Hot weather: dietary advice for children

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Extract from the article: In hot weather, children are particularly vulnerable to dehydration. So it's vital to adopt appropriate strategies to ensure they stay well hydrated and eat a balanced diet.

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In hot weather, children are particularly vulnerable to dehydration. So it's vital to adopt appropriate strategies to ensure they stay well hydrated and eat a balanced diet.

To prevent dehydration, here are the recommended water intakes: children aged 1 to 3 need 1.1 to 1.3 litres a day. Children aged 4 to 8 should drink 1.6 litres a day. Children over the age of 9 should drink 2 litres a day, or even more in hot weather.

Choose drinking water (preferably filtered or boiled to avoid infection). Drink light broths, for example vegetable soup, chicken broth, water-rich fruit such as watermelon, melon, papaya and orange. Drink unsweetened natural juices such as diluted bissap, baobab juice, tamarind juice and ginger juice. Yoghurt and curdled milk are also preferable. Avoid sodas, sugary industrial juices and drinks that are too cold, which can lead to digestive problems. Children should always be offered water, even if they don't ask to drink. They are less thirsty than adults.

Menus adapted to hot weather

For breakfast, opt for millet or maize porridge enriched with milk and groundnuts. Choose fresh fruit such as mango, orange or papaya. Drink a light tea or herbal tea, particularly bissap, with no added sugar.

For lunch, eat rice or tô with a light sauce, such as gombo sauce or low-fat peanut sauce. Serve with fish or lean meat, grilled chicken or braised fish. You could also opt for a salad of raw vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, grated carrots). Drink water or natural juices.

For a snack, choose fresh fruit or homemade compote. You can have yoghurt or curdled milk. Or millet or sweet potato pancakes. Dinner can be mashed cowpeas with vegetables, a vegetable omelette or a light vegetable broth.

Practical advice for parents

Offer water regularly, especially after play or when out and about. Encourage water-rich foods (fruit, vegetables, broths). Eat light, divided meals to avoid heat stroke. Prepare homemade juices without excess sugar. Avoid foods that are too fatty or too salty, which encourage thirst. By applying these tips, you can help your children to cope better with the heat and stay in great shape despite the heatwave.

William O.

Article validated by Coura Yasmine Sandrine Zerbo, Nutritionist-Dietician, Specialist in Clinical Nutrition and Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition (Burkina Faso)