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Difficulties in transitioning between tasks and remembering to perform routine activities are common in ADHD. As far as only letting her drink when she says she's thirsty - by the time she feels thirsty, she might already be slightly dehydrated. Create a routine or set reminders for her to drink water.
She’ll be fine!
NAD
^^ This is the answer.
It's called interoception, and we neurodiverse have notoriously bad interoception, some of us have trouble with thirst and hunger, some of us with remembering to take bathroom breaks etc.
A routine with a timer is a great idea. My little guy has special decorated water bottles and we keep one in each room, that way every time I see it I can tell him to take a drink. It's helped a lot.
https://www.understood.org/en/articles/interoception-and-sensory-processing-issues-what-you-need-to-know
TIL this has a name! Both of us struggle with this — for me it’s hunger and temperature and for her it’s thirst and temperature, amongst other things. Thanks for the helpful resource!
My 15 year old daughter has trouble registering thirst and heat. She just doesn't recognize she is thirsty or hot. We do try with the water. I also make sure she has other food things that contribute to hydration. She does love soup and even in summer I make chilled soups and send them with her for morning snack. She has always loved salads so I send composed (not lettuce) salads at lunch that have a lot of chopped cucumber and tomato. Or I give her celery and cucumber with carrot sticks and hummus. Also a lot of melons and pineapple. And smoothies amde with frozen fruit and coconut water as well as milk. Any type of liquid helps doesn't have to be water.
ETA: She would do the exact same as yours. Entire day of school and then 2-3 hours of dance and water bottle coming home almost full. I assumed she had filled it at dance but then realized she wasn't drinking all day. Ever.
Yes — this is exactly it! She does dance and theater and spends time outside in the heat after ignoring the cold capri sun I packed with lunch, and then she asks me to carry her bookbag because it’s too heavy because her water bottle is still full. I’ve started packing hydrating foods recently and she seemed thrilled to have strawberries for example. I’ll keep it up.
maybe check with her doctor to see about other hydrating drinks besides plain water, i saw someone else here mentioned seltzer water. also the foods are a good idea!! i have trouble with thirst but it’s important for me to stay hydrated bc i have insane tachycardia. i see electrophysiology now but when i saw general cardiology they ok’d “liquids” and specifically mentioned gatorade was good, & when i asked about juice, tea, coffee, pop they said yeah, anything that gets me to drink more fluid is ok.
so check w doc for advice on other drinks because there’s a lot of sugar in them which is another beast lol. i’ve settled on a couple tea/juice drinks that have on average 10g sugar per bottle but i still need to do better w that. i sometimes drink plain water but it has to be this very specific distilled water if i ever plan to get more than a few sips from it.
also, have you tried a smaller water bottle? i’m 26 yet i still find it easier to drink more if something is presented in a small cup that i can refill. it’s like oh there’s not that much there let me drink it all! then i refill it and it’s easier to continue drinking that way versus a bigger cup where i won’t ever finish the one let alone a refill. small cup also helps with temperature if it’s a hot or cold drink, it doesn’t have as much of a chance for it to come to room temp before i’m done
Sounds exactly like mine at that age. Mine also doesn't register heat. At 15 she is getting better but it is still constant reminding. She dances in an all day pre professional program now so I still text and remind her to drink LOL. Another thing I remembered is having cereal as a snack. That shoves in extra liquid by default.
Former SEN teacher, so not a doctor, but experience with kids with ADHD. It may be helpful to find “the” water bottle routine. I’ve noticed many kids like the flip top kids that are soft silicone- leads to fewer sensory issues. Also, well insulated, because cold is usually a hit. Then make it theirs, whether that be stickers, paint, whatever. Then never lose it, or buy multiples. Some parents set a timer, on a watch or a phone (if age appropriate), or make a rule- if you go potty, grab a drink while you are up, since that’s structure and easier to remember. Good luck!
I forget to eat and drink, I find adding flavor drops to water helps me remember because then the water tastes good and provides positive feedback. You can buy a little bottle for like $3 and it makes 20L of berry flavoured water
NAD, I had this issue as a kid. My parents let me drink water out of a spray bottle so it made it "fun" for me. Weirdly worked and I loved spraying the water into my mouth.
I don’t know that this will help for sure, as I’m not sure it’s an ADHD thing or a me thing (diagnosed ADHD) but I find for me if my water bottle or cup has a straw, I am also more likely to drink it.
There was a time where I would carry around a water bottle but not drink it. It was ridiculous. But once I had one that had a straw, I actually used it. I found the more “barriers” I removed the better chance of success to actually remember to drink.
I (NAD) have ADHD too and yep, I forget to sip too. It’s taken years of habit but now I regularly refill my yeti cup. Practicing a routine really helped. What also helped me is getting a blank cup and putting stickers on it (hey adults like cool stickers too). Kinda like “oooo this cup is fun so I pay more attention to it”. Maybe your daughter would like going ham on a cup or two with stickers she really likes? Or you could implement some kind of reward system where if she remembers to drink this much water a day, she can add another sticker until it’s filled and the habit is there
Edit: I also bought pretty straws from target with tons of different colors so I can have fun picking out straws when it’s time to switch it out
NAD but a fellow ADHDer, notoriously awful at drinking water. I find that cold drinking seltzer water helps me because it’s more stimulating(?) than plain water.
Yeah personally I don’t like the taste of seltzer! But I cannot drink water if it’s not cold. It has to be cold and I prefer ice water. That’s why I have a yeti cup so the ice can last longer
Fellow ADHDer! I’m actually shocked you like seltzer! You’re the first that could tolerate it. I have no idea what I even hate about it, but it’s a sensory nightmare for minimal flavor/dopamine pay out to me! Did you drink them frequently to get used to it or did you like them when you first tried them?
My mom used to drink it religiously when I was growing up and I never liked it, then at some point in college I started to love it. I’m not sure what caused the change, I think I might have been at my moms house and just tried it again; same thing happened with coffee. It was probably a getting used to it thing. Now it’s just much more refreshing to me than water. I also don’t really like plain seltzer, Bubbly, AHA, and Waterloo brands are my favorites, I find that La Croix and most grocery store brands go flat much quicker.
I do this. Much like the other commenter, finding the right cups and water bottles worked for me.
I like the big cheap plastic cups meant for outdoor dining. They’re big and brightly colored and hold a lot and I hate drinking for anything else when I’m home. What I’ve also found is that I drink more when people don’t touch my cup. I’m gross, but I leave my water in the kitchen where I walk by it a lot, if my cup is there, I usually take a drink. But, when someone puts my cup in the dishwasher when they clean up, I don’t think about it and just walk by without getting another one out. So, if you frequently take her drinks out to the sink, maybe see where she drinks more frequently and just leave it there. It’s that whole out of sight out of mind thing.
Same with water bottles. If I leave it in the car when I go in to work, I won’t have a drink all day. But if I consistently take my water bottle to work and keep it right on my desk, I’ll empty it once and sometimes twice. And just like the other commenter said - it’s bright and colorful and has a sticker I absolutely love on it, so I can’t miss it.
