Dehydration is a common and potentially very serious condition for kids. It’s therefore important to pick up signs of dehydration as early as possible. The University of Arkansas reported, researchers have found the color of urine is a valid gauge for hydration in kids.
For years athletes and the military have used color charts to track hydration levels. A new study has found this same method of self-assessment is effective for kids. Stavros Kavouras, who is a leading expert in hydration, and his collaborators tested whether the 8-point urine color scale serves as a valid method for kids between the ages of 8 to 14 years old to assess their own hydration levels.
The researchers have found not only does the urine color scale apply to hydration levels in kids, but that kids can accurately use the chart in order to determine their own hydration levels. Kavouras says kids could be more aware of their hydration status and improve hydration practices with the establishment of an acute measurement tool.
This becomes particularly significant in view of a study in the American Journal of Public Health this month which found that half of American kids are not adequately hydrated. Even mild dehydration in kids has been associated with decreased cognitive functioning and is linked with poorer school performance in kids. This study has been published in the European Journal of Nutrition.
The goal of this study was to test the validity of the urine color scale in young, healthy boys and girls, as a marker of the concentration of their urine. The researchers also wanted to investigate the diagnostic ability of a urine color scale for the detection of hypohydration and examine the ability of kids to self-assess urine concentration. It has been concluded that the classical eight-point urine color scale serves as a valid method to assess hydration in kids between the ages of 8–14 years. This is important in consideration of how dangerous being dehydrated can be for kids.
