Heat Illnesses

There are several ways to check a child or teenager's hydration status or a change in hydration status over time. A youth's hydration status before and after a sport practice and how their status change are particularly important.  MomsTeam's hydration expert, Dr. Susan Yeargin, suggests using the mnemonic WUT (Weight Loss, Darker Urine, and Thirst) as a way to remember the three main ways to tell if a young athlete is dehydrated.

Between 1997 and 2001, eighteen student athletes died from heat stroke.In less than a two-week period this summer, football players in Indiana, Florida and Minnesota succumbed to the heat. It is imperative that, as parents, we recognize the signs of heat-related illness and take steps to prevent any more tragedies.

In addition to educating young athletes about both the importance of hydration and the dangers of heat-related illness, ensuring that they drink enough fluids, and taking precautions to reduce the risk of heat injury in children in hot and humid weather, you need to watch your child for symptoms of impending heat illness.

It may be hard to believe, but while you are standing on the sidelines bundled in a sweater on a crisp fall day watching your child running up and down the soccer field, she may become dehydrated. Dehydration can begin when an athlete loses as little as 1 percent of body weight. In a 70-pound child, that is less than 1 pound of weight lost through sweat. As little as a 2% decrease in body weight from fluid loss (e.g. 1.2 lb for a 60-lb athlete) can lead to a significant decrease in muscular strength and stamina. If your child tires easily and repeatedly in practice and appears irritable, and her performance suddenly declines, dehydration, and/or inadequate calorie intake may be the cause.