Should sick gymnast compete at states?

[standsonherhands]

My dd has been sick with a bad chest cold for more than a week. As a result she is truly exhausted. She missed two practices ago, only made it though half the last, and I'm not sure she will be able to practice tomorrow. The next day is state comp L4. Any advice on whether or not to compete a clearly sick child? She wants to do it, but she also knows she feels terrible, so we are both very conflicted. Anybody face this before? Honestly, she wouldn't win big on her best day, but she might well have placed. She is only 7 so mommy (should) still know best. Help?

 

[nevertooold]

Is it worth possible injury due to weakness / fatique?

Is it worth potential risk of exposing illness to a hundred other children?

 

[gymgurl]

well, what i would do is (i'm a bit older) is about 20mins before comp i would take cold and flu, cough mixture and demazin/dimetapp (make sure what you are taking is safe to mix) and compete whether that's the right thing idk but that is what i would do for myself

 

[bogwoppit]

I would keep her home and plan some quieter activities that will take her mind off what she is missing. For her safety and the health of the other kids a day at home might be the wisest choice.

Chances are she will have other great meets ahead of her.

I hope she feels better soon.

 

[gymgurl]

Is it worth possible injury due to weakness / fatique?

Is it worth potential risk of exposing illness to a hundred other children?

also if she has had it for more than a week i would doubt it is still contagious - the most contagious period is before symptoms show, once symptoms are present it is unlikely that they are still highly contagious.

 

[bogwoppit]

well, what i would do is (i'm a bit older) is about 20mins before comp i would take cold and flu, cough mixture and demazin/dimetapp (make sure what you are taking is safe to mix) and compete whether that's the right thing idk but that is what i would do for myself

Never is this a good plan, and giving medical advice is never allowed here, unless you are a doctor of medicine!

Taking any cold medication 20 mins before a meet could leave you drowsy, shaky and dizzy. If you're sick enough to need those drugs, you should stay home.

 

[bogwoppit]

also if she has had it for more than a week i would doubt it is still contagious - the most contagious period is before symptoms show, once symptoms are present it is unlikely that they are still highly contagious.

Now stop pretending to be a doctor, before I get mad.

 

[Deanna]

Thats a tough one. Im sure she really wants to compete and has probably been looking forward to it for a long time. But, I do believe if it were my dd I would have her stay home. I wouldnt want to take a chance of her being weak, tired, or even drowzy out there and risking serious injury. Also the excertion of the competition might compound her sickness too. I agree with the other ladies, I would keep her home, have some fun mom and daughter time...maybe do each others hair, nails..ect. Snuggle up under a blanket and drink some hot chocolate..that kinda stuff. There is always another comp down the road.
But who knows, with these kiddos, they heal quick, so she may wake up tomorrow and be right as rain.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

My dd has been sick with a bad chest cold for more than a week. As a result she is truly exhausted. She missed two practices ago, only made it though half the last, and I'm not sure she will be able to practice tomorrow. The next day is state comp L4. Any advice on whether or not to compete a clearly sick child? She wants to do it, but she also knows she feels terrible, so we are both very conflicted. Anybody face this before? Honestly, she wouldn't win big on her best day, but she might well have placed. She is only 7 so mommy (should) still know best. Help?

You're gut is telling you no competition. As a coach, I agree with your gut. Explain to her that there will be 5948658493875679493 more competitions for her to compete in.

 

[gym law mom]

What he said^^^^^^^^^

 

[Kiwi]

also if she has had it for more than a week i would doubt it is still contagious - the most contagious period is before symptoms show, once symptoms are present it is unlikely that they are still highly contagious.

Actually that's an old myth. If you can cough and sneeze, you can spread germs.

If it were me, I think it would depend on how sick my DD was. I would probably let her go with a mild head cold. If it has been in her chest, that sounds more serious, so in that case I probably wouldn't let her go.

 

[gymgurl]

Now stop pretending to be a doctor, before I get mad.

Sorry Bog won't happen again

 

[NotAMom]

If she is weak then don't go. Make sure you find out how she really feels.

At this level, missing one meet will not impact her career in any way. That is not to say a different decision should be made if she was at a higher level. If she gets hurt (and the likelihood is much higher for a sick child), there will be many more meets that she'll miss.

If she really wants to be there for the team and she is not hacking up germs, you can have her there for team support.

 

[fuzi]

I don't know if was official USAG or Florida policy, or just the policy of the gym I worked at, but a gymnast could not compete at a meet unless they fully attended all scheduled practices in the preceding seven days. The theory behind this is if a gymnast is too sick or injured to be working out before a meet, they will not be physically prepared to compete.

Yes, it can stink to miss a meet. But your DD's health and safety is most important. There will be many more meets.

 

[Empowered]

We just had this situation at our gym with a 7 year old L4 and the States Meet. Girl was sick the morning of the meet but her mom gave her medicine and brought her to compete anyway. After all it was States.

By the middle of the meet she had spiked a fever and almost had to scratch bars. The coach was scared to even let her warm up. She was so sick she ended up having a disasterous meet which is probably detrimental to her psyche and she's missed this whole week of practice because she is still so sick.

There will always be another meet, so in my mind if she's sick it's not worth it.

 

[gymdog]

If she hasn't been able to practice all this week, then I think she will have to miss it. Even if she is feeling somewhat better the day of, she won't have regained all her strength. Sorry I know how disappointing it is. And it is hard for them to have the perspective of how many other meets there will be. So I would be prepared for her to be very disappointed, but hopefully she'll move on quickly once she can get back to the gym and train some L5 skills and have fun. Perhaps try to get a special treat like rent a movie or a craft day with you or something.

 

[drivingmom]

Wait and see the day of. Kids have an amazing way of recovering quickly.
My DD competed at States with Walking pneumonia. The doctor gave her an inhaler. She was VERY tired and it showed. The only reason I let her is she was taking 1-3 places all year and I knew even being sick she could still do well not as well as normal. She REALLY wanted to and understood she would likely not do as well. She still took one 1st.
Your DD is so young and if it's her first year I would keep her home.

 

[KKMOMMY]

this past weekend, a gymnast threw up on the runway on the vault..:ill: so i would say no.. do not compete, it was gross for the others, and i am sure the poor girl was so embarassed.. states.. is not the olympics, there are 2 seasons, and it is just another meet, there will be many more..

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

I would definitely keep her home! It just infuriates me when parents give their kids medications to suppress a fever, and then it pops right back up during a practice or meet, or even worse.... at school. Giving meds just suppresses the symptoms for a time, doesn't make the illness any less contagious. PLUS, as other posters have said, the meds can make your DD dizzy, nauseated, etc. The worse scenario is if she gets hurt because she's not feeling her best. Then you have injury to deal with, plus a possible fear or mental block due to the injury. It's just one meet.

My DD competed at States with Walking pneumonia. The doctor gave her an inhaler. She was VERY tired and it showed. The only reason I let her is she was taking 1-3 places all year and I knew even being sick she could still do well not as well as normal. She REALLY wanted to and understood she would likely not do as well. She still took one 1st.

I'm sorry Drivingmom, but this just amazed me. If she's been taking all the 1 to 3 places all season long, was it really necessary to have her compete this meet? Yes, kids want to do things all the time, but we as parents have to step in and say "No, you're sick. Stay home, there will always be another meet." When these kids are exhausted from being sick, best prescription is to stay home and rest.

 

[17Jaguar]

If your child is sick than she should'nt practice or compete until she's better.