Parents gymnastics for kids with gross motor coordination issues

[dani4]

My 4 year old daughter has been in rec/preschool gymnastics since the fall and she loves it. She wants to do the developmental/pre-team program, and I'm considering enrolling her in the fall. Her current gym teacher says she is doing well, and says she would recommend her for the program.

My daughter is pretty fearless, very strong for her age, also tall (95th percentile) and lean. She has a lot of energy, as most kids do, she loves to dance around the livingroom and play gymnastics.

However, she has always been awkward and somewhat uncoordinated. Not very good balance. Her preschool teacher is a former OT (licensed outside the US), and shared some concerns with me about her motor development. She thinks I should take her to physical therapy for an evaluation, and possibly to get some exercises that could help her. The teacher says that it seems like one side of her body is stronger than the other, and she walks on the insides of her feet (I do that too). She thinks if we nip this in the bud she can avoid later joint & other problems from developing (I have knee issues, so I get it). One very positive thing her preschool teacher did say is that she is the most tenacious child she has ever known- she works very hard to do what she wants to do, even if it's harder for her than other kids. She is all over everything in the playground, and she likes to run around with the rough boys in the class. She doesn't let anything hold her back.

Anyway, I guess I'm a little concerned about putting her in developmental gymnastics, with that kind of background. I just wonder if I might be setting her up for disappointment later, in a sport that requires perfection. Maybe I should just keep her in rec. But she loves the idea of competing, even though I've explained how it all works to her- the fun & the huge challenges. She loves performing, so I think she is attracted to that aspect of it- I think she may eventually gravitate more towards dance (she's doing that too).

At the same time, I don't want to put my own fears and doubts on her. It's not fair for me to decide for her what she can and cannot do. So what if she does pre-team, competes L3 or L4 for a little while, and then decides to move on to something else? That wouldn't be so bad. I don't want her to remember that she really liked gymnastics and I said she couldn't do it. I have my own stories about that from my childhood (I was forced out of competitive swimming because my parents didn't want to drive me).

You see I've already answered my own question, sort of. But I am wondering if any of you have a child with similar issues, and if they were able to have a happy time doing competitive gymnastics, and for how long. On the flip side, do you think kids with balance issues should not try to be on the team?

 

[gwenmom]

IMO and its is just that of a parent of a 7 year old gymnast, gymnastics could only help her with strength coordination body control and proper posture.

 

[Copelscope]

My daughter isn't competing yet, but she has hyper flexibility and is very uncoordinated in general (have you seen a baby deer stand for the first time... Picture that, with elbows, running after a soccer ball!). Gymnastics has helped her a ton-- now she is so poised and graceful after a year that you'd never know how klutzy and awkward she was


If something doesn't make sense, I blame autocorrect.

 

[gymgal]

As the mom of a former 31weeker, with really bad low tone and coordination problems, I say let her go for it! Gymnastics is a perfect support for developing better coordination and body awareness. she may(or not) take longer than others to get the skills but who cares! If she is having fun and it it's helping her physically, that's all that matters.

My dd is currently a L7 and doing well. She was slower to get skills early on and she had some fears (partly due to body awareness), but she pushed through. She loves gymnastics and it motivated her to try harder.

The PT evaluation sound like a good starting point, though, to make sure there isn't anything structurally wrong before starting more intense gym skills. We had dd evaluated by a pediatric sports orthopedist and a PT before she began pre-team just to be sure she was strong enough and there were no anomalies (she has a condition that can have related spinal issues).

 

[UnoMas]

Hi! And welcome!
My middle DD is now 9 yrs old and has been doing gymnastics since she was 3. Her doctor told us to put her in gymnastics to help with motor development when she "graduated" from physical therapy at 3 years old. She has right-sided weakness, low muscle tone, and hyperflexible joints. She also has pronated feet (walked on her ankles when she was younger). We had her in gym strictly to work on her coordination and keep her active.

When she was 4, she was put in a preschool advanced class. By 5 years old, she was asked to be on a level 2 team. She skipped level 3 and competed level 4 as a 6-7 year old. She struggled a lot in level 4 due to form and "straightness" issues and repeated level 4. She was never hugely successful, beam was her nemesis, but she did start to score close to 9's by the end of her 2nd year of level 4. She is now competing in the Xcel program where she is having a fabulous year. She is a lovely performer and is getting to show off her strengths! In fact this weekend she placed 2nd on bars in a group of 24 girls!

Gymnastics has changed her life. She has gained so much confidence. She is so determined and has never let her physical issues hold her back. Gymnastics is not easy for her...but she is a natural performer and has great flexibility. She went from being a little girl who could barely walk without falling to one amazing all her friends by doing backhandsprings!

