- Sep 19, 2008
- 875
- 143
I'm starting this with a response to a related thread, but this thread is for random questions or insight into athletes with ADD. I think we all have questions or can give great advice, so here's a place for it. I put 'Athletics' in the title rather than simply gymnastics because I think it all relates back to the same general principles of safety, fun, and overall well being and development of children. I did a search for this topic and didn't get anything, so here goes!
I'm going to link some of the articles I found here. So far I only have this one regarding gym and ADD specifically, but I'll edit as I update. Much of what I found in that article can be translated to other sports as well.
The more I look at it and the more people I talk to the more interesting it becomes. I went to the gym today for my daughters class and was sitting in the lobby. A lady whose daughter I coach was there for a make up class and we got to talking about it. Her daughter has ADD, I've been working with her for over a year. She was very helpful in explaining why certain coaches work with her daughter well in her estimation. Also what she relays to the doctor, which is quite a bit. When I got home and looked into it more and got to thinking about how many kids I coach that I know have ADD, it's a significant number.
From what I'm reading and what I hear from parents, the parent/doctor/athlete parts of dealing with ADD are in place quite well. Very often it's the coaching aspect that's got a big question mark due to lack of communication. This was brought up by the parent I talked to today, she says the doctor would probably benefit a lot more from hearing directly from coaches rather than relaying of info. She's worried about the possibility of things getting lost in translation. Long story short her doctor has my cell number now for any specific questions. I'm glad for it too, the medications sometimes prescribed are very potent...if dosages are decided based off information from multiple sources I'd want it to be as specific as possible were it my kid.
This benefits me as well since I'll be able to ask any questions I have directly to the most medically knowledgeable source. I have a lot of questions. Mostly about extremes in behavior. They don't happen often, but I'd like to hear what the doctor would recommend to a coach confronted by very risky or argumentative behavior.
Here's the gymnastics specific article:
"Mind Body & Sports" - Dr. Ronald L. Kamm
Items of note from it:
1. Short time periods for short attention spans. Some ADHD gymnasts, rather than working out for three hours a day for two days a week, would do better with a schedule of one hour a day, five days a week. make sure a clock is visible. ADHD children can often control their behavior for a set amount of time if they know what that time is, and the time is clearly visible to them.
2. Communicate and coordinate efforts closely with parents. Somedays parents forget to give medication, or may give it to the gymnast so late that good ADHD control is not achieved until the final ten minutes of practice.
3. Look for antecedent activities outside the gym that may be followed by an increase in target behavior during practice. For example, contrary to popular belief, physical activity does not decrease ADHD behavior. In general, therefore, a parent should not bring an ADHD child to practice directly from a softball game, after which they will likely be stimulated, or directly from swimming practice, after which they are likely to be fatigued. Fatigue makes ADHD worse. In addition, parens should try not to get into power struggles or arguments with the gymnast on the way to practice, as this will predispose the child to argumentativeness and oppositionalism in the gym.
4. Be prepared to handle other parents' resentment. It is important to be able to explain to the parents of other children that an ADHD gymnast has a medical condition that needs to be accommodated in a special way, and that you would do the same for any other child with any other condition.
5. Small classes and close adult supervision are optimal. At times, it is best for an ADHD child to come to those practices that are sparsely attended so that the coach / gymnast ratio is favorable. Parents may need to adjust their schedule so that the gymnast can be brought to these optimal practices.
6. Try to showcase the gymnast. One ADHD gymnast glittered at promotional shows because he was able to do a flip that others could not. The audience "oohed and aahed," which greatly enhanced the gymnast's self-esteem.
7. Provide structure. ADHD children respond best to routine, and the best coach for an ADHD gymnast is one who is very organized and structured, and whose workouts go as planned. In addition, the coach should review with the gymnast what is expected of them each time they line up for each apparatus.
8. "Be a slot machine for praise." ADHD children are in constant need of reward and praise. When a child follows the rules, heap on the praise.
9. Act, don't yack. Avoid "stepping into the arena" and engaging in debate with an ADHD child. You'll never "win." Either praise, withhold a point, or give a time-out.
10. Look for welcome behaviors and count on unwelcome behaviors. ADHD children have bad days and good days, just like the rest of us.
