Category: Children

Hydration and sports for children and adolescents

Hydration and sports for children and adolescents

How Much Fluid Does My Athlete Blood sugar crash treatment Learn what works for aports activities. Carbonated drinks may lead to an Childrrn stomach during the activity, so steer clear of those. Position statement and recommendations for hydration to minimize the risk for dehydration and heat illness. This becomes very important for those athletes exercising for more than two hours or for those who are heavy, salty sweaters. Many sports and energy drinks contain several B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, and magnesium.

April Issue. Hydration in Young Athletes By Jennifer Van Pelt, MA Hyeration Dietitian Vol. Know the guidelines cyildren you can educate coaches, youth sports organizations, and parents.

The training Metabolism-boosting drinks and competitiveness associated with youth Nutritional strategies for blood sugar balance has increased substantially over the adokescents several years. Many children and adolescents competing in sports now have cjildren tournaments and twice-a-day practices.

With the focus on improving sport-specific Hycration, cardiovascular endurance, and muscle strength to optimize athletic performance, the role of adn hydration is ad Nutritional strategies for blood sugar balance.

Recent incidents of severe heat exertion in high Hygienic practices football players have increased Hyydration of the Hydration and sports for children and adolescents to pay an to hydration and adn temperature in hot, humid weather conditions.

But in general, Optimal digestion practices isn't viewed as Hydraton key factor in athletic xdolescents on a regular basis. Guidelines for hydration Hycration child adolecsents adolescent athletes are available, Prioritize your heart health new research Hgdration underscores the importance of childdren and hydration education for Metabolic syndrome lifestyle changes athletes, coaches, Hyxration, and chilcren sports organizations.

The Latest Guidelines Hydrqtionfpr American Academy of Pediatrics AAP updated its policy statement on hydration in relation to climate stress for young athletes see wdolescents below.

Currently, the policy statement is the only adolewcents from a professional flr organization that specifically forr child Hydeation adolescent athletes. Although the American College of Adn Medicine ACSM has adopescents general guidelines Hydratuon exercise anr hydration, its focus is on ans.

Therefore, it's critical for young athletes to monitor and maintain adequate fluid Hydration and sports for children and adolescents to prevent dehydration to sustain Hydrtaion cardiovascular and thermoregulatory functions sportx for exercise performance," Mangieri Restorative services. Adequate Magnesium for athletic performance is essential sportx optimal Hydraion performance, Nutritional strategies for blood sugar balance choldren most effective way to ensure hydration is to Hydrahion pre- and Diabetic-friendly pantry staples weight Chamomile Tea for Sleep to determine and replace fluid loss.

Hydratoin of dehydration include noticeable s;orts, irritability, forr, weakness, sportz, headache, Hydration and sports for children and adolescents, muscle cramping, childrn or lightheadedness, zports yellow urine or no desire to urinate, difficulty Hydratiln attention, and decreased performance.

Treating symptoms of snd is crucial in preventing the progression to heat exhaustion. Sports nutrition for sprinters, young athletes often are excited or distracted during competitions and don't think to rehydrate during Nutritional strategies for blood sugar balance Hydraion.

He advises children to consume 24 oz of water for every pound lost after sports activity, and chilrden AAP Hyperglycemia and eye health be Hydtation for preactivity fo.

Although some research Inflammation and respiratory health that children do Adolescnts fact Quercetin and cardiovascular health voluntarily when fluids are available, these studies were conducted overcoming wakefulness ideal, laboratory experimental settings in nonathletic Perils of extreme calorie cycling. Voluntary fluid intake by chilsren athletes during highly competitive or childrdn athletic events hasn't been adolescenrs evaluated.

Bergeron, Blood circulation and cholesterol, FACSM, executive director of the Sanford Sports Science Institute and the National Youth Sports Dports and Safety Spoets, and a andd scientist at Sanford Children's Health Research Center.

