Alkaline water has been recognised to provide a wide range of benefits to your health, including an improvement in energy and metabolism. Although adults can readily benefit from alkaline water, is this the same for children?
Baby formula
Baby formula and alkaline water are a big no. Formula is designed to be mixed with neutral water and you definitely should not be using alkaline water during the mixing process. Filtered, or purified, water is fine as long as the pH balance is normal.
Medication
As is the same with adults, children should not ingest alkaline water within 30 minutes of taking medication. The pH balance of alkaline water can interfere with medication and cause some unanticipated side-effects. If your child needs water to take their medication, then stick to a normal, purified pH.
Meals
Drinking alkaline water close to or during meals can interfere with how your body breaks down and processes food. The same ruling applies to adults; don’t have alkaline water 30-45 minutes before or after meals.
Babies
You shouldn’t give your baby alkaline water. Under the age of six months, your baby is receiving enough hydration from breastmilk or formula and so giving them water is unnecessary (whether it’s been ionized or not). Between the ages of 6 and 12 months, it’s acceptable to start giving them water, but make sure this is normal purified water and not ionized water.
This is good practice to help build positive life habits and can help to reinforce a healthy lifestyle.
Toddlers
It’s acceptable to give toddlers alkaline water with a pH between 8.5 and 9.0 but be sure to introduce it into their diet slowly. You could even offer them juice that’s been diluted with alkaline water to help them get used to it.
Start off by giving them just two cups a day, and then slowly increase this amount. A steady introduction into their diet is the best approach but remember to adhere to the rules surrounding meals and medication.
School-age children
If your child started drinking alkaline water as a toddler, then by now they will be accustomed to having it in their diet. As children are more active around this age, they’re likely to need more water – approximately 33-66 fluid ounces, depending on their size, weight and activity levels – so it’s a good idea to provide them with a bottle of alkaline water that they can take to school with them and sip throughout the day.
Teenagers
By the time you child has reached their teenage years, the pH level of the water can be increased to 9.5 or 9.7. The amount of water they need is likely to vary depending on activities and hobbies but it’s still a good idea for them to take a bottle with them to school.
Encouraging your child to drink alkaline water is good practice and means that they can take advantage of the positive health benefits that are associated with ionized water. This is particularly important when it comes to fighting off viruses and infections.
Sources:
http://alkalinewater.com/featured-articles/alkaline-water-and-children/
https://blog.tyentusa.com/2013/02/15/children-and-alkaline-water/
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