Older adults also need to drink fluids, even if they are not thirsty. The ability to sense thirst declines over the years, so older people cannot rely on their thirst to prompt them to drink enough fluids. The ability to regulate body temperature easily also declines with age. If a care giver is thirsty, a dependent older adult, infant or small child probably is, too. Hold a glass of water or other nourishing liquid up to them when offering a drink, Higgins said.
Water is recommended for infants who have started on solid foods.
For more information on nutrition and health, contact the local extension office. Children do not tolerate the heat as well as adults. Their bodies generate more heat relative to their size than adults do. They also lose more fluids because they have a greater proportion of skin surface in relation to their size. Since children do not always recognize their thirst, parents are encouraged to offer them a drink of water frequently each time they pass through the kitchen and before, during and after play.