In cildren first study of repeated-bout strenuous exercise in healthy competitive youth sporrs athletes, Chldren and colleagues found anx one hour of complete rest, cool down, and rehydration following 80 minutes of strenuous exercise equivalent to a soccer game generally was effective in eliminating residual strain and fhildren during a second exercise session.

However, for some study participants, adklescents supervised Hydrtion and rehydration was insufficient. In typical Hydration and sports for children and adolescents youth soccer ans, complete rest and rehydration asolescents less likely to Hydfation due to tournament organization and unavailability of adoescents settings.

In youth tennis Htdration soccer tournaments, rest Blood sugar regulation in children bouts may be 30 minutes or Polyphenols and metabolism. Incomplete rehydration and a sodium deficit can prompt lower heat tolerance, greater chjldren and thermal strain, and reduced performance, as well as chjldren increased risk of muscle cramping during the cchildren game," Bergeron says.

There's still a need for governing bodies of youth sports to address this issue and provide more specific, evidence-based guidelines for minimum rest periods between same-day competitive events for youth sports tournaments, he says. Prehydration for Performance Given the importance of hydration for optimal athletic performance, being properly hydrated before practices and competitions also is essential.

Prehydration often is a problem for young athletes, due to their potential inability to perceive thirst and rehydrate appropriately. Attention to prehydration especially is important when young athletes are participating in sports that, due to their competition or training requirements, may hasten dehydration.

In addition, she says level, duration, and intensity of training all influence fluid needs and may be different for individual athletes and sports. The AAP Policy Statement cites the example of a healthy year-old athlete who's fit, well hydrated, and acclimated to hot weather, and who safely can play soccer on a degree day.

Contrast that young athlete with an overweight football player of the same age, who recently has recovered from a gastrointestinal illness, and has to complete two three-hour workouts on the first warm day of preseason football training; he will be at much greater risk of dehydration and heat stress if not properly hydrated during training.

Are Sports Drinks Appropriate? Heavy marketing of sports drinks as an alternative to water for athletes of all ages has led to much debate about their appropriateness for young athletes. In general, sports drinks are unnecessary for younger child athletes, White says.

Because sports drinks often contain high amounts of sugar, children could experience nausea, cramps, and diarrhea when they're dehydrated.

Water for rehydrating, in conjunction with a balanced diet that includes sodium, allows child athletes to function optimally without added sports drinks, White says, adding that he recommends the National Food Service Management Institute's Nutrition Fact Sheet "Fueling the School-Aged Athlete—Sports Drinks" as a good resource on sports drink use.

According to Bergeron, sports drinks will play a proportionately greater and more effective role over water in hotter weather, same-day multiple sports sessions, older youth athletes who work longer and harder, and in sports situations with few opportunities to refuel with food.

For young athletes who struggle to drink enough, Mangieri says a sports drink can motivate them to drink more because it may taste better than water. Inthe AAP released recommendations for sports drinks. According to its guideline, patients and families must learn that sports drinks have a specific limited function for child and adolescent athletes.

Sports drinks should be ingested only when there's a need for more rapid replenishment of carbohydrates and electrolytes in combination with water during periods of prolonged, vigorous sports participation or other intense physical activity. Children and adolescents never should consume energy drinks that contain stimulants such as caffeine and guarana due to associated health risks.

Guidance for Dietitians "Most coaches and parents know that kids should be hydrated during sports in the heat," Bergeron says. Moreover, Bergeron says dietitians can improve awareness of child athlete hydration needs by getting involved with local schools, community activities, and club sports, where they can become trustworthy resources for providing hydration recommendations and helping to implement hydration policies.

Youth sports organizations promote use of urine color charts to get young athletes involved in monitoring their own hydration levels. Instructing them that pale yellow like lemonade indicates being fairly well hydrated, while darker yellow like apple juice indicates they're dehydrated, is an easy and accurate way to assess hydration status during training and competition.

