What children should drink Before Exercising?

If your child is exercising in hot weather you can offer him a refreshing glass of milk to cool him down. There is a myth that hot weather and exercise curdles milk in a child's stomach, but milk naturally curdles as it mixes with the acids secreted by the stomach's inner lining. The curdling begins processing the milk components so the body can utilize its nutrients.
Curdling
Lemon juice is a mild acid in comparison to the hydrochloric acid found in your stomach. However, if you take one drop of lemon juice and drop it into a cup of whole milk, very shortly the milk will begin to curdle. This is similar to what happens when your child drinks milk. Master cheese makers have been curdling milk for centuries. Milk that has curdled and spoiled because of bacteria growing in an unrefrigerated environment should not be confused with commercially curdled milk or the curdling during the digestive process. Spoiled milk may cause serious illness and even death.
Temperature
Pregnant women, elderly people and infants are most threatened by mishandled milk. Bacteria in milk will not grow in temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit and milk will last about two weeks if kept at about 32 degrees Fahrenheit. If offering children milk outside on a hot day, keep the supply in a properly maintained cooler or offer another beverage such as water. According to Mission Children's Hospital, while milk may be a better beverage choice than other drinks, if hydration is the only focus or if the child shows symptoms of distress, water remains the best choice.
Comparatively
Sodas are full of sugar and caffeine. They give quick energy but that energy can abruptly stop, leaving the child tired and depleted. Energy drinks are not appropriate for children because of the caffeine, carbohydrate, sugar and herbal content. Many sports drinks are made with high doses of sodium, potassium, other electrolyte salts and carbohydrates not needed in the quantities offered. Fruit juices contain nutritious contents, but are best cut with water to reduce the amount of natural sugars. Comparatively, low-fat milk is a great source of protein, with a proper balance of electrolytes, carbohydrates and sugars, reports MayoClinic.com
Hydration
Children that are exercising or playing hard in the heat can hydrate with milk before, during and after activity. You may consider alternating between glasses of milk and water because water replaces the perspiration that cools off the body and it doesn't need to digest as does milk. Each time the average child swallows, she consumes about half an ounce of fluid.