Your DD sounds a lot like mine and I will tell you that having her in competitive gym has been the best thing we have ever done for her. Good luck to your DD!!!!

 

[Amusibus]

Aside from the physical abilities, it sounds like your daughter has a lot of the traits that could make a gymnast successful (hard worker, perserverance, likes to perform). I am the mom of a 7 year old pre- teamer who is slated to compete new level 3 this fall, and she has Asperger's syndrome. Kids with this have issues with coordination and are often clumsy and awkward. I look at gymnastics as therapy, that she happens to really enjoy (but isn't covered by health insurance!!). It has definitely helped my daughter become stronger, more aware of her body, and less "floppy" and loose in her movements. The coaches picked her for team because she apparently has "the perfect gymnastics body" (the coach actually said these words), and is naturally strong and flexible. She has progressed more slowly than some of the other kids she started out with, but she IS making progress and having fun. the future in gymnastics is a question mark, but so far it has been worth it and beneficial and I would say go for it, bearing in mind that you should not be comparing her to her teamates but only to herself.

 

[dani4]

Thank you everyone, for your responses! It is the boost I needed.. Gymnastics has been great for DD so far, and I'm going to be supportive and let my daughter do more as long as she wants to. I'm not going to let my fears & insecurities get in the way. We'll see where this leads!

 

[gymdog]

Can she do a cartwheel? Handstand? Pullover?

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Gymnastics is the most important & beneficial activity that a parent can give to their child. Any OT or PT or MD will tell you the same.

 

[gymgal]

Gymnastics is the most important & beneficial activity that a parent can give to their child. Any OT or PT or MD will tell you the same.

I agree with the first sentence. As for the second - We have run up against quite a bit of opposition by doctors, pt's and ot's. I am in the therapy business so I meet up with a lot of them. The opposition is not so much at the rec level but definitely at team level. Being on both sides (parent/therapist) I feel the benefits far outweigh the risks.

 

[my4buffaloes]

I have a son with low muscle tone among other issues. Last summer I signed him up for gymnastics as a way to help him gain strength and coordination as well as body awareness. It was great. Unfortunately once the school year started it was too much for him to be at school all day and then go to the gym so we pulled him out. Hoping the get him in again this summer though as I think it is so beneficial. If you can get some specific exercises to help with the issues then I think that combined with gymnastics will really help her.

 

[Mo's Mom]

My daughter was born with bilateral clubfoot, had had 2 surgeries, and has a deformity in both arches (curve the wrong way - called rocker bottom) likely from improper casting during treatment. Because of the clubfoot her calf muscles are differently formed. She also can't walk on relevee without her toes turning completely in. Big sister does competitive gymnastics, so of course little one had to as well. She competed level 3 this season and is actually state vault champion (for her age), and placed 2nd on beam, 3rd on floor, and 2nd all-around! She now practices 3 afternoons a week and loves it! Not trying to brag (well, not completely) just to show that kids with physical differences that should be limiting don't need to be - at least at lower levels. In fact, we use gymnastics for pt!

 

[dani4]

My daughter was born with bilateral clubfoot, had had 2 surgeries, and has a deformity in both arches (curve the wrong way - called rocker bottom) likely from improper casting during treatment. Because of the clubfoot her calf muscles are differently formed. She also can't walk on relevee without her toes turning completely in. Big sister does competitive gymnastics, so of course little one had to as well. She competed level 3 this season and is actually state vault champion (for her age), and placed 2nd on beam, 3rd on floor, and 2nd all-around! She now practices 3 afternoons a week and loves it! Not trying to brag (well, not completely) just to show that kids with physical differences that should be limiting don't need to be - at least at lower levels. In fact, we use gymnastics for pt!

Wow what an amazing story- I'm so glad to hear about how well gymnastics is working out for your daughter.

 

[soccergymmom]

Hi there,

I have loved reading all these amazing stories! I think you should go for it as well. It sounds like gymnastics is really helping your daughter, and that she will do great. And most importantly that she is having fun. I think you really had a good point about how you don't want her to look back one day and have regrets in not doing it. My way of thinking is that if it doesn't end up working out, at least ya'll gave it a shot. Much better that than to get down the road and wish more than anything that you had let her try it - because you can't go back.

Good luck to her!

 

[gymboymom]

We have been at meets this year with a boy with 1 leg and a boy with downs. If she wants to do it, then I say go for it. I've started telling the parents I have met with younger kids, have fun as long as it lasts. I look back on my sons first year of competing now, and realize how much it taught him about being on a team, hard work, commitment, and getting out there all by yourself and doing your best. All those things will stay with him a long time even if he doesn't do gymnastics for long.

 

[Faith]

Can she do a cartwheel? Handstand? Pullover?

Does it matter? My DD could do none of these when she started team 18 months ago- she's now roughly level 6/7 .