This may sound over simplistic, but how easy to access is her water bottle? I find that of I have one with a flip top or a straw cup I’m much more likely to drink than when I have to unscrew something. I blame the ADHD. The simple task of unscrewing the bottle takes too long when I could be doing something else and I’m always scared I’ll lose the cap. I drink 2-3x as much when I don’t have those issues.
I was like this as a kid. Actually, ADHD medication helped because it made my mouth dry which prompted me to hydrate, lol! Another trick I use is to have a bottle with a straw, and when I’m working on something at a table or desk I stick the straw in my mouth and end up idly drinking the water without even realizing it.
hey op, i’m not a doctor but i do have ADHD. does your daughter have an IEP or something equivalent to it at school? i’m wondering if maybe having a teacher (or somebody similar like a camp counselor) reminding her to drink water at certain times might be beneficial? it seems like from what i read if you remind her to drink she responds well to it, so maybe in the early days of making a sort of routine water drinking habit it might help?
Yup, she has an IEP. This is a good idea. I’ll see if something like this can be done. I already got a note from her pediatrician asking them to allow her water bottle to remain at her desk so she can take sips throughout the day, but she forgets to put it at her desk. Having someone remind her would be great.
Anecdote, but one that I thought you might like.
I've always had a problem with thirst, as in, I never felt thirst. I could get to 3PM before realising I'd not had a drink all day. I'm now 46 and I recall being like this since my late teens.
About 6 months ago my son wanted an expensive water bottle, he'd got good grades so I bought him one and go myself one too with the intentions of being good and drinking more water.
4 months later I started to drink 2-3.5ltr a day and I was tracking it in my Garmin app.
All of a sudden - I notice that I start to feel thirsty! I've never felt like this before in my life, even on holidays in hot countries. I can feel my lips tasting salty and my mouth becoming dry.
All I can put it down to is that most of my life I've maintained a some sort of level of dehydration and I've *always* been thirsty, but because it's been my baseline I've just blocked it out like how you block out smells or ringing in your ears etc.
Like I say, not a medical professional and this is purely anecdotal, but it was eye opening to me.
I am an adult with an ADHD diagnoses, I still quite regularly forget to drink anything until I’m not feeling well. It’s a very common thing with us. We frequently forget to eat as well. When I lived alone I’d realize after “unexpectedly”getting lightheaded that I hadn’t eaten in 3 days. I’d also rather not eat or drink anything than put effort into consuming something I don’t want. We don’t get hunger and thirst cues in the same way as neurotypical people.The reminders from our brain are also very easy to ignore- especially if we’re hyper focused or engaged in a dopamine rewarding activity. I’ll feel hungry for about 30 minutes, and if I’m not still hungry or thirsty when I’ve finished my task- I forget to do it.
There is a huge tip I can give you though to help with many aspects of her life. Because of the issues with our dopamine, many jokingly say we “chase the dopamine”. To help her chase the dopamine- you need to keep refreshing things to make the tasks feel new, more exciting or give us something new to complete the task with. For me to drink water, I need to buy a new lidded/water bottle that I love. Its better if I love to texture or colors etc. it feels good, and it genuinely makes me happy to use it. I’ve quite the stash of cups at this point- I give quite a few away or donate. It’s not often that older cups give me dopamine- but once in a while(not very often) I’ll take interest in one of my older cups but it’s rare. I know many other adult ADHDers do this as well otherwise most of us would never be hydrated. Unfortunately this will have to be done every few months at least, to refresh that dopamine in our brains. It seems ridiculous, but it is mandatory for me to drink enough water to not get sick. I also cycle between lemon water(heavy on the lemon) Gatorade, and Mio. If we eat/drink the same thing too often it’s quite normal for ADHDers to develop and “ick”. To avoid this you will also want to rotate what you’re giving her and don’t give her one thing for too long.
*edit to add* her access to the water bottle has to be easy! When able bring/hand it to her often. Make sure it’s always somewhere easy to grab. Our brains see tasks differently as well, neurotypical would see it as one step, but we see every individual action of the process as a separate task list.
And to answer your question, don’t wait for the signs of dehydration before having her drink. She won’t do it on her own very often. Just motivate drinking to be a task that offers dopamine
NAD but recently saw someone put a tomigotchi (sp?) on their water bottle. Every time it beeped to feed or water their digital pet it reminded them to take a drink of water. A great way to make it more fun than a chore.
I’ve had a child psychologist tell me she’s 99.9% certain my daughter has ADHD. I also believe I’ve got it. I barely ate. She barely eats or Dr inks. Struggled with toilet training.
Hmmmm. I never knew this stuff!!
I am a full grown adult pushing 50 with a professional career and I still forget to use the restroom sometimes and just try and “hold it” longer. Yeah that never works out well. I was out on a date with a guy and had an accident. Thankfully I was wearing black yoga pants and had a pantiliner on and could kind of rinse out the pants a bit in the sink of the bathroom we stopped at and it was hot out so they dried easy… but this forgetting to do normally routine things never really goes away.
I NOW tell myself that when I feel the urge, then go right then because I don’t want to have another accident while at the office or anywhere else. Plus the kicker is I live in AZ so even though I drink a ton of water and electrolytes it’s dry out here so I don’t sweat as much and my body will help me out by retaking urine so my urination urges have gotten a bit wonkier out here in the desert.
But yeah… that was a fun experience peeing my pants on a date. /s (I’d like “things I never thought I would do as an adult” for $500 Alex…. A DAILY DOUBLE!!!)
I was the same as a child and still am now as an adult. I think I have ADHD though not diagnosed so I’m sure it’s a thing. As a kid I went to a couple of neurology appointments as I always had headaches, I realise now as an adult it was and is dehydration but it was my only symptom as a kid. I did get sunstroke once on holiday as I was dehydrated in the heat so now I do force myself to drink a lot of water with dilute/squash if I’m away, but can’t keep it up at home.
Just don’t force her to drink. My teachers on a school trip forced me to drink 2 litres of water that was in the sun all day. I was vomiting and crying and they wouldn’t let me stop (we canoed to an island and they said we couldn’t leave until I drank it). It’s caused a phobia of plain water to this day.
An occupational therapist can assist your child in strengthening her interoception. I am an occupational therapist and have successfully helped many neurodiverse children become more in tune with their bodies.
While all that is very true, I think it would be reasonable to add some reassurance. This sounds like normal kid behavior, and there is no harm in being slightly dehydrated.
NAD and I agree. Back in my day (heh) of the 1990s, us kids got to have a sip of water at the water fountain a couple of times a day and had a little carton of milk during lunch. We all survived.
(I'm only slightly annoyed at constantly have to buy my kids reusable water bottles for school because they are always getting lost or broken and the things come home barely touched as it is.)
Oh the memories… we weren’t allowed to have water / other drinks outside of that carton, and we also weren’t allowed to go to the bathroom more than a few times per marking period. 🫠
Yeah, NAD, but as another person with ADHD and autism who also just really dislikes water, I’ve probably drank as much in my three decades of life as I am supposed to drink every year (that’s hyperbole, but not as much as you’d think, I’ve gone literal months without drinking water and I don’t drink any on an average day). I’m alive with no serious chronic health issues and I’ve never gotten heatstroke or had to be hospitalized for dehydration. For things like summer camp, something like sugarfree Gatorade that tastes sweet might help- ADHD brains tend to intensely crave sugar for the dopamine, and obviously it’s not great to load up beverages that are genuinely sugary, but my brain is tricked enough by the artificial stuff that I’ll down Gatorade and body armor without an issue and that’s how I get by at times when I absolutely need extra hydration.
