Patient's question:
The child is now 5 and a half months old. Since the age of 3 months, they have never liked drinking water. It's clear that their upper and lower lips are very dry, and sometimes they even develop dry blisters, but they simply refuse to drink water from the bottle (only drinking a maximum of two sips, then avoiding the bottle or biting the nipple to prevent water from flowing in). The only way we can get them to drink 10 to 20 ml of water is after they have cried uncontrollably. What should we do?Doctor's answer:
Everything has a process. It takes time to cultivate good drinking habits. Be patient, everything will be fine.To ensure that children drink enough water, a fixed drinking time should be arranged every day. Additionally, parents should pay attention to correcting their children’s unhealthy drinking habits, such as not drinking water within one hour before or after meals.
The function and quantity of digestive enzymes in children’s digestive fluids are generally poorer than those of adults. Drinking water before or after meals dilutes the digestive fluids, further weakening their function. Over time, this can lead to poor digestion.
Furthermore, drinking a large amount of water before meals can make children feel full, reduce their appetite, and affect their normal diet. In the long run, this may result in malnutrition.