Are your children drinking enough water? The majority of kids are not, and many are suffering the consequences.
Dehydration is a problem for all ages, but because of their size, children can become dehydrated more easily than adults. Chronic dehydration can cause a long list of health problems.
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Taylor Riggins takes a water bottle everywhere, but that wasn't always the case. She started after a serious health scare last year. Then 7-year-old Taylor began noticing blood in her urine.
"I went to sleep, and I kept throwing up," said Riggins.
After weeks of doctor's visits, the diagnosis of kidney stones stunned her mother.
"I didn't believe it," said Marian Riggins. "Honestly, I just thought no way, kidney stones are for people my age."
But Dr. Gregory Tasian, a pediatric urologist, says kidney stones are on the rise in kids.
"The number of stones we've seen over a short period of time has risen dramatically," said Tasian.
Diets high in salt and low in water could be to blame.
"In the United States about 85-percent of children don't drink enough water," said Tasian.
In fact, a recent Harvard study found a quarter of children are drinking no plain water at all.
Severe dehydration can lead to life-threatening health problems, but even mild dehydration can cause headaches, fatigue, irritability, poor circulation, reduced physical performance and decreased mental function.
So how much water do children need?
The Institute of Medicine has these recommendations:
Ages 1 to 3: 35 fl oz / day
Ages 4 to 8: 46 fl oz / day
Girls ages 9 to 13: 57 fl oz / day
Boys ages 9 to 13: 65 fl oz / day
Girls ages 14 to 18: 78 fl oz / day
Boys ages 14 to 18: 112 fl oz / day
In addition to boosting Taylor's water intake, the Riggins family has also completely changed the way they eat to avoid extra salt.
"Zero processed foods. We don't eat any fast foods," said Marian Riggins.
All part of the plan to help Taylor avoid future problems.
For a formula to calculate your child's individual fluid needs based on age and weight, click here.