Summer Safety Part 4—

Protect Young Athletes From Dehydration Dangers In Youth Sports

DERBY — With many young school athletes working hard this month to prepare for fall sports, Safe Kids Greater Naugatuck Valley is encouraging parents and coaches to keep children safe especially from heat-related illnesses.

Nearly three-quarters of US households have at least one child who plays organized sports. Unfortunately, about 3.5 million children receive medical treatment for a sports-related injury each year, and as many as half of these injuries are preventable, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“With scorching high temperatures and vigorous practice sessions underway for school age children, parents and coaches have an even greater role to play in keeping children safe and injury free,” said Cathi Kellett, Safe Kids Greater Naugatuck Valley coordinator. “It’s vitally important to set realistic expectations for children about sports and understand how to help them prepare properly, prevent injuries, and play safely.”

In a nationwide education campaign, supported by its founding sponsor Johnson & Johnson, Safe Kids Worldwide coalitions have hosted more than 150 Youth Sports Safety Clinics for parents and youth coaches since April.

Safe Kids Greater Naugatuck Valley, Griffin Hospital, and the Valley Parish Nurses will be hosting a Sports Safety program at the 11th Annual Children’s Health & Safety Fair on September 16 from 9 am to 2 pm at the Lower Naugatuck Valley Boys & Girls Club, One Positive Place, Shelton.

Heat Stroke Danger

The summer heat has brought particular attention to the dangers of heat stroke, one of the leading causes of sudden death in sports. According to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the number of heat-related injuries from 1997 to 2006 increased 133 percent. Youth accounted for the largest proportion of heat-related injuries, or 47.6 percent.

According to a leading expert on heat stroke, Dr Douglas Casa, over the past five years, the number of heat stroke deaths from exertion in youth sports is higher than in any five-year period in the past 35 years.

“One of the most powerful protective steps in assuring that athletes stay hydrated is proper time and access to fluids during physical activity,” said Dr Casa, a researcher and professor at the University of Connecticut and chief operating officer at the school’s Korey Stringer Institute. “Coaches and parents supervising youth activities in the intense heat must have policies or guidelines in place so that youth athletes can stay cool and properly hydrated during practices and events.”

A national survey commissioned by Safe Kids Worldwide in April 2012, funded by Johnson & Johnson, confirmed parents and coaches need more youth sports safety information. In fact, when asked in a survey of more than 750 coaches, 73 percent of coaches reported that they would like more training in heat illness prevention. Additionally, only one percent of young athletes reported having heard about heat illness as a type of sports injury.

Important Tips

Safe Kids offers these important tips for coaches, parents, and league organizers to prevent heat illness and dehydration:

*Don’t wait for kids to tell you they are thirsty. Making regular water breaks (every 15–20 minutes) a habit will help avoid dehydration, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke.

*Young athletes drink water at least 30 minutes before play and every 15–20 minutes during play.

For fluid intake during physical activity, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends:

*5 ounces for an 88-pound child every 20 minutes

*9 ounces for a 132-pound adolescent every 20 minutes

A child’s gulp equals a one-half ounce of fluid so generally, your child should drink about teen gulps for every 20 minutes of play. Use urine color as a guide for hydration status:

*Light like lemonade, then the child is likely hydrated

*Dark like apple juice, then he/she is likely dehydrated

For more information on Safe Kids Greater Naugatuck Valley’s sports safety clinics or sports injury prevention in general, call Safe Kids Greater Naugatuck Valley Coordinator Kellett at 203-732-1337 or visit www.safekids.org/sports