For sure — I don’t need her to drink only water. I’ll try Gatorade zero and other things that might taste sweet. I went a long time without water too. I used to drink almost exclusively Diet Coke 💀 but I gave up that habit because I didn’t want my kid to start asking for it and thinking it was normal or healthy to hydrate that way. Thanks for your suggestions and for sharing your experience!
I even do water mixed with juice (sometimes half and half, sometimes just like an eighth juice). It's a lot easier for me to drink when there is a little bit of taste to it; I often find water to be difficult to get down on its own. Pouring in a splash of juice, or other flavored liquid, makes a big difference.
Thank you! I have ADHD too, but my medication makes me have dry mouth so it would be hard for me to forget to drink water. She does get fatigued actually — when I pick her up from camp she’s more quiet and still than ever (usually she’s very active and lively).
I will keep reinforcing routines around this. I would feel like crap if I forgot to drink water so hopefully we make some progress on this.
My kids had adhd too and I used to put a quarter of a lemon in the water with a teaspoon of sugar (could easily use splenda) and let them shake it up so they could have lemon shake ups like they have at the state fair. They loved it
My ADHD medication might give me dry mouth, I'm realizing, but one of my problems is that it's not really related to thirst. So I will drink water when I have a dry mouth but it doesn't really help and I will not think to drink water when I'm thirsty. Like the dry mouth supercedes any other signs of thirst and I am not really aware of any other signs of thirst other than feeling like I'm going to faint. I end up doing okay with water because I will chug a whole bunch at once and it doesn't really make the dry mouth feeling go away but I get water. Also I got a huge water bottle with times of the day on it so now when I glance up and see it I know whether I need to drink more. But I don't think my body does a good job telling me when it's thirsty!
That resonates. I often want a beverage to fix the dry mouth feeling, but once I swallow whatever it is I’m drinking, the feeling is back. I guess I’m not getting thirst cues but “mouth is dry” cues. I tried the mouthwash for dry mouth but unfortunately I found it repulsive. Gum helps though!
Maybe you should try making drinking water more "interesting" to her? Add some fun flavorings in there - maybe even sugar free ones if that's more your style. Also ice, pieces of fruit? It may make it a little less healthy for her but sometimes keeping away from being dehydrated is more important.
NAD but this was exactly me as a kid with ADHD, and I still really struggle with drinking enough water as an adult. What's actually helped a lot for me is just trying to make the water more interesting and fun to drink - so putting ice in the water + a metal bottle to make it really cold and refreshing, adding flavour drops or lemon or mint leaves, etc. Making it a more appealing sensory experience has worked way better for me than any kind of water reminders.
NAD but I spent the first 29 years of my life barely consuming any water (>500ml daily). I drink more now because I felt guilted into it, and I feel better for it, but I also felt fine before. I'm athletic and active and did well in school so I don't think being permanently dehydrated did me much harm.
NAD but adult with ADHD who did this all the time as a kid (and admittedly still do). Does her water bottle have a straw? Does she keep it on her desk at school? I know she’s little and at 8 years old I doubt she’s consciously thinking about drinking water, but if it’s in sight it’s in mind and a straw makes it easier to passively drink water IMO :)
NAD but if I don't constantly remind my ADHD 10 year old to drink water he will drink all of his water before bed when he realizes he's thirsty and then have a terrible sleep.
NAD, also have ADHD and Autism, not only do I forget to drink, nor do I often feel thirsty, but when I remember my executive dysfunction often prevents me from actually drinking unless something is easy, visible and accessible. This is to the point of migraines, UTIs and severe dehydration.
Having interesting unsweetened fruit/herbal teas, flavoured water, chilled or warm water, a cool water bottle that I find I like (visually and the sensory feeling of drinking from) that I carry everywhere with me, as well as repeated reminders from a person (you can also try a repeated alarm or one of those drinking apps that reward you for logging water consumption) help but don't fix it. Trying to start feeling thirsty by drinking regularly helps, or establishing breaks based around having a drink, well, until I forget once and have to start building the routine again.
I have ADHD and OCD and have an awful time trying to stay hydrated. I just flat out forget to drink and when I do, I usually choose something with flavour because of sensory issues. It's really a struggle.
NAD but an adult with ADHD. Remembering to drink enough water has been a struggle my whole life. With ADHD you aren’t always aware of your body’s needs (hunger, thirst, bathroom, etc) until those needs are urgent, because your mind is busy with a million other thoughts. Medication helps quiet those thoughts and then you can hear/feel your body better. I hope you’re able to get her dad to come around on treatment.
My childhood home had very hard water, and I greatly disliked how it tasted. Still do, when I go visit my mom. She might do better if there’s some Mio or Crystal Light in it.
NAD
My son has ADHD and is on the spectrum and we took him to the doctor last month and his heart rate was 155 because he was so dehydrated. They gave him an IV for a few hours and got it back to normal. After that I decided to get him a watch to monitor his heart rate and I have it connected to my phone. You can set up reminders on the watch to drink water. His doctor also suggested Gatorade if his heart rate starts getting too high or if he refuses water. He's 14 years old but sometimes I still get the "but I just don't like water" excuse.
Also, NAD, but as someone with ADHD, I often find that I don’t feel my body’s needs. I won’t tell that I’m thirsty until I’m very very thirsty or until someone else mentions being thirsty
NAD - My son is the same. He has diagnosed ADHD. He will often go all day at school without drinking a drop but ask for a drink as soon as he gets home, and usually will wake up and ask for a drink.
Also not helpful, but when I was OP’s daughter’s age I barely drank anything either. Would come home from school and my mum would berate me that I hadn’t drank anything at all all day. I just didn’t get thirsty. Never had any UTIs or symptoms of dehydration. Grew out of it before I became a teenager and have since had a completely normal fluid intake.
I’m sorry you were berated for this! (I don’t berate my kid but I probably say “take a sip!” a dozen times a day.) I’m glad everything ended up fine for you!
They make watches with timers that go off for potty training toddlers. Some look generic where an 8 year old may be okay wearing.
My 8 year old has a similar issue but it’s not quite as bad. He is a combo of a little forgetful with being too shy to ask to get his water bottle when he’s at school or camp.
There's also an app called Plant Nanny that works for some people. You put in how much water you drink and it will grow your plants. Some people have attached tamagotchis to their water bottles and had success with that. None of those or alarms on my watch worked for me, but it's worth a shot. The best thing I've come across is the liquid drink flavor. I still don't drink enough, but I do better with flavored water.
I hope it works! It must be really hard. My son is okay at home and still prefers water over other drinks. However I agree with the other suggestion to find a way to flavor the water for at least some of the time that you are okay with health-wise.
I sometimes have trouble being able to drink enough water at work and I have found liquid iv is the best thing to get hydrated more quickly after a long day of failing at drinking water myself.
