Recently I heard a mom lament, “My autistic child drinking a lot!!”
This comment stuck out to me because often I hear the exact opposite. I hear moms not complaining about excessive thirst, but about getting their autistic children to drink more water.
That got me curious which led me to ask my private community of moms if autistic kids drinking a lot is a thing.
Well, Friend, I was fascinated by what I learned.
So, if you’re concerned about your autistic child drinking a lot (or too little), you’re in the right place. Today, we’re talking about the drinking habits of neurodivergent kids.
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Seek Professional Medical Advice
This is NOT medical advice. I’m not a doctor, but an educator with a passion for researching, learning, health, and supporting the neurodivergent community. As such, this is for educational purposes only. I encourage you to learn as much as you can by learning, reading, and seeking the insight of multiple experts. Please discuss your healthcare decisions with a trusted healthcare provider.
Differences Between Autistic Children and Non-Autistic Children
Autistic children are absolutely amazing. Their unique perception and interaction with the world around them is a gift.
Autistic people are often different from non-autistic people in the following ways:
- social interaction
- sensory experiences
- communication styles
- passions and interests
Let’s talk a bit about each difference and why they’re awesome.
Social Interaction
Autistic people have autistic social skills that are often difficult for neurotypical children to understand. For example, young children who are autistic often enjoy the simplicity and predictability of positioning play.
Positioning play is when children organize toys or other objects to make sense of the world around them.
- lining up trains by color
- organizing stuffed animals by type
- arranging books by size
Positioning play is a common type of play that both autistic and non-autistic children engage in at times. However, older children who are NOT autistic, show a lack of interest in this type of repetitive behavior.
Non-Autistic Social Anxiety
Non-autistic children may feel social anxiety when autistic kids don’t engage in eye contact with them. Social traffic jams can occur when an autistic child doesn’t express the same facial expressions as a neurotypical child.
A non-autistic child can learn to be a good friend in social situations with an autistic classmate. Teaching kids to understand and embrace the unique qualities of every person makes a significant difference.
Thank goodness for the diversity of interests and social skills. Some of our kids are natural-born engineers and some will be teachers and salespeople.
Yay for neurodiversity!
Sensory Experiences
Autistic and non-autistic children each have different ways of processing sensory information. Because both neurotypical and non-neurotypical people each have sensory systems, we all have unique sensory issues.
Things like bright lights and loud noises in a classroom may be too intense for an autistic child to process after a long bus ride on the way to school.
Since the majority of people in the general population identify as neurotypical, a good first step is to learn about small changes that can improve the well-being of the minority groups in our schools.
However, I digress.
Communication Skills and Styles
Autistic children have autistic communication styles that are as diverse as they are. One of the classic signs of autism includes differences in language processing.
This means that autistic children may need more time to develop their language skills. They may have what appears to be a speech delay and will eventually speak on their own timetable.
However, some autistic people do better communicating as non-speaker. In such cases, AAC devices are a wonderful way to open the door to understanding and communication.
Further, as mentioned earlier, neurodivergent people will often have different social skills than neurotypical people.
Passions and Interests
As eluded to earlier, as a diverse community of people, we’ve all been designed uniquely with gifts, passions, and purpose. This means autistic children and adults often have passions that are different from their neurotypical peers.
And this is a very good thing. Many autistic tendencies lend themselves to incredible hyperfocus which allows them to dive deeply into a subject area of expertise.
For parents of autistic children, get excited. Your child’s passion may just lead to their career choice of the future.
One cannot be an expert without extreme focus.
Common Habits in Autistic Children
In addition to the differences between autistic children and non-autistic, there are common autistic traits that may be helpful for our discussion today.
It’s very common for autistic kids to resist trying new foods. Frequently, parents express concern about their autistic child’s picky eating.
Sadly, in our culture of parenting and education, there’s a common perception that a child’s non-compliance is always a result of “poor behavior.” However, the truth is that kids do well when they can.
So, why do autistic children have feeding issues? Let’s look to the experts for some answers.
Autistic Adults Explain Selective Eating
Autistic adults often explain selective eating in relation to a few common variables.
- Sensory issues
- Tongue ties
- Digestive issues
Some kids have a strong gag reflex often brought on by sensory challenges. Specifically, the texture of certain foods like rice or oatmeal may trigger a strong gag reflex.
Other parents mention buccal and other types of tongue ties leaving their children with a smaller palate. Again, this can lead to choking. Choking is a scary experience and understandably, leads to aversions to trying new foods.
Additionally, autistic children may stick with their favorite foods because of common digestive issues. These kids may have trouble communicating digestive distress because of speech and language challenges.
Drinking A Lot vs. Eating
Circling back to this whole drinking a lot of liquids thing… I got some interesting responses.
