Young athletes face heat dangers

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - With temperatures set to hit the 90s on Wednesday, parents and coaches need to keep a close eye on kids who play sports.

According to doctors, the main thing kids need to do is hydrate.

Dr. Jessica Butts from IU Health Family and Sports Medicine said high heat leads to very serious health problems, like heat stroke.

Butts said to try to avoid sports during the hottest times of the day, after 7 a.m. and before 6 p.m.

She stressed that kids need to dress in as cool clothing as possible, take breaks often and remove any extra equipment, like football helmets, during the breaks.

“You want to be really, really on top of your hydration,” Butts said. “If you plan on exercising for more than an hour, you want your hydration to consist of water and sports drinks. And ideally you want to drink every 15 minutes. You don't want to wait until you're thirsty to hydrate, because at that point, it's too late.”

She said athletes should acclimate themselves to the heat. By exercising first indoors before trying the same workout outdoors the next day in the heat.

Butts also cautioned against having a false sense of security at the pool. This is a tricky area because most folks don't realize they sweat while in the pool. But the same rule applies: Drink water or a sports drink every 15 minutes.