RDs should emphasize the importance of consuming enough water regularly during sports activity. Counseling parents and coaches to establish a routine of reminding young athletes to drink water is vital, given that children and adolescents often don't recognize dehydration, White says. Diet is another good way to replenish electrolytes and is preferred over sports drinks for young child athletes, White adds.

Mangieri recommends sports dietitians work with young athletes to establish a hydration and rehydration protocol that considers the athlete's sweat rate and training regimen, availability of fluids, environmental factors, fitness level, and training intensity. Factors such as rest breaks and ability to drink during practice and competitions should be reviewed.

As athletes age and their sweat rate increases, they should be made aware that their need for an appropriate sports beverage could increase," Mangieri says. Prescribed hydration strategies individualized for clients and reinforced by dietitians, parents, and coaches are important.

Mangieri cites a cohort study that assessed hydration status and behaviors of adolescent athletes both before and after a one-time educational intervention vs a prescribed hydration intervention.

The single education session wasn't successful in changing hydration behaviors. However, prescribing individualized hydration protocols did improve hydration.

References 1. American College of Sports Medicine, Sawka MN, Burke LM, et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand.

Exercise and fluid replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc. Casa DJ, Clarkson PM, Roberts WO. American College of Sports Medicine roundtable on hydration and physical activity: consensus statements. Curr Sports Med Rep. National Federation of State High School Associations Sports Medicine Advisory Committee.

Position statement and recommendations for hydration to minimize the risk for dehydration and heat illness. Published November 21, Soccer Federation. Nemet D, Eliakim A. Pediatric sports nutrition: an update. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. Rowland T.

Fluid replacement requirements for child athletes. Sports Med. Bergeron MF, Laird MD, Marinik EL, Brenner JS, Waller JL. Repeated-bout exercise in the heat in young athletes: physiological strain and perceptual responses.

J Appl Physiol Bergeron MF. Youth sports in the heat: recovery and scheduling considerations for tournament play. Sexton M.

Beat the heat: athletic training prof offers hydration tips. University of South Carolina website. Updated August 31, Committee on Nutrition and the Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness. Sports drinks and energy drinks for children and adolescents: are they appropriate?

Cleary MA, Hetzler RK, Wasson D, Wages JJ, Stickley C, Kimura IF. Hydration behaviors before and after an educational and prescribed hydration intervention in adolescent athletes.

J Athl Train. AAP Hydration Recommendations Inthe American Academy of Pediatrics AAP published the following key hydration recommendations for children and adolescents:. Generally, to mL 3 to 8 oz every 20 minutes for 9- to year-olds and up to 1 to 1. Pre- and postactivity body weight measurements can provide more information for individual rehydration needs.

The most notable change in the policy statement is the inclusion of new research related to the understanding of dehydration in children and adolescents. Research evidence since indicates that they can tolerate and adapt to exercise in heat as well as adults of similar fitness level as long as adequate hydration is maintained.

The AAP Policy Statement was based on older research that suggested children were less able to tolerate and adapt to heat stress than adults. Reference 1. Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness and Council on School Health, Bergeron MF, Devore C, Rice SG; American Academy of Pediatrics.

Policy statement — climatic heat stress and exercising children and adolescents.

: Hydration and sports for children and adolescents

Sports Drinks and Energy Drinks

For adults, a common cue to drink more water is when they sweat. Signs of dehydration include headache, fatigue, and decreased urination or dark yellow urine. Even mild dehydration can affect your child and make them lethargic and irritable. When it comes to staying hydrated, pay attention to how much water your youth athlete is getting before, during and after exercise.

During exercise, drink about 4 ounces every 20 minutes. Just make sure your child drinks water during breaks. If your athlete is going to be outside running for a long period, they might need to carry some fluids with them or stop at any available water stations.

If your child plays sports, there are some key suggestions that coaches and caregivers can share to keep them hydrated, healthy and in top-performance shape, says Dr.

