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Drinking Extra Fluids

When your child is not feeling well, he or she may not want anything to drink. This may happen if your child has a fever or diarrhea or is vomiting. It is important that your child drink enough fluids to avoid dehydration.

Not drinking enough fluid can cause constipation. When the weather gets hot or when your child is getting more exercise, he or she needs more to drink.

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Use the following table to determine how many 8 fl oz (240 mL) bottles or cups of fluid your healthy baby or child needs each day.

**Feeding amount by child's age**
Child's age	Number of 8-ounce bottles or cups	Volume in milliliters
6 months	4.0 to 4.5	950 to 1,000
9 months	4.5 to 5.5	1,000 to 1,250
1 year	5.0 to 5.5	1,200 to 1,350
2 years	5.5 to 6.5	1,350 to 1,500
4 years	6.5 to 7.5	1,500 to 1,800

Keep track of how much your child drinks and urinates when he or she is ill. Remember that children may need to drink more when they have a fever or diarrhea or are vomiting.

By	Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer	William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Last Revised	May 2, 2011

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: /2, 11 1

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.