The most un-coordinated kid I ever met was the most determined, and she ended up on the national acro team within 2 years of starting gymnastics aged 12.. Anything is possible

Let her do gym, and dance. Whatever she wants to do in life those will give her the physical basics (balance, strength, flexibility, spatial awareness, body awareness) for anything, except maybe marathon running

 

[gymdog]

Does it matter? My DD could do none of these when she started team 18 months ago- she's now roughly level 6/7 .

Personally I would be reluctant to consider a team group if my child couldn't do a cartwheel or handstand. I don't know what level 6/7 means in your country. Generally a child with ability that's 7 or so can naturally do a cartwheel without gymnastics instruction. But I guess some gyms do take children onto team without a cartwheel, not sure why or how that works out.

 

[Faith]

She has the skills for US level 6 and is training some level 7 (US) skills . In the UK we compete modified FIG (except for the elite compulsories which are completely different), so I was using the US system as comparison. She's gone from, as I said, no handstand, and barely a cartwheel, no splits, no back kickover, and no apparatus skills at all, to BHS on beam, LO flyaway on bars, kip cast handstand, handspring vault, RO BHS BT...in 14 months. She was 7 when she started team.

She was picked for team because of her upper body strength, fearlessness and work ethic. The skills came with work .

 

[Blackie6]

Gymnastics is the ABSOLUTELY the best sport you could put her into! My daughter was born emergency C-Section after my uterus ruptured. She was severely hypoxic, had reflux, and was diagnosed initially with CP. She was on an apnea monitor for the1st year. She had OT, PT, Speech, and feeding therapy for the 1st couple years. She thrived, did well & we put her in dance, & mommy & me gym & swimming classes. She had poor muscle tone on one side and tight muscle tone on the other. She never crawled like most babies, she dragged herself on the floor with her good side. Gymnastics forced her to use both sides of her body equally! She did pre-team and was fearless. When she was asked onto the L4 team we decided to just take it one day at a time, one step at a time. We never told her no, we never told her she was different. We only encouraged her to do her best & told her that some kids just have to try a little harder to get skills. What she lacked in muscle tone on the bottom, she made up for on top. She is blessed with good upper body strength. Kips were never a problem, and neither were giants. She placed at states her first year on vault, did a 2nd yr at L4 and placed on floor. She did 2 yrs of L5 and placed 2nd year at States on vault again. She did 1/2 L6 season due to injury and had skills for L7 before switching from USAG to another gymnastics program. She plays other sports and wanted more free time. She had to work hard, harder than some of her friends. Her one foot curls in slightly and her right side is still a little tight she her knee is "bent" and quite noticeably in leaps and jumps now. If she tried to keep knees together her foot turns out. If she works on keeping toes/feet/ankles straight...her knee bends, LOL. So, in USAG she did get deducted to death on some of that, but it never stopped her. Most times she placed somewhere and while she was never collecting big AA scores, she was happy with her accomplishments. Good coaches will work with you, and be understanding & bring out the best in what her strengths are. The bad ones will write your kid off, choosing the better ones who are easier for them to coach as opposed to actually coaching them to their true potential. It's important for them to believe in your child too. my DD wanted to continue L7, but one coach degraded her so much it wasn't healthy anymore. Under the new gym and new program, she thrives. My best advice is to let her go, continue her journey in gymnastics wherever it will take her. Don't allow her to make excuses and don't give her reason to...just tell her there are times where she may have to work a little harder. Take each season as it comes, don't plan her L7 season while you are in L4, and accept that there maybe times where she may repeat a level 2 times. Follow her lead!!! My DD did 2 years each of L4 and L5. No, we knew she wasn't going to the Olympics, but she has her eye on the HS gymnastics team. Gymnastics has paved the way for her to excel at other sports, she does all-star softball travel team, dive team, basketball, and she may still not be the most coordinated player, but gymnastics has given her many tools and a work ethic and drive that I am jealous of! Enjoy the ride!

 

[dani4]

Blackie, thank you so much for your story & thoughtful response. That is exactly what I have in mind, and what I will strive for in everything my children do. Some things are harder for some kids than others, but it's not an excuse to not work hard and try to be the best you can be! I especially appreciate what you said about coaches, how some work with individuals to help them meet their potential, and others just want to work with the kids who are easier to coach. I was a competitive rower and have some definite strengths but also some challenges that made some coaches write me off (my ankle never regained full flexibility after a bike accident- this is a big problem in rowing! probably gymnastics too lol!). My 4 year old DD does not have half of the challenges that your daughter had, and I would be so pleased if she went as far- not necessarily level-wise but in terms of really working hard to accomplish goals. I'm hoping that she will be a lifelong athlete, and not just say "oh well I'm a klutz so I'll never make it to the Olympics so why bother."