AAP

In a written response to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) release of a Position Statement with guidelines to help prevent cheerleading injuries, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) stated that it agreed with many of the recommendations and pointed to its efforts over more than 20 years to minimize risk for high school cheerleaders.

Six years after a joint task force of medical groups issued pre-season heat acclimatization guidelines, only 13 state high school athletic associations have moved to adopt them.

Sports drinks should be consumed by children and adolescents only when there is a need for fluid, carbohydrate and electrolyte replenishment during and after prolonged, vigorous sports participation, while the ingestion of energy drinks should avoided completely, recommends the American Academy of Pediatrics in a report published in the journal Pediatrics.

Despite the popularity of energy drinks, especially among teens, both the National Federation of State High School Associations and American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommend against their consumption by children and adolescents because of their potential adverse health effects.