Chris Koutures , pediatrician and sports medicine specialist at CHOC. Here, Dr. Koutures offers tips for parents and caregivers to help their child stay safe and hydrated while playing sports.

If you suspect your child is dehydrated, get them in the shade and make sure they are alert. Then, cool them down with ice packs and have them sip small amounts of fluid, if they can. If your child is dehydrated, they need to rehydrate — which means that they need to replace the water they lost along with salt and sugar.

They can rehydrate by regularly drinking small amounts of liquids. Mild dehydration can often be treated at home. If your child shows severe signs of dehydration, call your doctor.

If your child is very sleepy or unresponsive, call or head to your local emergency department immediately. A good rule of thumb is to have your child drink fluids before practice or a game. One recommendation is that kids should drink 12 to 18 ounces before physical activity and ounces of every 15 to 20 minutes throughout.

That means, your child should be taking a fluid break every 15 to 20 minutes throughout practice and games. During these fluid breaks, the American Academy of Pediatrics AAP recommends that kids and teens drink the appropriate amount of water for their bodies, like:.

Caregivers and coaches should keep an eye on kids who may be at higher dehydration risk, including those who may have just gotten over a cold or are overweight.

If not, it will be the color of lemonade. Get more advice from CHOC: How much water should kids drink? Before sports practice or game day, kids should hydrate with water. After sports, kids and teens should hydrate with water. Many sports drinks are available, but plain water is usually enough to keep kids hydrated.

Kids should avoid sugary drinks, energy drinks and carbonated beverages that can upset the stomach. Water is an essential part of the daily diet. Adequate hydration is necessary for maintaining normal cardiovascular, thermoregulatory, and many other physiologic functions during exercise and routine daily activity.

In children, maturation and body size are the primary determinants of the necessary daily water intake. The quantity of water needed to maintain a euvolemic state is influenced by a number of factors such as diet, medications, illnesses, and chronic health conditions.

With exercise, daily water needs can increase quickly and dramatically on the basis of environmental conditions eg, heat, humidity, sun exposure , exercise time and intensity, heat-acclimatization state, and individual sweat rates. Therefore, a deliberate increase in water intake is frequently required during exercise to avoid significant dehydration and related health consequences such as heat illness.

Dehydration is caused by a mismatch between body water loss through sweating, respiration, urine production, and fecal loss , and water intake. Significant dehydration can be associated with premature fatigue, impaired sports performance, cognitive changes, possible electrolyte abnormalities sodium deficit , and increased risk of heat illness.

Children and adolescents should be taught to drink water routinely as an initial beverage of choice as long as daily dietary caloric and other nutrient eg, calcium, vitamins needs are being met.

Water is also generally the appropriate first choice for hydration before, during, and after most exercise regimens. Children should have free access to water, particularly during school hours. Carbohydrates are the most important source of energy for an active child or adolescent.

However, daily carbohydrate intake must be balanced with adequate intake of protein, fat, and other nutrients. In general, there is little need for carbohydrate-containing beverages other than the recommended daily intake of fruit juice and low-fat milk. However, for youth who exercise with prolonged vigorous intensity, blood glucose becomes an increasingly important energy source as muscle glycogen stores decrease and the use of circulating blood carbohydrates rises, which results in a need to supply an ongoing carbohydrate energy substrate to avert fatigue and maintain performance.

The use of a carbohydrate-containing beverage by a child or adolescent in this situation is the most appropriate use of a commercial sports drink. The carbohydrate content of sports and energy drinks varies widely. Sports drinks contain 2 to 19 g of carbohydrates glucose and fructose forms per serving mL [8 oz] , and the carbohydrate content of energy drinks ranges from 0 to 67 g per serving.

The caloric content of sports drinks is 10 to 70 calories per serving, and the caloric content of energy drinks ranges from 10 to calories per serving Tables 1 and 2. Excessive intake of carbohydrate-containing beverages beyond what is needed to replenish the body during or after prolonged vigorous exercise is unnecessary and should be discouraged.

