Heat Safety

A handy list of ten hydration tips for youth athletes from MomsTeam's Dr. Susan Yeargin.

In response to a recent MomsTeam article reporting on the American Academy of Pediatrics' clinical report on sports and energy drinks, a reader, a high school cross-country coach, suggesting that youth athletes tolerated sports drinks less well than water. We wondered whether he was right. MomsTeam's youth sports hydration expert, Dr. Susan Yeargin, says no: tolerance is a question of liquid volume and workout intensity, not drink composition.

Sports drinks should be consumed by children and adolescents only when there is a need for fluid, carbohydrate and electrolyte replenishment during and after prolonged, vigorous sports participation, while the ingestion of energy drinks should avoided completely, recommends the American Academy of Pediatrics in a report published in the journal Pediatrics.

With the end of winter finally here, temperatures will continue to rise over the next few months. The National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) has teamed up with the Korey Stringer Institute (KSI) to prepare a list of important tips that people of all ages can follow to enjoy physical activity and exercise and also reduce the risk of exertional heat illness that may occur from activity in the spring and summer.

Energy drinks may pose a risk for serious adverse health effects in some children, especially those with diabetes, seizures, cardiac abnormalities or mood and behavior disorders, says a new study in the March 2011 issue of Pediatrics. Reviewing data gleaned from a meta-search of the medical literature via PubMed (an online data base of medical journals) and print and trade media via Google, researchers at the University of Miami conclude that energy drinks have no therapeutic benefit to children, and both the known and unknown properties of the ingredients, combined with reports of toxicity, may put some children at risk for adverse health events.

Spending time outdoors is fun, even in the cold of winter. But, just as in warmer weather, special precautions need to be taken when exercising in cold weather to avoid dehydration, hypothermia, and frostbite. Here are some things to consider if you or your children are playing sports in the cold.

As any parent of a competitive age-group swimmer knows, an indoor pool tends to be a very hot and humid place even at the best of times. Pack in all the competitors and spectators at a day-long meet and the temperatures soar, with athletes in or around the pool losing fluids at a high rate.  Practices for competitive swimmers also tend to last a long time, during which athletes not only burn a lot of calories but lose a lot of water and electrolytes.

Dr. Lindsay Baker, a senior scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute answers a few frequently asked questions about   why it is important for young athletes to stay hydrated and consume carbohydrates so they are healthy, safe and have an athletic edge.

 

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