water

Parents in a recent study were unsure about whether sports drinks were appropriate and under what circumstances. So MomsTEAM asked a sports dietitian and mom to clear up the confusion. Here's what she told us.

Here are some "droplets" of information to enhance your water IQ, optimize water balance, and help your child feel and perform better in sports

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.

Hyponatremia occurs where sodium levels in the blood become dangerously low due to excessive water consumption.  Blood sodium levels that drop too low can lead to seizures, coma, and even death.  To prevent hyponatremia usually occurs in endurance and ultra-endurance events follow these guidelines.

Hyponatremia is a relatively rare form of heat illness in which sodium levels in the blood become dangerously low due to excessive water consumption.  It usually occurs in endurance and ultra-endurance events lasting four hours or longer. While children do not ordinarily participate in these kinds of activities, hyponatremia is so dangerous that it something sports parents should know about.