Guidelines for Training Young Athletes in High Heat

Given the current global high temperatures, it is more important than ever to ensure the safety and well-being of young athletes during their training sessions. 

As preparations for young athletes in various sports commence, the question arises: should we be more cautious when working with young athletes during the summer months, especially in high temperatures?

The answer is clear: what starts with cramps and heat exhaustion can escalate to elevated body temperature, dizziness, and ultimately, loss of consciousness.

To prevent heat-related illnesses, coaches of young athletes must be familiar with the following:

HOW HEAT AFFECTS CHILDREN

• Children produce more heat during exercise than adults.
• Children have a smaller blood volume relative to body weight and a reduced ability to direct blood to the skin where it can cool through the evaporation of sweat. Reduced blood volume or fluid also increases the risk of dehydration in children.
• Children start sweating later than adults.
• Children have a larger surface area relative to their weight and are closer to the ground. This makes them more susceptible to absorbing heat radiating from the surface, quickly increasing their body temperature.
• Children take longer to acclimatize to high temperatures and humidity.

GUIDELINES FOR EXERCISING IN THE HEAT

• Schedule training sessions for the cooler parts of the day.
• Allow overweight, unfit, or non-acclimatized children time to adapt to the heat.
• Schedule hydration breaks every 30 minutes. During breaks, insist that children drink fluids rather than just encouraging them to do so.
• Modify game rules to include more breaks for rest and hydration. For example, in soccer, play quarters instead of halves to ensure more frequent breaks.

SIGNS OF HEAT-RELATED ILLNESSES

• Heat Cramps

  • Sudden, severe cramps in the arms, calves, or feet
  • Hard, tender muscles

• Heat Exhaustion

  • Profuse sweating, cool and moist skin
  • Muscle cramps
  • Weakness
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Confusion or anxiety
  • Fainting
  • Slow and weak heartbeats

• Heat Stroke

  • Very high body temperature (above 104°F or 40°C)
  • Red, dry, and hot skin without sweat
  • Extremely rapid heartbeat (160-180 beats per minute)
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Confusion, delirium, or loss of consciousness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Seizures
  • Blood in urine or stool