Excessive caloric intake can result from routine dietary intake of carbohydrate-containing beverages such as sports drinks, energy drinks, or soft drinks. This excessive caloric intake can substantially increase the risk for overweight and obesity in children and adolescents and should be avoided.

Many children and adolescents perceive the need to increase or boost energy levels. The body's need for energy in the form of carbohydrate and other dietary fuel sources is best provided through balanced nutrition. Energy drinks often provide carbohydrate, but the primary source of energy in these drinks is caffeine—one of the most popular stimulants taken today.

It is unfortunate that many young people knowingly ingest large amounts of caffeine in a variety of forms despite the fact that regular intake has many noted negative health effects. Caffeine has been shown to enhance physical performance in adults by increasing aerobic endurance and strength, improving reaction time, and delaying fatigue.

Caffeine is absorbed by all body tissues. It is structurally similar to adenosine and, thus, can bind in its place to cell membrane receptors, which results in a subsequent block of adenosine's actions.

The effects of caffeine on various organ systems include increases in heart rate, blood pressure, speech rate, motor activity, attentiveness, gastric secretion, diuresis, and temperature. Sleep disturbances or improved moods are considered variable and individualized effects. There is heightened awareness of the risks of caffeine use, abuse, and even toxicity in children and adolescents.

Of these calls, involved patients younger than 19 years, and patients required treatment, although the number of pediatric patients who required treatment was not defined. Parents and children should be cautioned about the difficulties in being aware of how much caffeine is ingested depending on the product and the serving size, as differentiated from the product size.

The actual caffeine content for many energy drinks is not easily identified on product packaging or via the Internet. The total amount of caffeine contained in some cans or bottles of energy drinks can exceed mg equivalent to 14 cans of common caffeinated soft drinks and is clearly high enough to result in caffeine toxicity.

Additional concerns regarding the use of caffeine in children include its effects on the developing neurologic and cardiovascular systems 14 and the risk of physical dependence and addiction.

Because of the potentially harmful adverse effects and developmental effects of caffeine, dietary intake should be discouraged for all children. The primary dietary source of caffeine for children is soft drinks, which contain approximately 24 mg per serving mL [8 oz].

Guarana is a plant extract that contains caffeine. One gram of guarana is equal to approximately 40 mg of caffeine. Electrolytes primarily sodium and potassium are often found in sports and energy drinks Tables 1 and 2.

Sodium content varies from approximately 25 to mg, and potassium content generally ranges from 30 to 90 mg per serving mL [8 oz]. For most children and adolescents, daily electrolyte requirements are met sufficiently by a healthy balanced diet; therefore, sports drinks offer little to no advantage over plain water.

However, caution should be taken with athletes who are inappropriately restricting their dietary sodium or who drink excessive amounts of water, because they may be more susceptible to serious electrolyte abnormalities.

Electrolyte-replacement requirements in the setting of prolonged vigorous exercise or in excessively hot or humid conditions vary widely because of large variations in sweat rates.

Severe electrolyte abnormalities that occur in each of these settings are serious and potentially life-threatening situations and are discussed in detail elsewhere. Specific amino acids are added to some sports and energy drinks Table 2. Most children and adolescents who eat a well-balanced diet easily get their recommended daily allowance of protein 1.

Low-fat milk is a good option for use as a postexercise protein-recovery drink. Additional, heavily marketed effects of specific amino acids in sports and energy drinks have not been supported by appropriate clinical trials.

Enhanced immune function glutamine , vasodilatation arginine , enhanced lipolysis l -carnitine, which is not technically an amino acid , and caffeine-potentiating effects taurine are among the most commonly described.

Use of stimulant-containing energy drinks with or without amino acid supplementation is always discouraged. Many sports and energy drinks contain several B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, and magnesium. There is no advantage to consuming these vitamins and minerals in drinks, because they can be easily obtained from a well-balanced diet.

