DECATUR, Ga. - July 10, 2003 - Join SAFE KIDS of DeKalb, DeKalb Medical Center's Rehabilitation Results Group and Decatur Recreation and Volunteer Services as they partner together for a special Defeat the Heat program on Tuesday, July 15 from 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. at Oakhurst Park, 307 Feld Avenue, Decatur.

Defeat the Heat is a program through the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) and the Gatorade Corporation which is designed to teach coaches, parents and children about the importance of hydration before, during and after playing in a sporting event or recreational play time. At the event, coaches, parents and young athletes will learn the signs and symptoms of dehydration and heat-related illnesses. Educational programs will be conducted 30 minutes prior to the start of each baseball game. Gatorade and Aquifina Water will be distributed to the players, parents and coaches.

Dehydration and heat illness are dangerous for kids because children are more susceptible to heat illness than adults when they are active in hot weather. In most cases, children do not have the physiological drive to drink enough to replace what they lose through sweat. When drinking water, they typically only replace 50 percent of the fluids they've lost which means that kids are still dehydrated. (Research shows a lightly flavored sports drink with electrolytes, like Gatorade, encourages kids to drink 90 percent more than they would of plain water to help them stay better hydrated and safe while playing sports.)

For more information about SAFE KIDS of Dekalb, call (404) 508-7847.