Some moms described their kids as having a preference for drinking fluids because they’re too hyper to sit at the table for a meal.
I have one child that would rather not stop moving to sit still and eat. So, he’s always preferred to drink his calories and get full on fluids. His brain and body are too active for meals.
Another mom from the community points out the sensory needs that drive her son’s sparkling water habit.
One of my kids enjoys the sensation of sparkling water. He drinks them more than he eats.
Funny enough. I’m exactly like her son. I love my sparkling waters.
Is Drinking A Lot Really a Thing?
Truthfully, while researching this topic, I found very few parents concerned about their kids drinking too many liquids. Rather, it was more the opposite.
However, I did find a few older research papers discussing the incidence of polydipsia.
What’s polydipsia, you ask?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, polydipsia is a medical term that means excessive thirst. While rare, those at increased risk for polydipsia likely have underlying health conditions.
- Diabetes Insipidis
- Kidney Failure and Other Kidney Diseases
- General Dehydration
- Low Potassium
- Psychogenic Polydipsia
Psychogenic polydipsia is when those with mental health conditions or psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia engage in “compulsive” water drinking.
In the absence of the rare conditions just listed, there are a couple of other things to consider if you notice excessive thirst.
Two Concerning Reasons for Excessive Thirst
It’s not uncommon for people to find themselves drinking water excessively when they work out or have been sweating from a hot environment.
However, common doesn’t mean healthy.
1. Sleep and Mouth Breathing
Children and adults who wake up with excessive thirst may do so because they’re mouth-breathing at night. As part of our discussion, this makes sense because a classic symptom of autism is disordered sleep.
Mouth breathing, excessive thirst, and sleep difficulties can cause problems for the whole family. Just look at the symptoms of sleep deprivation in adults and children. They overlap with common challenges autistic children experience.
- irritability and moodiness
- explosive behavior
- hyperactivity and other ADHD symptoms
- grogginess
- napping during the day
It’s common knowledge that sleep difficulties can be attributed to mouth breathing.
So, if you’re noticing your child’s mouth open when they sleep, and especially when they’re awake, speak to your child’s pediatrician or a biological dentist.
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art
- Hardcover Book
- Nestor, James (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 304 Pages – 05/26/2020 (Publication Date) – Riverhead Books (Publisher)
Breath by James Nestor is a fascinating read about how breathing patterns impact everything. I highly recommend this for every parent as it has implications for your child’s learning, behavior, and mental health, and physical health.
2. Medication Side Effects
Additional causes of your autistic child drinking a lot may have to do with pharmaceutical drugs they may be taking.
For example, in the United States, up to 70% of autistic children have ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). ADHD medications, specifically stimulant medications, cause dry mouth as a common side effect.
A dry mouth leads to a need to a need to drink fluids to fulfill that thirst.
Additionally, autistic children may be prescribed psychotropic drugs that lead to excessive thirst.
It’s important to know that taking antipsychotic medications such as Risperidone can lead to serious complications including diabetes and kidney issues.
According to WebMD, Risperidone,
May make your blood sugar rise, which can cause or worsen diabetes. Tell your doctor right away if you have symptoms of high blood sugar such as increased thirst or urination.
If your child is sucking down water bottle after water bottle and taking medication, call the doctor right away.
Reasons an Autistic Child Doesn’t Drink Enough
On the opposite end of the spectrum, it’s common for autistic children to have challenges drinking enough water.
While autistic kids are certainly not the only ones with this issue, there may be unique matters at play. Some reasons a child may not drink or eat enough include:
- Oral motor coordination challenges
- Motor skill difficulties are very common in autism.
- This includes fine motor issues with speech and the small muscles of the jaw, tongue, lips, and throat.
- Tongue ties
- Buccal and tongue ties can make swallowing even soft foods like ice cream challenging.
- Sensory problems
- Proprioception needs may make crunchy or tougher foods a preferred food.
Before we move on, let’s talk about challenges with a little-known sensory system called interoception.
Interoception, Autism, and Cues
Interoception is the 8th sensory system which is responsible for our ability to sense what’s going on internally.
Specifically, interoception relates to physical sensations such as hunger, thirst, heartbeat, and awareness of our various body parts. Additionally, interoception encompasses mental and emotional experiences.
When a child exhibits a lack of hunger or thirst, it could be related to challenges with interoception. While this can be a result of cerebellum-related sensory processing challenges, there’s often another reason behind it.
Many experts believe that challenges with interoception are a self-protective mechanism associated with trauma.
The trauma rate is high in autistic children and adults. As such, it’s important for parents to be aware of this possible reason behind feeding and drinking challenges.
If you’re concerned about any possible trauma, contact a trauma-informed mental health professional as soon as possible.