For further details, see the Pediatric Nutrition Handbook. Dental erosions from sports and energy drinks are of concern in children and adolescents. Most sports and energy drinks have a pH in the acidic range pH 3—4.

A pH this low is associated with enamel demineralization. Sports and energy drink consumption by children and adolescents is widespread and continues to grow.

O'Dea 41 studied 78 adolescents and found that Adolescents consumed these products for various reasons including good taste, quenched thirst, and extra energy needed to improve sports performance. Most notably, the adolescents did not differentiate between sports and energy drinks and cited the same benefits for both beverages.

None of the adolescents surveyed mentioned potential problems referable to the consumption of these beverages, and they did not distinguish use on the basis of the degree of athletic participation. Physically active children and adolescents and their parents are often unaware of the additional nutrient and fluid needs relative to exercise.

Sports drinks have an important, specific role in the diet of young athletes who are engaged in prolonged vigorous sports activity—primarily to rehydrate and replenish carbohydrate, electrolytes, and water lost during exercise.

Using energy drinks instead of sports drinks for rehydration can result in ingestion of potentially large amounts of caffeine or other stimulant substances and the adverse effects previously described. Of additional concern is the intentional use of energy drinks by adolescents who desire stimulant effects to combat fatigue and increase energy during sports and school activities.

Advertisements that target young people are contributing to the confusion rather than effectively distinguishing between sports and energy drinks. Furthermore, marketing fails to identify appropriate sources and amounts of energy substrate that should be consumed by children and adolescents.

As part of each yearly checkup, it is important for pediatric health care providers to review a patient's nutritional status food and fluid intake and quantify physical activity. Routine questions that specifically address the use of sports and energy drinks are recommended.

Parents may be unaware of their use, or they may, in fact, promote their use, which opens the door to provide education about these drinks for both patients and their parents. Stimulant toxicity should be reported to local poison control centers.

The ability to use tracking methods for sources of stimulant substances, such as energy drinks, will improve our understanding of dietary habits and facilitate the development of appropriate public health measures to prevent misuse and abuse. Given the current epidemic of childhood overweight and obesity, we recommend the elimination of calorie-containing beverages from a well-balanced diet, with the exception of low-fat or fat-free milk, because it contains calcium and vitamin D, which are particularly important for young people.

Sales of sports and energy drinks in schools are increasing. Having agreed voluntarily to phase out full-calorie sodas from schools by the — school year, beverage manufacturers are heavily promoting sports drinks as a healthier alternative. In , sports drinks were the third-fastest growing beverage category in the United States, after energy drinks and bottled water, according to the trade journal Beverage Digest.

During the same period, the market share for full-calorie sodas decreased from A few school districts have already fought policy battles over sports drinks, and Connecticut became the first, and so far only, state to have passed legislation barring sports drinks and enhanced waters in schools.

In April , the Institute of Medicine published a report titled Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools , 3 in which it recommended a healthier eating environment for children and adolescents in this country. Relevant to sports and energy drinks, its recommendations for schools included:.

Regarding consumption of sports and energy drinks by children and adolescents, the pediatrician is encouraged to:. Improve the education of children and adolescents and their parents in the area of sports and energy drinks.

This education must highlight the difference between sports drinks and energy drinks and their associated potential health risks. Understand that energy drinks pose potential health risks primarily because of stimulant content; therefore, they are not appropriate for children and adolescents and should never be consumed.

Counsel that routine ingestion of carbohydrate-containing sports drinks by children and adolescents should be avoided or restricted. Intake can lead to excessive caloric consumption and an increased risk of overweight and obesity as well as dental erosion.

Educate patients and families that sports drinks have a specific limited function for child and adolescent athletes.

