Coaches ADHD gymnast

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trackandfield6

Coach
Proud Parent
We have a young gymnast at our gym. She's quite physically talented. She is on ADHD meds, I believe she said 2 times a day. I sometimes feel like she could be overmedicated, as she can be very spacey, as I call it, and also extremely tired acting. She is mostly like this towards the end of a three hour practice, and has trouble on the nights we do four hours. The thing that bothers me, however, as a coach, is that there have been several times, where she has almost bailed out, or bailed out, because it seems like her spaciness gets the best of her. I am concerned for her safety above all else. I realize that bail outs happen, but this seems different from when other kids have bailed out. It is almost like she doesn't even realize that she has done it, almost like she is sleep tumbling.....( instead of sleep walking.) I don't want her to know that I am concerned because I don't want to create a fear in her, at the same time it needs to be dealt with. Any one else dealt with this as a coach?
 
Wow that's scary! That's extremely dangerous if she's spacing out in the middle of her skills. I'd bring it up to her parents immediately. I wouldn't risk the chance of her injuring herself any further.

Also not a coach at the moment but I was on ADHD meds as well when I was younger and what you describe is exactly how I felt. Could even say zombie-like. I wish I can say there was something specific that helped me but unfortunately I just stopped taking the meds and had to find different ways to help me focus. Wish you luck!
 
We have a young gymnast at our gym. She's quite physically talented. She is on ADHD meds, I believe she said 2 times a day. I sometimes feel like she could be overmedicated, as she can be very spacey, as I call it, and also extremely tired acting.

Just talk to the parents and describe exactly what you are seeing and your worries. Instead of using a term like "overmedicated"... try something like..."Is there any chance that her medication may not be regulated correctly?"

EDIT: Yes... definitely dealt with this many times over the years.
 
Do you coach at our gym? There’s a kid just like that — medicated for the express purpose of making her focus better at gym.
 
Definitely talk with the parents. They likely are not aware of this and it can be a relatively easy fix by adjusting dosage or having a different afternoon medication.
 
Wow that's scary! That's extremely dangerous if she's spacing out in the middle of her skills. I'd bring it up to her parents immediately. I wouldn't risk the chance of her injuring herself any further.

Also not a coach at the moment but I was on ADHD meds as well when I was younger and what you describe is exactly how I felt. Could even say zombie-like. I wish I can say there was something specific that helped me but unfortunately I just stopped taking the meds and had to find different ways to help me focus. Wish you luck!
 
Just talk to the parents and describe exactly what you are seeing and your worries. Instead of using a term like "overmedicated"... try something like..."Is there any chance that her medication may not be regulated correctly?"

EDIT: Yes... definitely dealt with this many times over the years.
Thats a good point...not using the term overmedicated, because she may not actually be overmedicated.... but something isn't right.
 
Do you coach at our gym? There’s a kid just like that — medicated for the express purpose of making her focus better at gym.
LOL I wouldn't know. I feel like there are probably many kids with this issue....but I feel very responsible as a coach, to keep her safety as a priority.
 
Thats a good point...not using the term overmedicated, because she may not actually be overmedicated.... but something isn't right.
Lol, I was going to point out that it might not be an issue of being overmedicated. The spacing out is actually a symptom of ADHD (in addition to a side effect of some ADHD meds), so being undermedicated or being on the wrong medicine are both on the table.
I am ADHD myself. Wasn't really a major diagnosis when I was a kid, so the only time I was medicated for it was actually a mistake. One dose daily ... at 10am ... There were days that I would be falling asleep in class by the end of the school day.
Definitely talk to the parents ASAP. Good luck.
 
Lol, I was going to point out that it might not be an issue of being overmedicated. The spacing out is actually a symptom of ADHD (in addition to a side effect of some ADHD meds), so being undermedicated or being on the wrong medicine are both on the table.
I am ADHD myself. Wasn't really a major diagnosis when I was a kid, so the only time I was medicated for it was actually a mistake. One dose daily ... at 10am ... There were days that I would be falling asleep in class by the end of the school day.
Definitely talk to the parents ASAP. Good luck.
Thank you..... I appreciate any and all answers so I have a clearer picture...
 