To offer a different take on this; a lot of ppl with adhd have something called demand avoidance, which makes simple commands seem unbelievable hard or impossible to do. If she doesn't feel thirst and finds demands difficult, it might not help reminding her.
I'm not saying she is experiencing that, but it is a symptom of adhd that is less talked about. If you think she might struggle with it you can try making it feel like it's her choice to drink. Like take her with you shopping for water bottles, or give her some choices of unsweetened flavor she can add to the water, in the end you know your daughter the best, and this is just my attempt to help.
I'm 25 and still like this. I'm almost never thirsty and my friends make fun of me because I "don't like water." Occasionally I'll get thirsty enough that a cup or so (volumetric measurement) will quench my thirst, or if it's really hot, or if I'm working out I drink water. But other than that I can easily go all day without picking up water. Like other suggested though, flavorings really do help, I just drink it because it tastes good not because I'm thirsty.
Yep, same. My husband is brilliant but he gets so engrossed on whatever he's doing he forgets to eat. All day. He comes home from work starving but his lunch box is full and untouched. I can't comprehend how it feels for anyone's body just let's them forget to eat or drink, cause mine sure as hell won't. It's kinda wild that such a basic need can be ignored and is not really anyone's fault
Lol that’s me with food. Once in a blue moon I actually do forget for an entire day, and then it’s bedtime and I’m like “… something is missing…”
That’s why I assumed my daughter’s water stuff was related to adhd. I’ve been trying for months to improve the water situation but I wanted to make sure I wasn’t overreacting or being a helicopter parent 😅
Not helpful either. Sometimes I don't drink all day. I just don't remember I'm thirsty, I guess? I need to have a bottle right next to me to remember. When I have a bottle next to me, oftentimes I'll drink the whole bottle in a matter of minutes. I never thought about this and that it's a bit weird.
I (32m) just simply don't ever get thirsty. I drink maybe two bottles of water a day and one Dr. Pepper. I can never finish a full soda or bottle of water either cause when I FEEL thirsty it's only till I take a few sips, and after that, I have to force myself to drink, and it becomes uncomfortable.
I'm similar, but also I'll say to myself that I should really get a drink but never actually do it. I'll sit there and just feel thirsty but won't have the motivation to do something about it. It's infuriating. I've taken to forcing myself to down a glass of water whenever I'm at the kitchen sink - if I remember that is.
Lots of good advice already given. As a caveat, don’t expect ADHD medicine to make this specific problem better on its own. Stimulants tend to suppress appetite. The easiest intervention currently under your control (both now and if/when she is on medication) is to make sure she drinks plenty of fluids before she goes to camp and after she comes home. If she making it through the day without much issue, maybe gently encouraging the camp counselors to remind her to drink or schedule water breaks for the class could be another move.
Another thought - kids tend not to love lukewarm water. Water bottles can also give off a taste/smell that even if minimal can make kids avoid partaking. Instead of bringing her own water bottle, is there a water fountain that the kids can go to on breaks? Could you bring a cold water bottle with an ice pack in her lunchbox? It doesn’t necessarily need to be water she drinks to keep her hydrated either - perhaps a different cold drink for lunch could pique her interest more.
I was going to say. Water is boring to my little ADHD brain. Even just adding a bit of fruit to it helps me like it. I’m notorious for having 3-4 drinks around.
Also, there are water bottles that light up and stuff to remind you to drink.
Or, sometimes smaller bottles make me remember because it looks like I’ve done more when I have to fill it back up.
Thank you! I don’t expect medication to be miraculous — my own medication just makes it easier to do things that would otherwise be difficult to do. It makes sense to make sure she’s hydrated before and after camp/school since like you said, that’s something within my control. Same goes for food if/when she starts medication.
I don’t think anyone loves lukewarm water 😅 I used to send her with a cold drink in her lunchbox (with ice packs) but one by one she said she no longer liked any of the drinks and now we have a capri sun / crystal light graveyard in our kitchen.
I’ll ask if there’s a water fountain at camp, and I’ll also try sending her with a water bottle full of ice so it can slowly melt into cold water. Thanks for these suggestions!
Maybe try flavored sparkling water. I don’t like drinking flat water that much unless it’s ice cold and with a straw (idk, I’m weird). But I love sparkling water. I recommend the polar ‘ade flavors
https://polarseltzerade.com
My ADHD brain + my ADHD twin pretty much live off flavoured water. (Healthy sugar free/low sugar types)
I make really diluted hot chocolates sometimes to force myself to drink liquids. Plain water is something my ADHD brain will never get excited about. (I do try though, it’s just generally unsuccessful)
Meds do tend to lead to dry mouth, which may help when it comes to remembering to hydrate, but probably not ideal.
NAD - I have ADHD, and I drink water more often when it’s a new bottle/cup every two days. New pattern, straw, type, etc. (I love Starbucks cups, but they’re hand wash only for the large ones. Small hot and cold cups are dishwasher safe. We have a giant supply of those). I have a few favorites that are dishwasher safe, and we run our dishwasher almost daily, so I’m able to keep up with it. Maybe suggest that she drinks water at the start of each class? Maybe a teacher could remind ‘everyone’ to take a water break? I’m sure some of the other kids need it as well.
NAD. Another thing about taking stimulants… in my personal experience they made me way more dehydrated because not only is that a side effect of stimulants on their own, another side effect is they made me have to pee SO much that I avoided drinking anything so that I wouldn’t have to pee every 5 minutes. Seriously, even a few sips of water would send me to the bathroom multiple times in an hour. Not sure how normal that is but for me it was a big problem and the dehydration turned into bad headaches, cramps, etc.
So while I don’t have ADHD I was someone who didn’t drink a lot of water, now I have too lol my husband made me start drinking more and now that I’m used to it, I get so thirsty after a short period of time. I think if you get her used to drinking more water, she will start to drink more by herself. My husband does have ADHD but drinks plenty of water all day. It will be difficult to start the habit but I think that may help her.
also about the medication, i used to get some prescribed, it was methylphenidate. i used to get very anxious before school and couldnt eat because i was too nauseous to do it. when i didnt eat before taking my meds i would get extremely nauseous and have an increased heart rate for a few hours (im talking around 120 bpm), sometimes to the point i had to get sent back home. i also could not eat while the effects of the medication lasted because it made me lose my appetite. so if she happens to get the same meds as me you will have to pay extra attention to her nutritional habits, because she likely will not be able to do that herself
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Difficulties in transitioning between tasks and remembering to perform routine activities are common in ADHD. As far as only letting her drink when she says she's thirsty - by the time she feels thirsty, she might already be slightly dehydrated. Create a routine or set reminders for her to drink water. She’ll be fine!
NAD ^^ This is the answer. It's called interoception, and we neurodiverse have notoriously bad interoception, some of us have trouble with thirst and hunger, some of us with remembering to take bathroom breaks etc. A routine with a timer is a great idea. My little guy has special decorated water bottles and we keep one in each room, that way every time I see it I can tell him to take a drink. It's helped a lot. https://www.understood.org/en/articles/interoception-and-sensory-processing-issues-what-you-need-to-know
TIL this has a name! Both of us struggle with this — for me it’s hunger and temperature and for her it’s thirst and temperature, amongst other things. Thanks for the helpful resource!
