is 40 to 50% or more of intake.
Our kidney has the ability to preserve the fluid and electrolyte balance of the body by varying the osmolar content and volume of the urine.
In general, this is the approximate daily water requirement of Filipino infants and children as mentioned in our Textbook of Pediatrics by Dr Fe Del Mundo:
Age Water (ml/kg)
0-3 days 120
10 days 150
1-5 mos. 150
6-12 mos. 150
1-3 years 140
4-6 years 120
7-9 years 100
10-12 years 90
13-15 years 70
16-19 years 50