Anyone that has been to Swift Nature Camp can tell you that camp water is amazing. The taste is clean and the temperature is iced cold, it must have something to do with an extra deep well and natural sand filter.
Parents often worry about health care at summer camp and one of the simplest things to do is stay hydrated.
At camp we encourage to carry a water bottle with them all the time. We know that that the medical field says that somewhere between 60-90 ounces of water each day should be consumed to lead a healthy lifestyle. Because our body is made up of 60% water, it is important to be hydrated keeping kids running all day long. We teach our kids that WATER is so important at camp especially on warm days. Often the 1st recommendation from our nurse is "go drink a full water bottle of water". Meals are always started with a glass or two of water. Here are just some of the ways we teach our campers that they are not getting enough water.
1. Are You Thirsty?
This is a simple one, if you are thirsty, your body is talking to you, its saying that you need some more water. Thirst occurs when your body loses two percent of its water, so if you are drinking in enough water, you will rarely feel thirsty. At camp we quench our thirst with only water never bug juice, water seems to be the most effective.
2. What Color Is Your Pee?
Urine is a tell tale sign of you hydration. Often campers don't want to take a look but, the color of you urine is a great way to determine if you are dehydrated. A campers urine will be light yellow or even clear when drinking enough fluids. Yet when you see dark yellow, it's time to go get some water, this one of the best signs of dehydration.
3. Are You Overheating?
Water helps keep your body cool and stops organs from overheating. Hot days running around camp could lead to heat exhaustion or even heat stroke. Drinking cool water can help, so can slowing down, staying in the shade and going swimming. This is the reason on super hot days at SNC we increase our water activities and our drinking water during meals to 4 cups per meal.
4. Is Your Skin Dry?
If you notice irregular flaky or dry skin, it could be caused to a lack of fluid. Sometimes if we notice a camper with dry skin we use lotion combined with a water bottle. After a few days we usually get the desired result.
Listening to a camp nurse is always good advice and in this case she can help you find the signs of dehydration and find that simple solution, "Pick up a water bottle and leave your sugar loaded soda and sports drinks behind".