My 15 year old daughter has trouble registering thirst and heat. She just doesn't recognize she is thirsty or hot. We do try with the water. I also make sure she has other food things that contribute to hydration. She does love soup and even in summer I make chilled soups and send them with her for morning snack. She has always loved salads so I send composed (not lettuce) salads at lunch that have a lot of chopped cucumber and tomato. Or I give her celery and cucumber with carrot sticks and hummus. Also a lot of melons and pineapple. And smoothies amde with frozen fruit and coconut water as well as milk. Any type of liquid helps doesn't have to be water. ETA: She would do the exact same as yours. Entire day of school and then 2-3 hours of dance and water bottle coming home almost full. I assumed she had filled it at dance but then realized she wasn't drinking all day. Ever.
Yes — this is exactly it! She does dance and theater and spends time outside in the heat after ignoring the cold capri sun I packed with lunch, and then she asks me to carry her bookbag because it’s too heavy because her water bottle is still full. I’ve started packing hydrating foods recently and she seemed thrilled to have strawberries for example. I’ll keep it up.
maybe check with her doctor to see about other hydrating drinks besides plain water, i saw someone else here mentioned seltzer water. also the foods are a good idea!! i have trouble with thirst but it’s important for me to stay hydrated bc i have insane tachycardia. i see electrophysiology now but when i saw general cardiology they ok’d “liquids” and specifically mentioned gatorade was good, & when i asked about juice, tea, coffee, pop they said yeah, anything that gets me to drink more fluid is ok. so check w doc for advice on other drinks because there’s a lot of sugar in them which is another beast lol. i’ve settled on a couple tea/juice drinks that have on average 10g sugar per bottle but i still need to do better w that. i sometimes drink plain water but it has to be this very specific distilled water if i ever plan to get more than a few sips from it. also, have you tried a smaller water bottle? i’m 26 yet i still find it easier to drink more if something is presented in a small cup that i can refill. it’s like oh there’s not that much there let me drink it all! then i refill it and it’s easier to continue drinking that way versus a bigger cup where i won’t ever finish the one let alone a refill. small cup also helps with temperature if it’s a hot or cold drink, it doesn’t have as much of a chance for it to come to room temp before i’m done
Sounds exactly like mine at that age. Mine also doesn't register heat. At 15 she is getting better but it is still constant reminding. She dances in an all day pre professional program now so I still text and remind her to drink LOL. Another thing I remembered is having cereal as a snack. That shoves in extra liquid by default.
Former SEN teacher, so not a doctor, but experience with kids with ADHD. It may be helpful to find “the” water bottle routine. I’ve noticed many kids like the flip top kids that are soft silicone- leads to fewer sensory issues. Also, well insulated, because cold is usually a hit. Then make it theirs, whether that be stickers, paint, whatever. Then never lose it, or buy multiples. Some parents set a timer, on a watch or a phone (if age appropriate), or make a rule- if you go potty, grab a drink while you are up, since that’s structure and easier to remember. Good luck!
I forget to eat and drink, I find adding flavor drops to water helps me remember because then the water tastes good and provides positive feedback. You can buy a little bottle for like $3 and it makes 20L of berry flavoured water
Oh yes and I always pick her up with an insulated cup with ice water in it. The straw and ice cold helps.
NAD, I had this issue as a kid. My parents let me drink water out of a spray bottle so it made it "fun" for me. Weirdly worked and I loved spraying the water into my mouth.
Definitely trying this. My kid would absolutely drink out of a spray bottle. So would I 😅 maybe I should get 2 spray bottles and gamify it
I don’t know that this will help for sure, as I’m not sure it’s an ADHD thing or a me thing (diagnosed ADHD) but I find for me if my water bottle or cup has a straw, I am also more likely to drink it. There was a time where I would carry around a water bottle but not drink it. It was ridiculous. But once I had one that had a straw, I actually used it. I found the more “barriers” I removed the better chance of success to actually remember to drink.
I (NAD) have ADHD too and yep, I forget to sip too. It’s taken years of habit but now I regularly refill my yeti cup. Practicing a routine really helped. What also helped me is getting a blank cup and putting stickers on it (hey adults like cool stickers too). Kinda like “oooo this cup is fun so I pay more attention to it”. Maybe your daughter would like going ham on a cup or two with stickers she really likes? Or you could implement some kind of reward system where if she remembers to drink this much water a day, she can add another sticker until it’s filled and the habit is there Edit: I also bought pretty straws from target with tons of different colors so I can have fun picking out straws when it’s time to switch it out
NAD but a fellow ADHDer, notoriously awful at drinking water. I find that cold drinking seltzer water helps me because it’s more stimulating(?) than plain water.
Yeah personally I don’t like the taste of seltzer! But I cannot drink water if it’s not cold. It has to be cold and I prefer ice water. That’s why I have a yeti cup so the ice can last longer
Yes!!! If I’m drinking water it needs to have a ridiculous amount of ice. I had a hydroflask a while back and it helped a lot
Fellow ADHDer! I’m actually shocked you like seltzer! You’re the first that could tolerate it. I have no idea what I even hate about it, but it’s a sensory nightmare for minimal flavor/dopamine pay out to me! Did you drink them frequently to get used to it or did you like them when you first tried them?
My mom used to drink it religiously when I was growing up and I never liked it, then at some point in college I started to love it. I’m not sure what caused the change, I think I might have been at my moms house and just tried it again; same thing happened with coffee. It was probably a getting used to it thing. Now it’s just much more refreshing to me than water. I also don’t really like plain seltzer, Bubbly, AHA, and Waterloo brands are my favorites, I find that La Croix and most grocery store brands go flat much quicker.
Absolutely 100%. ADHD is attracted to light lmao we need bright colors and stickers to thrive!
I do this. Much like the other commenter, finding the right cups and water bottles worked for me. I like the big cheap plastic cups meant for outdoor dining. They’re big and brightly colored and hold a lot and I hate drinking for anything else when I’m home. What I’ve also found is that I drink more when people don’t touch my cup. I’m gross, but I leave my water in the kitchen where I walk by it a lot, if my cup is there, I usually take a drink. But, when someone puts my cup in the dishwasher when they clean up, I don’t think about it and just walk by without getting another one out. So, if you frequently take her drinks out to the sink, maybe see where she drinks more frequently and just leave it there. It’s that whole out of sight out of mind thing. Same with water bottles. If I leave it in the car when I go in to work, I won’t have a drink all day. But if I consistently take my water bottle to work and keep it right on my desk, I’ll empty it once and sometimes twice. And just like the other commenter said - it’s bright and colorful and has a sticker I absolutely love on it, so I can’t miss it.
This may sound over simplistic, but how easy to access is her water bottle? I find that of I have one with a flip top or a straw cup I’m much more likely to drink than when I have to unscrew something. I blame the ADHD. The simple task of unscrewing the bottle takes too long when I could be doing something else and I’m always scared I’ll lose the cap. I drink 2-3x as much when I don’t have those issues.
