Youngsters competing while dehydrated

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), August, 2005

Even though athletes know how important hydration can be to their safety and performance, the American College of Sport Medicine, Chicago, found that most soccer and football players in the 10-to-16-year-old age bracket compete in the summer heat while significantly dehydrated.

Dehydration can increase the risk of heat stroke which, in extreme cases, could lead to death. More than 300 people die of heat-related illnesses each year. "The incidence levels of dehydration in [current] studies are alarmingly similar to what we've seen in previous studies, but what's new is that we now have a sense for the best educational approaches to help young athletes stay hydrated and safe while competing in the heat," explains Douglas Casa, director of athletic training education at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.

When it comes to monitoring hydration status, most experts agree that thirst is not a good indicator of fluid requirements for young athletes because, by the time kids realize they are thirsty, they already are dehydrated. Instead, urine color is the easiest and surest method to check hydration needs.

"If urine color is concentrated, similar to that of apple juice, your child is most likely dehydrated, but if it is pale and looks like lemonade, he or she is probably doing a good job of staying well-hydrated," explains Casa. "The best way to determine fluid needs is to weigh your child before and after activity and encourage him or her to drink 16-20 ounces of fluid per pound of sweat lost."