Fluid Guidelines

Sports drinks work better than water at hydrating children.

Electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and chloride lost during sports need to be replaced.

Surprising, as it may seem, the most important part of an athlete's diet isn't what they eat, it is what and how much they drink. Hydration before, during and after exercise is especially important for preadolescent children because they have special fluid needs compared to adults, or even teenagers. As a parent or coach, you are responsible for taking precautions to prevent heat illnesses in exercising children and making sure they drink enough fluids.

To prevent dehydration, or, worse yet, heat illness, you should encourage your child to drink cool fluids, preferably sports drinks, before, during, and after physical activity.

You've heard the old saying that the human body needs 8 glasses of water a day to stay healthy. Did you know that was a myth? In fact, it is one of the biggest pop medical myths of our time. No one is quite sure where it came from and no scientist to date has been able to prove that 8 is the number.