Parents need advice (re: competing while sick)

[sally]

Ok my dd comp is in two days and she is still sick with this cold. Should I let her compete or not? She is ok but very weak and has a cough and runny nose. She really wants to compete but I feel if she isn't 100% she shouldn't because of a few reasons. These are: because she is sick and don't want her to get worse and secondly she might get upset because her standard wasn't as good as normal. Please advise me on what you do for your kids with a cold. Let them compete or not?

 

[pattymello]

I think it depends on how bad it is. If she is going to feel horrible for the whole comp then maybe give it a miss. If she will feel alright for the comp but maybe not perform as well let her compete. She will probably have fun anyway!

 

[J&A's mom]

I would see how it goes. Kids, especially those that are althetic, seem to bounce back pretty easy from fevers.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

what kind of gymnastics is she doing?

 

[sally]

She is doing WAG and is due to compete on Saturday

 

[Deleted member D3987]

i mean difficulty. like double backs or just flip flops?

 

[sally]

Oh Sorry no just basic stuff. She has only ever done one comp before. So her new club is putting her in a lower level to "gain her confidence" so she finds it very basic and not hard.

 

[profmom]

I'd probably let her compete if she isn't contagious and isn't so sick as to make the routines dangerous for her. (I could see a kid competing L3 or L4 with an active sinus infection, for example, but not L9 or L10!) If she's going to be in the sport for a while, she will find that not every meet's going to go well, and that it's not the end of the world when it doesn't.

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

A lot can change in 2 days with a cold. If she isn't feeling too bad, but still has some symptoms, I might give her some cold meds and let her compete.

 

[cbone]

Unless my kids are unable to perform (respiritory issues, etc.), I always let them compete. I figure if girls with broken legs still come to gym and do core work to be with their team, my daughter can show up with the sniffles. From the one meet my daughter competed in sick this year, I can tell you that it WILL impact performance. Make your comments less about actual performance and more about the mental and physical toughness it took to get out and compete. Just my $0.02.

 

[gymboymom]

I would wait and see how she is doing. I wouldn't worry about the cold as much as the weakness. I would also considering trying out a cold remedy before the comp if you are considering giving her anything. Hope she is feeling better soon.

 

[my4buffaloes]

I would not try cold medicine for the first time at a meet. At least give it to her the day before and see how it affects her. If it is just a cold she should be fine. Things can go either way between now and then though - could get worse and turn into something else or get better and it will be no big deal. You just have to wait and see. I hope she feels better quickly!

 

[GymBee97]

I guess I'm in a different camp. I go with if your kid is sick keep them home. It's only gymnastics and although your DD thinks she will just die if she can't go there will be so many other meets ahead of her that this will just be a blip in her past of meets.

Also I always dread the sick kids allowed to attend anything (meets, school, practice, etc) They just end up sharing all those germs with my kid then I have a sick kid that has to miss a meet and is thinks she will just die if she can't go. Keep the sick kids home to recover and be stronger for the next meet.

 

[sally]

I am kinda thinking the same thing gymbee. However there has been some improvement today and she is feeling a lot better. So it might work out. Cold meds make her go to sleep so that wouldn't be a very good idea just before comp.

 

[gymnut1]

I hope she is picking up now. A cold is different to a child with a high fever or other illnessess. As long as she is over the worst and not doing anything too hard on beam (where a stuffed up head might affect her balance and safety) she will probably manage with a cold. Now children who are really sick should stay at home. I don't think it is nice to pass stuff on.

 

[gymmomtoo]

If its just a cold and not too sevre, i would let her compete. Fever pr vomiting etc, then no way.

 

[sally]

Yes she said she is feeling better so she probably wishing and hoping lol , but she still sounds really chesty when she coughs. Her fevers have gone now so that is a bonus. I think I will let her compete but I will tell her not to have high hopes. I also told her because she is worried if she goes on beam and starts having a coughing fit, so I told her to have a little drink of water before she goes on.

 

[GymBee97]

IF you are going to send her try an allergy medicine instead of a cold medicine. That usually clears up the congestion and donesn't usually cause sleepyness (at least not in my kids)

 

[ChssAddct]

strong opinion alert:
If she is contagious, it is wrong and inconsiderate to go.
I have three dd gymnasts - L7, L8, and starting L4. L7 dd had a heart transplant less than a year ago, (brag alert: last week she competed all 4 events at state, and got over 34 AA, and a 9.2 on vault). She will be immuno-suppressed for the rest of her life to prevent rejection, but more so this first year. A simple cold that takes a normal child out for 1~2 days can take 5+ weeks for her to beat, likely with another hospital stay. So, others simply should not go if they are sick. If they do go, then I won't get in a huff, even if I feel like it -- I'll simply take my three dds and go home. (not just heart tx dd; all 3 -- If one of the other dds gets sick, it puts heart tx dd at risk all the same.)
(Our club owner has asked all parents to not bring sick kids, has hand sanitizer everywhere, apparatus is wiped down daily, and weekly does a 'germ bomb', so she is very supportive).

If she is not contagious, next consideration is risk of injury. being sleepy on meds may increase risk.

If injury risk is low, encourage her to 'cowboy up' and get the experience and not worry about scores, and be a supportive parent in whatever she decides, ans whatever she scores. (And if she's a teen, you already know, but whatever she wants has a high likelihood of being the opposite of what she thinks you want!

 

[thefellowsmom]

If she is feeling better, but not 100% then I would let her go. If she is still feeling really bad then probably not.

I find an ibuprofen and a cough suppressant work really well for that nagging cough. The ibuprofen opens everything up and makes them feel a little better and the cough suppressant keeps the cough at bay.

Of course, I'm not a doctor or a coach so don't take anything I say too seriously