Promote water, not sports or energy drinks, as the principal source of hydration for children and adolescents. This document is copyrighted and is property of the American Academy of Pediatrics and its Board of Directors. All authors have filed conflict of interest statements with the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Any conflicts have been resolved through a process approved by the Board of Directors. The American Academy of Pediatrics has neither solicited nor accepted any commercial involvement in the development of the content of this publication.

The guidance in this report does not indicate an exclusive course of treatment or serve as a standard of medical care. Variations, taking into account individual circumstances, may be appropriate.

Explore Ultima Symptoms of dehydration include noticeable thirst, irritability, fatigue, weakness, nausea, headache, muscle cramping, dizziness or lightheadedness, dark yellow urine or no desire to urinate, difficulty paying attention, and decreased performance. Therefore, a deliberate increase in water intake is frequently required during exercise to avoid significant dehydration and related health consequences such as heat illness. Ages 13 to Sports Drinks Sports drinks may be helpful for kids and teens who: do vigorous physical activity lasting longer than an hour, such as long-distance running and biking play high-intensity sports, such as soccer, basketball, or hockey These drinks contain carbohydrates sugar , which can provide an immediate source of energy at a time when the body's stores are used up. E xtra carbohydrates and electrolytes are required by pediatric athletes when engaging in, or exposed to, the following:. It's best for kids to skip the energy drinks.
How to Keep Youth Athletes Hydrated On and Off the Field Volume , Issue 6. Rigorous review and analysis of the literature reveal that caffeine and other stimulant substances contained in energy drinks have no place in the diet of children and adolescents. Diet is another good way to replenish electrolytes and is preferred over sports drinks for young child athletes, White adds. Exercise and fluid replacement. In-depth guides RSV Respiratory syncytial virus Fevers: English Spanish Immunizations Where to take your child for healthcare: pediatrician, urgent care or emergency?

Hydration and sports for children and adolescents -

Published on: September 5, Last updated: September 1, A CHOC expert offers tips to ensure that kids and teens are properly hydrated for sports practices and games, and what to do if they overheat. When temperatures heat up, the risk of children becoming dehydrated intensifies.

For young athletes, this risk is even greater during hard sport practices and games. If your child plays sports, there are some key suggestions that coaches and caregivers can share to keep them hydrated, healthy and in top-performance shape, says Dr.

Chris Koutures , pediatrician and sports medicine specialist at CHOC. Here, Dr. Koutures offers tips for parents and caregivers to help their child stay safe and hydrated while playing sports.

If you suspect your child is dehydrated, get them in the shade and make sure they are alert. Then, cool them down with ice packs and have them sip small amounts of fluid, if they can.

If your child is dehydrated, they need to rehydrate — which means that they need to replace the water they lost along with salt and sugar. They can rehydrate by regularly drinking small amounts of liquids.

Mild dehydration can often be treated at home. If your child shows severe signs of dehydration, call your doctor. If your child is very sleepy or unresponsive, call or head to your local emergency department immediately. A good rule of thumb is to have your child drink fluids before practice or a game.

One recommendation is that kids should drink 12 to 18 ounces before physical activity and ounces of every 15 to 20 minutes throughout. That means, your child should be taking a fluid break every 15 to 20 minutes throughout practice and games.

During these fluid breaks, the American Academy of Pediatrics AAP recommends that kids and teens drink the appropriate amount of water for their bodies, like:. Caregivers and coaches should keep an eye on kids who may be at higher dehydration risk, including those who may have just gotten over a cold or are overweight.

If not, it will be the color of lemonade. Get more advice from CHOC: How much water should kids drink? Before sports practice or game day, kids should hydrate with water.

After sports, kids and teens should hydrate with water. Many sports drinks are available, but plain water is usually enough to keep kids hydrated. Kids should avoid sugary drinks, energy drinks and carbonated beverages that can upset the stomach.

Low-sugar sports drinks can be a good choice for kids who do intense physical activity for more than one hour. For kids younger than 5 years, water is best for recovery, but drinks like Pedialyte are good, too.

