Heat Illnesses - General

Sports medicine practitioners throw around a lot of different terms when it comes to heat illness.  Here are the terms as defined by the American Academy of Pediatrics in its newly revised Policy Statement on Climactic Heat Stress and Exercising Children and Adolescents.

Exertional heat illness among youth athletes is preventable if coaches, parents and other adults take appropriate precautions, says the American Academy of Pediatrics in a new report.

With fall sports beginning around the country, it is critically important for parents to be pro-active when it comes to preventing heat illness.  "Parents need to be empowered to question coaches," says Dr. Susan Yeargin.  "Coaches are often viewed as 'knowing best.' But that isn't always the case."

So far in the summer of 2011, at least five athletes and one coach have died of heat stroke.  Heat illness, however, is one of the most preventable youth sports injuries.  Here are ten ways parents can help keep their child safe in the heat.

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.

U.S. high school athletes suffer an estimated 9,237 time-loss heat illnesses every year that are serious enough to keep them out of sports for one or more days, according to a new, first-of-its kind report from the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention (CDC), with football players most prone to heat illness.

Experts say youth athletes need to drink more fluids and more often during the summer heat.

With summer temperatures soaring, the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) has prepared 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 heat of summer. This is especially timely in July and August when young athletes are participating in summer and pre-season sports programs and back-to-school games are just around the corner.

MomsTeam hydration expert, Dr. Susan Yeargin, debunks five common heat illness and hydration myths about children exercising in the heat.