This could be similar to my son's experiences in wrestling as well. Linsul perhaps looking up sports in general and how it, ADD/ADHD ,impacts performance in any sport. My son has ADD and takes his meds all day. He trains so hard, but at times has a hard time putting all his moves learned on the mat when it counts at his meets. Thank you in advance. I'd be curious to see what you can find. These kids in any sport want to do so well; it's a shame when it doesn't happen.
I'm going to link some of the articles I found here. So far I only have this one regarding gym and ADD specifically, but I'll edit as I update. Much of what I found in that article can be translated to other sports as well.
The more I look at it and the more people I talk to the more interesting it becomes. I went to the gym today for my daughters class and was sitting in the lobby. A lady whose daughter I coach was there for a make up class and we got to talking about it. Her daughter has ADD, I've been working with her for over a year. She was very helpful in explaining why certain coaches work with her daughter well in her estimation. Also what she relays to the doctor, which is quite a bit. When I got home and looked into it more and got to thinking about how many kids I coach that I know have ADD, it's a significant number.
From what I'm reading and what I hear from parents, the parent/doctor/athlete parts of dealing with ADD are in place quite well. Very often it's the coaching aspect that's got a big question mark due to lack of communication. This was brought up by the parent I talked to today, she says the doctor would probably benefit a lot more from hearing directly from coaches rather than relaying of info. She's worried about the possibility of things getting lost in translation. Long story short her doctor has my cell number now for any specific questions. I'm glad for it too, the medications sometimes prescribed are very potent...if dosages are decided based off information from multiple sources I'd want it to be as specific as possible were it my kid.
This benefits me as well since I'll be able to ask any questions I have directly to the most medically knowledgeable source. I have a lot of questions. Mostly about extremes in behavior. They don't happen often, but I'd like to hear what the doctor would recommend to a coach confronted by very risky or argumentative behavior.
Here's the gymnastics specific article:
"Mind Body & Sports" - Dr. Ronald L. Kamm
Items of note from it:
1. Short time periods for short attention spans. Some ADHD gymnasts, rather than working out for three hours a day for two days a week, would do better with a schedule of one hour a day, five days a week. make sure a clock is visible. ADHD children can often control their behavior for a set amount of time if they know what that time is, and the time is clearly visible to them.
2. Communicate and coordinate efforts closely with parents. Somedays parents forget to give medication, or may give it to the gymnast so late that good ADHD control is not achieved until the final ten minutes of practice.
3. Look for antecedent activities outside the gym that may be followed by an increase in target behavior during practice. For example, contrary to popular belief, physical activity does not decrease ADHD behavior. In general, therefore, a parent should not bring an ADHD child to practice directly from a softball game, after which they will likely be stimulated, or directly from swimming practice, after which they are likely to be fatigued. Fatigue makes ADHD worse. In addition, parens should try not to get into power struggles or arguments with the gymnast on the way to practice, as this will predispose the child to argumentativeness and oppositionalism in the gym.
4. Be prepared to handle other parents' resentment. It is important to be able to explain to the parents of other children that an ADHD gymnast has a medical condition that needs to be accommodated in a special way, and that you would do the same for any other child with any other condition.
5. Small classes and close adult supervision are optimal. At times, it is best for an ADHD child to come to those practices that are sparsely attended so that the coach / gymnast ratio is favorable. Parents may need to adjust their schedule so that the gymnast can be brought to these optimal practices.
6. Try to showcase the gymnast. One ADHD gymnast glittered at promotional shows because he was able to do a flip that others could not. The audience "oohed and aahed," which greatly enhanced the gymnast's self-esteem.
7. Provide structure. ADHD children respond best to routine, and the best coach for an ADHD gymnast is one who is very organized and structured, and whose workouts go as planned. In addition, the coach should review with the gymnast what is expected of them each time they line up for each apparatus.
8. "Be a slot machine for praise." ADHD children are in constant need of reward and praise. When a child follows the rules, heap on the praise.
9. Act, don't yack. Avoid "stepping into the arena" and engaging in debate with an ADHD child. You'll never "win." Either praise, withhold a point, or give a time-out.
10. Look for welcome behaviors and count on unwelcome behaviors. ADHD children have bad days and good days, just like the rest of us.
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