angelbaby,
I saw the article abt baby cannot drink water in the Pasir Ris Mum thread.. just sharing here as well:
ST - 23 May (Friday) World p36
Babies under siz months 'should not drink water' - New York
Babies younger than six months should not be given water to drink, doctors in the US have warned.
Consuming too much water can put babies at risk of a potentially life-threatening condition known as water intoxication, physicians at Johns Hopkins Children's Centre in Baltimore hav reminded parents.
"Even when they're very tiny, they have an intact thirst reflex or a drive to drink" Dr Jennifer Anders, a paediatric emergency physician at the centre, told Reuters Health recently.
"When they have that thirst and they wants to drink, the fluid they need to drink more of is breast milk or formula"
As babies' kidneys are not yet mature, giving them too much water causes their bodies to release sodium along with excess water, Dr Anders said.
Losing sodium can affect brain activity, so early symptoms of water intoxication can include irritability, drowsiness and other mental changes.
Other symptoms include low body temperature (generally 36.1 deg C or less), puffiness or swelling in the face as well as seizures.
"It's a sneaky kind of a condition," Dr Anders said. Early symptoms are subtle, so seizures may be the first symptom a parent notices. But if a child gets prompt medical attention, the seizures will probably not have lasting consequences, she added.
Parents should also avoid using over-diluted formula or paediatric drinks containing electrolytes.
For older babies, Dr Anders said it may be appropriate in some cases to give them a small amount of water; for example to help with constipation or in very hot weater, but parents should always check with their paediatrician before doing so, and should only give the baby an ounce or two of water at a time.
If parents think their child may be water intoxicated, or if an infant has a seizure, they should seek medical attention.
REUTERS