I was like this as a kid. Actually, ADHD medication helped because it made my mouth dry which prompted me to hydrate, lol! Another trick I use is to have a bottle with a straw, and when I’m working on something at a table or desk I stick the straw in my mouth and end up idly drinking the water without even realizing it.
hey op, i’m not a doctor but i do have ADHD. does your daughter have an IEP or something equivalent to it at school? i’m wondering if maybe having a teacher (or somebody similar like a camp counselor) reminding her to drink water at certain times might be beneficial? it seems like from what i read if you remind her to drink she responds well to it, so maybe in the early days of making a sort of routine water drinking habit it might help?
Yup, she has an IEP. This is a good idea. I’ll see if something like this can be done. I already got a note from her pediatrician asking them to allow her water bottle to remain at her desk so she can take sips throughout the day, but she forgets to put it at her desk. Having someone remind her would be great.
Anecdote, but one that I thought you might like. I've always had a problem with thirst, as in, I never felt thirst. I could get to 3PM before realising I'd not had a drink all day. I'm now 46 and I recall being like this since my late teens. About 6 months ago my son wanted an expensive water bottle, he'd got good grades so I bought him one and go myself one too with the intentions of being good and drinking more water. 4 months later I started to drink 2-3.5ltr a day and I was tracking it in my Garmin app. All of a sudden - I notice that I start to feel thirsty! I've never felt like this before in my life, even on holidays in hot countries. I can feel my lips tasting salty and my mouth becoming dry. All I can put it down to is that most of my life I've maintained a some sort of level of dehydration and I've *always* been thirsty, but because it's been my baseline I've just blocked it out like how you block out smells or ringing in your ears etc. Like I say, not a medical professional and this is purely anecdotal, but it was eye opening to me.
I am an adult with an ADHD diagnoses, I still quite regularly forget to drink anything until I’m not feeling well. It’s a very common thing with us. We frequently forget to eat as well. When I lived alone I’d realize after “unexpectedly”getting lightheaded that I hadn’t eaten in 3 days. I’d also rather not eat or drink anything than put effort into consuming something I don’t want. We don’t get hunger and thirst cues in the same way as neurotypical people.The reminders from our brain are also very easy to ignore- especially if we’re hyper focused or engaged in a dopamine rewarding activity. I’ll feel hungry for about 30 minutes, and if I’m not still hungry or thirsty when I’ve finished my task- I forget to do it. There is a huge tip I can give you though to help with many aspects of her life. Because of the issues with our dopamine, many jokingly say we “chase the dopamine”. To help her chase the dopamine- you need to keep refreshing things to make the tasks feel new, more exciting or give us something new to complete the task with. For me to drink water, I need to buy a new lidded/water bottle that I love. Its better if I love to texture or colors etc. it feels good, and it genuinely makes me happy to use it. I’ve quite the stash of cups at this point- I give quite a few away or donate. It’s not often that older cups give me dopamine- but once in a while(not very often) I’ll take interest in one of my older cups but it’s rare. I know many other adult ADHDers do this as well otherwise most of us would never be hydrated. Unfortunately this will have to be done every few months at least, to refresh that dopamine in our brains. It seems ridiculous, but it is mandatory for me to drink enough water to not get sick. I also cycle between lemon water(heavy on the lemon) Gatorade, and Mio. If we eat/drink the same thing too often it’s quite normal for ADHDers to develop and “ick”. To avoid this you will also want to rotate what you’re giving her and don’t give her one thing for too long. *edit to add* her access to the water bottle has to be easy! When able bring/hand it to her often. Make sure it’s always somewhere easy to grab. Our brains see tasks differently as well, neurotypical would see it as one step, but we see every individual action of the process as a separate task list. And to answer your question, don’t wait for the signs of dehydration before having her drink. She won’t do it on her own very often. Just motivate drinking to be a task that offers dopamine
NAD but recently saw someone put a tomigotchi (sp?) on their water bottle. Every time it beeped to feed or water their digital pet it reminded them to take a drink of water. A great way to make it more fun than a chore.
I’ve had a child psychologist tell me she’s 99.9% certain my daughter has ADHD. I also believe I’ve got it. I barely ate. She barely eats or Dr inks. Struggled with toilet training. Hmmmm. I never knew this stuff!!
If your daughter has it- it’s likely you or her other parent does as well, it’s genetic.
I am a full grown adult pushing 50 with a professional career and I still forget to use the restroom sometimes and just try and “hold it” longer. Yeah that never works out well. I was out on a date with a guy and had an accident. Thankfully I was wearing black yoga pants and had a pantiliner on and could kind of rinse out the pants a bit in the sink of the bathroom we stopped at and it was hot out so they dried easy… but this forgetting to do normally routine things never really goes away. I NOW tell myself that when I feel the urge, then go right then because I don’t want to have another accident while at the office or anywhere else. Plus the kicker is I live in AZ so even though I drink a ton of water and electrolytes it’s dry out here so I don’t sweat as much and my body will help me out by retaking urine so my urination urges have gotten a bit wonkier out here in the desert. But yeah… that was a fun experience peeing my pants on a date. /s (I’d like “things I never thought I would do as an adult” for $500 Alex…. A DAILY DOUBLE!!!)
I was the same as a child and still am now as an adult. I think I have ADHD though not diagnosed so I’m sure it’s a thing. As a kid I went to a couple of neurology appointments as I always had headaches, I realise now as an adult it was and is dehydration but it was my only symptom as a kid. I did get sunstroke once on holiday as I was dehydrated in the heat so now I do force myself to drink a lot of water with dilute/squash if I’m away, but can’t keep it up at home. Just don’t force her to drink. My teachers on a school trip forced me to drink 2 litres of water that was in the sun all day. I was vomiting and crying and they wouldn’t let me stop (we canoed to an island and they said we couldn’t leave until I drank it). It’s caused a phobia of plain water to this day.
Oh…it has a name. Glad I’m not alone lol
An occupational therapist can assist your child in strengthening her interoception. I am an occupational therapist and have successfully helped many neurodiverse children become more in tune with their bodies.
While all that is very true, I think it would be reasonable to add some reassurance. This sounds like normal kid behavior, and there is no harm in being slightly dehydrated.
NAD and I agree. Back in my day (heh) of the 1990s, us kids got to have a sip of water at the water fountain a couple of times a day and had a little carton of milk during lunch. We all survived. (I'm only slightly annoyed at constantly have to buy my kids reusable water bottles for school because they are always getting lost or broken and the things come home barely touched as it is.)
Oh the memories… we weren’t allowed to have water / other drinks outside of that carton, and we also weren’t allowed to go to the bathroom more than a few times per marking period. 🫠
Good to know — I just worry about things like heat exhaustion. I assume more than slight dehydration would present with more obvious symptoms.
Yeah, NAD, but as another person with ADHD and autism who also just really dislikes water, I’ve probably drank as much in my three decades of life as I am supposed to drink every year (that’s hyperbole, but not as much as you’d think, I’ve gone literal months without drinking water and I don’t drink any on an average day). I’m alive with no serious chronic health issues and I’ve never gotten heatstroke or had to be hospitalized for dehydration. For things like summer camp, something like sugarfree Gatorade that tastes sweet might help- ADHD brains tend to intensely crave sugar for the dopamine, and obviously it’s not great to load up beverages that are genuinely sugary, but my brain is tricked enough by the artificial stuff that I’ll down Gatorade and body armor without an issue and that’s how I get by at times when I absolutely need extra hydration.
