Coaches What to do when the parents won't take a kid to the DR

[All Chalked Up]

I coach a kid w/ a lot of upper/mid back pain. I & the rest of the coaches at the gym 100% believe the kid needs to get it checked out. The kid is in a lot of pain.

Her parents will not take her to see the DR. Cost is not an issue; healthcare is free in Canada + my parents are very close friends with the parents of the kid (close enough to know the situation). Her parents just will not take her, they just say to ice & rest.

What do you do in this situation? She's a very hard worker & talented. She is pre-competitive however she was asked to go competitive & did not bc of the back pain. She is about Provincial 2.

I don't know what to do! It is frustrating for both of us!

 

[bogwoppit]

Ask for a doctors note that she has be examined and is cleared to do gym. Not much else besides throwing her out of the club.

 

[All Chalked Up]

Thanks, it may come to that unfortunately

 

[catou]

I wonder why the parents don't want their daughter to go to the doctor... Seems to me that maybe they don't want to invest themselves too much in the sport and it kind of gives them a reason... (Sincerely hope it's not the case as the kid seems to like the sport).

Meanwhile, make her ice it, rest it and only do the skills that are pain free

 

[gymgurl]

If we have an injury that is ongoing and we don't get it checked out we get told that we don't get to train until we have seen a PT/Dr/Chiro and figured out what we can and can't do. It's a bit of tough love but it gets the message through.

 

[All Chalked Up]

Thanks for the input

 

[BlairBob]

The above answers are probably what you should do. It sucks for the kid but if the parents don't care, well...

Interim solution is to foam roll on the thoracic spine and shoulders. Loosen them up.

I think they may get tight a lot due to bad posture, backpacks, sleeping position, muscle imbalances, etc. Might loosen it up a bit and relieve some tension.

 

[All Chalked Up]

What is foam rolling?

 

[BlairBob]

Thoracic Spine Mobilizations with Foam Roller - YouTube

Kind of the rage in the US.

 

[All Chalked Up]

Not only will have to get the kid to do these, I'll have to do it myself also.

Pretty cool.

 

[BlairBob]

It's easier than popping the kids backs myself. Ya know where they lay on their stomach and you just press your hands to their upper back and apply pressure. I don't like the popping jerk method that the kids will often do on themselves and seeing them as I'm an adult, I can easily do this because of my size and strength.

Won't be so easy on your teens though and darn near impossible on adults.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Well I have the opposite problem here in the usa, it's called, how do I keep parents from NOT taking kids to DR every time they get a sore anything. I love your parents, so when you kick them out, please send them my way...

 

[BlairBob]

I would simply say something along the lines that this is not a sport for hypochondriacs with my usual BS face and grin.

I can't wait to do it with my beard. Fear the beard. I'm pretty sure it will definitely come off stronger than when I look like a college kid.

 

[gymgurl]

The foam roller is amazing! We have one at home and it have saved me a world of pain caused by a tight back. Also really good for tight ITB.

 

[gymgurl]

Sorry for going off topic

 

[twinklytoes9468]

I don't know the legal system in Canada, but in the UK to not seek medical attention for a child who clearly needs it is classed as child abuse. Srictly speaking any adult working with kids has by law to report any safeguarding concerns