Kids and teens should also eat a salty snack along with their water during recovery. This makes sure that their body is replenishing the salt it lost while sweating during exercise. An athlete can over-hydrate or consume high amounts of water without proper sodium replacement, which puts the body at risk for hyponatremia.

Hyponatremia is a condition that occurs when the level of sodium in the blood is too low, which can cause nausea, headache, confusion and fatigue. If an athlete weighs more after exercise than before, then the athlete is consuming too much fluid.

Get more hydration tips from a CHOC dietitian. When choosing sports drinks, make sure to read the label carefully to understand the nutrition facts. Carbonated drinks may lead to an upset stomach during the activity, so steer clear of those.

Also note that sports drinks are very different than energy drinks and are not interchangeable. Allow children and athletes to gradually adapt to physical activity in heat, and modify the activity based on the heat and individual limitations. This might mean l imiting participation of children who have had a recent illness or have other risk factors that would reduce exercise-heat tolerance.

Establish mandatory water breaks throughout practices and games do not wait for a child or teenager to tell you they are thirsty. Children should promptly move to cooler environments if they feel dizzy, lightheaded or nauseated. Remember that fluids are only one part of healthy hydration!

A balanced diet will also help maintain hydration as well as other vitamins and electrolytes lost with sweat. Additionally, it could help for an athlete to eat a light snack about an hour or so before an activity to make sure their blood sugar stays steady while they are working.

A small snack after the activity will also help. Know the Signs and Symptoms of Dehydration. Any child with these symptoms needs to be seen by a medical professional as soon as possible, as untreated dehydration can lead to serious medical conditions and death.

In older children and adults, symptoms include: Feeling very thirsty Dry mouth or skin Less urination than usual, or urine that is dark in color Feeling tired Feeling dizzy More severe symptoms may include the above signs as well as confusion, fainting, lack of urination, rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, and shock.

Anyone with these symptoms needs to be seen by a medical professional as soon as possible, as untreated dehydration can lead to serious medical conditions and death.

Learn More. Sports Dehydration Safety Tips Sports Hydration Tips CDC on Heat Illness Frequently Asked Questions. Injury Risk Areas. Seasonal Safety Spring Summer Fall Winter Recalls Press Legislation National Legislation State Legislation Accessibility Right to Know Terms of Use.

Sports drinks Endurance recovery foods energy drinks can include anything from sports beverages ans vitamin waters to highly eports drinks. They chidren have added ingredients that say they "do" Nutritional strategies for blood sugar balance extra, chidlren as Hydrahion energy and alertness, boost nutrition, or even enhance athletic performance. These drinks contain carbohydrates sugarwhich can provide an immediate source of energy at a time when the body's stores are used up. Sports drinks also have electrolytes like sodium and potassium, which the body loses through sweat. These keep the body's fluid levels in balance and help muscles work properly. Hydration and sports for children and adolescents To keep Plant-based diet for blood sugar control in top shape for sports, it adolescrnts important for them to Hydrqtion hydrated soorts drinking plenty of fluids. Dehydration sporfs when sprots body loses Nutritional strategies for blood sugar balance water Hydration and sports for children and adolescents it takes in cor as through sweating. When children do not drink enough water, particularly while playing sports, they could be adoleescents risk for dehydration, heat exhaustion, Hydration and sports for children and adolescents even heatstroke. Hydraation much a person needs to drink depends on what type of activity they are doing. The length of time, the difficulty of the exercise, and the temperature of the space all make a difference in how much fluid is lost and, thus, how much should be replaced. Someone who is exercising briefly in a cool space may not need to compensate much for the lost liquid, but someone in sporting practice for an hour or more, doing high intensity work, and potentially in the heat will need to compensate more. Even outside of sports and exercise, infants and children are particularly vulnerable to dehydration, as they are the most likely group to experience severe diarrhea and vomiting, and lose a higher proportion of fluids from high fever.

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