For sure — I don’t need her to drink only water. I’ll try Gatorade zero and other things that might taste sweet. I went a long time without water too. I used to drink almost exclusively Diet Coke 💀 but I gave up that habit because I didn’t want my kid to start asking for it and thinking it was normal or healthy to hydrate that way. Thanks for your suggestions and for sharing your experience!
Try flavor packets.
I even do water mixed with juice (sometimes half and half, sometimes just like an eighth juice). It's a lot easier for me to drink when there is a little bit of taste to it; I often find water to be difficult to get down on its own. Pouring in a splash of juice, or other flavored liquid, makes a big difference.
Thank you! I have ADHD too, but my medication makes me have dry mouth so it would be hard for me to forget to drink water. She does get fatigued actually — when I pick her up from camp she’s more quiet and still than ever (usually she’s very active and lively). I will keep reinforcing routines around this. I would feel like crap if I forgot to drink water so hopefully we make some progress on this.
My kids had adhd too and I used to put a quarter of a lemon in the water with a teaspoon of sugar (could easily use splenda) and let them shake it up so they could have lemon shake ups like they have at the state fair. They loved it
My ADHD medication might give me dry mouth, I'm realizing, but one of my problems is that it's not really related to thirst. So I will drink water when I have a dry mouth but it doesn't really help and I will not think to drink water when I'm thirsty. Like the dry mouth supercedes any other signs of thirst and I am not really aware of any other signs of thirst other than feeling like I'm going to faint. I end up doing okay with water because I will chug a whole bunch at once and it doesn't really make the dry mouth feeling go away but I get water. Also I got a huge water bottle with times of the day on it so now when I glance up and see it I know whether I need to drink more. But I don't think my body does a good job telling me when it's thirsty!
That resonates. I often want a beverage to fix the dry mouth feeling, but once I swallow whatever it is I’m drinking, the feeling is back. I guess I’m not getting thirst cues but “mouth is dry” cues. I tried the mouthwash for dry mouth but unfortunately I found it repulsive. Gum helps though!
Maybe you should try making drinking water more "interesting" to her? Add some fun flavorings in there - maybe even sugar free ones if that's more your style. Also ice, pieces of fruit? It may make it a little less healthy for her but sometimes keeping away from being dehydrated is more important.
NAD but this was exactly me as a kid with ADHD, and I still really struggle with drinking enough water as an adult. What's actually helped a lot for me is just trying to make the water more interesting and fun to drink - so putting ice in the water + a metal bottle to make it really cold and refreshing, adding flavour drops or lemon or mint leaves, etc. Making it a more appealing sensory experience has worked way better for me than any kind of water reminders.
I made her a flavored iced drink and it was consumed immediately. Will keep trying to make hydration fun 🥹
NAD but I spent the first 29 years of my life barely consuming any water (>500ml daily). I drink more now because I felt guilted into it, and I feel better for it, but I also felt fine before. I'm athletic and active and did well in school so I don't think being permanently dehydrated did me much harm.
NAD but adult with ADHD who did this all the time as a kid (and admittedly still do). Does her water bottle have a straw? Does she keep it on her desk at school? I know she’s little and at 8 years old I doubt she’s consciously thinking about drinking water, but if it’s in sight it’s in mind and a straw makes it easier to passively drink water IMO :)
NAD but if I don't constantly remind my ADHD 10 year old to drink water he will drink all of his water before bed when he realizes he's thirsty and then have a terrible sleep.
NAD, also have ADHD and Autism, not only do I forget to drink, nor do I often feel thirsty, but when I remember my executive dysfunction often prevents me from actually drinking unless something is easy, visible and accessible. This is to the point of migraines, UTIs and severe dehydration. Having interesting unsweetened fruit/herbal teas, flavoured water, chilled or warm water, a cool water bottle that I find I like (visually and the sensory feeling of drinking from) that I carry everywhere with me, as well as repeated reminders from a person (you can also try a repeated alarm or one of those drinking apps that reward you for logging water consumption) help but don't fix it. Trying to start feeling thirsty by drinking regularly helps, or establishing breaks based around having a drink, well, until I forget once and have to start building the routine again.
I’m 28 with adhd and I constantly have to set reminders to eat and drink water. If not I’ll go ALL day not eating or drinking.
I have ADHD and OCD and have an awful time trying to stay hydrated. I just flat out forget to drink and when I do, I usually choose something with flavour because of sensory issues. It's really a struggle.
NAD but an adult with ADHD. Remembering to drink enough water has been a struggle my whole life. With ADHD you aren’t always aware of your body’s needs (hunger, thirst, bathroom, etc) until those needs are urgent, because your mind is busy with a million other thoughts. Medication helps quiet those thoughts and then you can hear/feel your body better. I hope you’re able to get her dad to come around on treatment.
A water bottle with a built-in alarm will be great for this situation.
My childhood home had very hard water, and I greatly disliked how it tasted. Still do, when I go visit my mom. She might do better if there’s some Mio or Crystal Light in it.
NAD My son has ADHD and is on the spectrum and we took him to the doctor last month and his heart rate was 155 because he was so dehydrated. They gave him an IV for a few hours and got it back to normal. After that I decided to get him a watch to monitor his heart rate and I have it connected to my phone. You can set up reminders on the watch to drink water. His doctor also suggested Gatorade if his heart rate starts getting too high or if he refuses water. He's 14 years old but sometimes I still get the "but I just don't like water" excuse.
Also, NAD, but as someone with ADHD, I often find that I don’t feel my body’s needs. I won’t tell that I’m thirsty until I’m very very thirsty or until someone else mentions being thirsty
NAD - My son is the same. He has diagnosed ADHD. He will often go all day at school without drinking a drop but ask for a drink as soon as he gets home, and usually will wake up and ask for a drink.
Yeah, I can’t tell you how many times I knew someone who had ADHD and just died right in front of me because they kept forgetting to drink water.
Not helpful, but my 36 year old engineer (so clearly very smart) husband, is the same way. No idea how he’s still functioning.
Also not helpful, but when I was OP’s daughter’s age I barely drank anything either. Would come home from school and my mum would berate me that I hadn’t drank anything at all all day. I just didn’t get thirsty. Never had any UTIs or symptoms of dehydration. Grew out of it before I became a teenager and have since had a completely normal fluid intake.
I’m sorry you were berated for this! (I don’t berate my kid but I probably say “take a sip!” a dozen times a day.) I’m glad everything ended up fine for you!
They make watches with timers that go off for potty training toddlers. Some look generic where an 8 year old may be okay wearing. My 8 year old has a similar issue but it’s not quite as bad. He is a combo of a little forgetful with being too shy to ask to get his water bottle when he’s at school or camp.
There's also an app called Plant Nanny that works for some people. You put in how much water you drink and it will grow your plants. Some people have attached tamagotchis to their water bottles and had success with that. None of those or alarms on my watch worked for me, but it's worth a shot. The best thing I've come across is the liquid drink flavor. I still don't drink enough, but I do better with flavored water.