Not as a coach, but as a parent of an ADHD kid, is the child being offered a snack mid practice? Or even before for that matter? That could be a big dopamine boost which may be needed to assist in concentration. Plus ADHD meds tend to suppress appetite, and as a result of not having enough energy, the brain loses focus. I'd certainly try that and see if it has any impact at all.
 
We have a young gymnast at our gym. She's quite physically talented. She is on ADHD meds, I believe she said 2 times a day. I sometimes feel like she could be overmedicated, as she can be very spacey, as I call it, and also extremely tired acting. She is mostly like this towards the end of a three hour practice, and has trouble on the nights we do four hours. The thing that bothers me, however, as a coach, is that there have been several times, where she has almost bailed out, or bailed out, because it seems like her spaciness gets the best of her. I am concerned for her safety above all else. I realize that bail outs happen, but this seems different from when other kids have bailed out. It is almost like she doesn't even realize that she has done it, almost like she is sleep tumbling.....( instead of sleep walking.) I don't want her to know that I am concerned because I don't want to create a fear in her, at the same time it needs to be dealt with. Any one else dealt with this as a coach?
I also have ADHD and have dealt with the same thing. I am not over medicated, but I have done the "sleep tumbling" many times. I will be tumbling and it is like my brain resets and forgets everything that is happening in that moment, and fall in the middle of a tumbling pass. I will also be doing skill and routines and not really be thinking about what I'm doing and be completely "out of it" or zoned out. It might be possible that she is overstimulated? With the loud gym and constantly doing things that could be what is happening.
 
I also have ADHD and have dealt with the same thing. I am not over medicated, but I have done the "sleep tumbling" many times. I will be tumbling and it is like my brain resets and forgets everything that is happening in that moment, and fall in the middle of a tumbling pass. I will also be doing skill and routines and not really be thinking about what I'm doing and be completely "out of it" or zoned out. It might be possible that she is overstimulated? With the loud gym and constantly doing things that could be what is happening.
That is a quite scary scenario! Are you still doing gymnastics?
 
It is so great you are concerned about this and want to discuss it with her family rather than brushing it off. As the mother of a child with ADHD who is medicated (not my gymnast) I agree, please don’t use the term “overmedicated”. You are not familiar with her medical history. There is some stigma/judgement among st some people (not saying you) about medicating adhd as the “easy way”. Despite taking it for a medical diagnosis, at a physicians recommendation, and in line with evidence based best practices. So parents may react defensively to the term overmedicated (I would) despite innocent intentions. I agree with bringing up your observations to parents, but don’t offer any theories about why you think it may be happening.

Lastly, a reminder that Simone Biles has ADHD and takes medication for it.
 
It is so great you are concerned about this and want to discuss it with her family rather than brushing it off. As the mother of a child with ADHD who is medicated (not my gymnast) I agree, please don’t use the term “overmedicated”. You are not familiar with her medical history. There is some stigma/judgement among st some people (not saying you) about medicating adhd as the “easy way”. Despite taking it for a medical diagnosis, at a physicians recommendation, and in line with evidence based best practices. So parents may react defensively to the term overmedicated (I would) despite innocent intentions. I agree with bringing up your observations to parents, but don’t offer any theories about why you think it may be happening.

Lastly, a reminder that Simone Biles has ADHD and takes medication for it.
Sorry, didn’t realize this was in the coaches forum. I’m not a coach. Just a parent.
 
It is so great you are concerned about this and want to discuss it with her family rather than brushing it off. As the mother of a child with ADHD who is medicated (not my gymnast) I agree, please don’t use the term “overmedicated”. You are not familiar with her medical history. There is some stigma/judgement among st some people (not saying you) about medicating adhd as the “easy way”. Despite taking it for a medical diagnosis, at a physicians recommendation, and in line with evidence based best practices. So parents may react defensively to the term overmedicated (I would) despite innocent intentions. I agree with bringing up your observations to parents, but don’t offer any theories about why you think it may be happening.

Lastly, a reminder that Simone Biles has ADHD and takes medication for it.
I believe she stopped after Rio
 

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