Treatment for Feeding, Drinking, and Sensory Issues
In the end, it’s always important to speak with your child’s healthcare provider about any concerns. This is especially important if you’re worried about possible medication side effects.
Additionally, it’s important to rule out any GI-related issues.
Depending on the severity of water issues, your child’s pediatrician may recommend taking your child to see a:
- Occupational therapist
- Speech therapist with expertise in feeding issues
- Pediatric gastroenterologist
- (in extreme cases of possible GI issues)
- Trauma-informed mental health therapist
A PRIVATE occupational therapist is an excellent support therapist to help your child with challenges related to eating and drinking.
The good OT will complete a full evaluation and look for underlying issues such as sensory or oral motor coordination challenges.
If you’re seeking early intervention for a baby or toddler who struggles with drinking or eating solid foods, your doctor may refer you to a qualified feeding therapist.
A feeding therapist is a PRIVATE speech-language pathologist with a specialization in feeding issues.
How Much Water Should My Child Drink?
Ok. Now that we’ve discussed possible reasons behind your child’s drinking habits, let’s talk hydration.
We all know how important it is to stay hydrated. So, how much water do our kids need to drink?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children over the age of 6 months can be introduced to water. Once kids are a year old, it’s recommended that they begin to drink approximately:
- 1-3 years old: four cups of beverages (water or milk) per day
- 4-8 years old: five cups of water
- Kids over the age of 9: 8 cups of water
Remember, that these are just guidelines.
One thing you don’t want to do is create so much stress around eating and drinking as that can lead to an entirely different set of issues.
Should My Child Drink Tap Water?
Some parents worry about drinking tap water. And it’s understandable.
In 2017, the Environmental Working Group reported,
Drinking water supplies for millions of American children and adults have higher amounts of 90 contaminants than scientists consider safe… even if the water gets a passing grade from the federal government.
They say that babies and young children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of contaminated water as these are times of critical brain development.
Check Your Water
Researchers found elevated levels of multiple contaminants and heavy metals in water treatment plants across the country. As such, check your area’s contaminant levels at the EWG’s 2021 Tap Water Database.
And if you have well water, it’s a good idea to have your water tested annually to be safe.
Further, be sure to change out your refrigerator water filter on schedule. If you don’t have a water dispenser on your fridge, an inexpensive carbon water filter system is a great choice.
5 Ways to Increase Healthy Water Consumption
Clearly, if you’re concerned about your child’s excessive water consumption, speak with their doctor.
However, if you’re looking for ways to encourage your child to drink more water and fewer sugary drinks, here are five ideas.
- Infuse water with one or two ice cubes of juice.
- Have your child pour a favorite fruit juice into an ice cube tray.
- Freeze overnight.
- Drop one or two ice cubes into a larger glass of water to encourage healthy hydration.
- Drop a few pieces of frozen fruit into a water bottle for some healthy flavoring.
- Allow your child to choose a fun water bottle just for water.
- Pairing your child’s interest with any goal increases dopamine, the reward center of the brain.
- Try sparkling water for some extra fizz and sensory sensation.
- Add a healthy drink flavoring to the water.
- In our home, my kids love True Lemon Water Enhancers.
- They have multiple flavors and only use a bit of Stevia.
Make it fun and don’t sweat the small stuff.
Recap: Is Your Autistic Child Drinking A Lot or Too Little?
In the end, if your child’s daily routine includes drinking a lot of fluids or the opposite, keep an eye on it. Likewise, if your child goes through phases of not eating a variety of foods, make note of it.
Then, discuss it with your child’s doctor at their next appointment.
However, as discussed earlier, if you’re worried about a potential side effect from medication or increased difficulties with bowel movements, don’t wait to call the doctor.
So, after reading this, are you still concerned about your autistic child drinking a lot or too little?
Would love to hear your thoughts and what works in your home. In this with you.
About the Author:
Lindsay is a trauma-informed educator with a Master’s Degree in Teaching. Her mission is to support moms to equip neurodivergent kids (ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Anxiety) to thrive as exactly who they’ve been created to be. Wait until you hear the story that led to it all…
Related:
31 Best Sensory Toys for Autism and Why They Work (2025)
Anger Management for Autistic Children (Not ABA)
17 Best ADHD Supplements to Improve Symptoms Naturally
Why Do Autistic Kids Walk on Their Toes Anyway?
ADHD vs Autism: Overlap, Differences & Perspective
47 Emotional Regulation Activities for Kids Every Mom Needs!
Seek Professional Medical Advice
This is NOT medical advice. I’m not a doctor, but an educator with a passion for researching, learning, health, and supporting the neurodivergent community. As such, this is for educational purposes only. I encourage you to learn as much as you can by learning, reading, and seeking the insight of multiple experts. Please discuss your healthcare decisions with a trusted healthcare provider.