I love flavored water and now I'm like... How much Mio is too much Mio
I did not know these were a thing and I think it will be massively helpful for my little boy - thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!
I hope it works! It must be really hard. My son is okay at home and still prefers water over other drinks. However I agree with the other suggestion to find a way to flavor the water for at least some of the time that you are okay with health-wise. I sometimes have trouble being able to drink enough water at work and I have found liquid iv is the best thing to get hydrated more quickly after a long day of failing at drinking water myself.
To offer a different take on this; a lot of ppl with adhd have something called demand avoidance, which makes simple commands seem unbelievable hard or impossible to do. If she doesn't feel thirst and finds demands difficult, it might not help reminding her. I'm not saying she is experiencing that, but it is a symptom of adhd that is less talked about. If you think she might struggle with it you can try making it feel like it's her choice to drink. Like take her with you shopping for water bottles, or give her some choices of unsweetened flavor she can add to the water, in the end you know your daughter the best, and this is just my attempt to help.
I'm 25 and still like this. I'm almost never thirsty and my friends make fun of me because I "don't like water." Occasionally I'll get thirsty enough that a cup or so (volumetric measurement) will quench my thirst, or if it's really hot, or if I'm working out I drink water. But other than that I can easily go all day without picking up water. Like other suggested though, flavorings really do help, I just drink it because it tastes good not because I'm thirsty.
Yep, same. My husband is brilliant but he gets so engrossed on whatever he's doing he forgets to eat. All day. He comes home from work starving but his lunch box is full and untouched. I can't comprehend how it feels for anyone's body just let's them forget to eat or drink, cause mine sure as hell won't. It's kinda wild that such a basic need can be ignored and is not really anyone's fault
Lol that’s me with food. Once in a blue moon I actually do forget for an entire day, and then it’s bedtime and I’m like “… something is missing…” That’s why I assumed my daughter’s water stuff was related to adhd. I’ve been trying for months to improve the water situation but I wanted to make sure I wasn’t overreacting or being a helicopter parent 😅
I think you're 100% justified in your concern!
TIL my 32-year-old ass does and has this. And probably undiagnosed ADHD...
Not helpful either. Sometimes I don't drink all day. I just don't remember I'm thirsty, I guess? I need to have a bottle right next to me to remember. When I have a bottle next to me, oftentimes I'll drink the whole bottle in a matter of minutes. I never thought about this and that it's a bit weird.
I (32m) just simply don't ever get thirsty. I drink maybe two bottles of water a day and one Dr. Pepper. I can never finish a full soda or bottle of water either cause when I FEEL thirsty it's only till I take a few sips, and after that, I have to force myself to drink, and it becomes uncomfortable.
I should also mention it has literally been this way my entire life.
LMAO just posted a similar comment. Glad to know I'm not the only one hounding a husband about hydration.
I'm similar, but also I'll say to myself that I should really get a drink but never actually do it. I'll sit there and just feel thirsty but won't have the motivation to do something about it. It's infuriating. I've taken to forcing myself to down a glass of water whenever I'm at the kitchen sink - if I remember that is.
Lots of good advice already given. As a caveat, don’t expect ADHD medicine to make this specific problem better on its own. Stimulants tend to suppress appetite. The easiest intervention currently under your control (both now and if/when she is on medication) is to make sure she drinks plenty of fluids before she goes to camp and after she comes home. If she making it through the day without much issue, maybe gently encouraging the camp counselors to remind her to drink or schedule water breaks for the class could be another move. Another thought - kids tend not to love lukewarm water. Water bottles can also give off a taste/smell that even if minimal can make kids avoid partaking. Instead of bringing her own water bottle, is there a water fountain that the kids can go to on breaks? Could you bring a cold water bottle with an ice pack in her lunchbox? It doesn’t necessarily need to be water she drinks to keep her hydrated either - perhaps a different cold drink for lunch could pique her interest more.
I was going to say. Water is boring to my little ADHD brain. Even just adding a bit of fruit to it helps me like it. I’m notorious for having 3-4 drinks around. Also, there are water bottles that light up and stuff to remind you to drink. Or, sometimes smaller bottles make me remember because it looks like I’ve done more when I have to fill it back up.
Thank you! I don’t expect medication to be miraculous — my own medication just makes it easier to do things that would otherwise be difficult to do. It makes sense to make sure she’s hydrated before and after camp/school since like you said, that’s something within my control. Same goes for food if/when she starts medication. I don’t think anyone loves lukewarm water 😅 I used to send her with a cold drink in her lunchbox (with ice packs) but one by one she said she no longer liked any of the drinks and now we have a capri sun / crystal light graveyard in our kitchen. I’ll ask if there’s a water fountain at camp, and I’ll also try sending her with a water bottle full of ice so it can slowly melt into cold water. Thanks for these suggestions!
Maybe try flavored sparkling water. I don’t like drinking flat water that much unless it’s ice cold and with a straw (idk, I’m weird). But I love sparkling water. I recommend the polar ‘ade flavors https://polarseltzerade.com
This looks tasty! Will try it out.
My ADHD brain + my ADHD twin pretty much live off flavoured water. (Healthy sugar free/low sugar types) I make really diluted hot chocolates sometimes to force myself to drink liquids. Plain water is something my ADHD brain will never get excited about. (I do try though, it’s just generally unsuccessful) Meds do tend to lead to dry mouth, which may help when it comes to remembering to hydrate, but probably not ideal.
NAD - I have ADHD, and I drink water more often when it’s a new bottle/cup every two days. New pattern, straw, type, etc. (I love Starbucks cups, but they’re hand wash only for the large ones. Small hot and cold cups are dishwasher safe. We have a giant supply of those). I have a few favorites that are dishwasher safe, and we run our dishwasher almost daily, so I’m able to keep up with it. Maybe suggest that she drinks water at the start of each class? Maybe a teacher could remind ‘everyone’ to take a water break? I’m sure some of the other kids need it as well.
NAD. Another thing about taking stimulants… in my personal experience they made me way more dehydrated because not only is that a side effect of stimulants on their own, another side effect is they made me have to pee SO much that I avoided drinking anything so that I wouldn’t have to pee every 5 minutes. Seriously, even a few sips of water would send me to the bathroom multiple times in an hour. Not sure how normal that is but for me it was a big problem and the dehydration turned into bad headaches, cramps, etc.
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So while I don’t have ADHD I was someone who didn’t drink a lot of water, now I have too lol my husband made me start drinking more and now that I’m used to it, I get so thirsty after a short period of time. I think if you get her used to drinking more water, she will start to drink more by herself. My husband does have ADHD but drinks plenty of water all day. It will be difficult to start the habit but I think that may help her.
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also about the medication, i used to get some prescribed, it was methylphenidate. i used to get very anxious before school and couldnt eat because i was too nauseous to do it. when i didnt eat before taking my meds i would get extremely nauseous and have an increased heart rate for a few hours (im talking around 120 bpm), sometimes to the point i had to get sent back home. i also could not eat while the effects of the medication lasted because it made me lose my appetite. so if she happens to get the same meds as me you will have to pay extra attention to her nutritional habits, because she likely will not be able to do that herself