Parents Illness and Gym

[skschlag]

So, when is too sick to be at gym? I am seriously wondering waht other parents think, and if my thinking is way out of line.

One of D's teammates came in tonight. He wasn't going to do practice because he didn't feel well. Dad had him go tell the coach that he wasn't doing practice because he didn't feel well. Now this is a kid who will duck out at the drop of a hat, for any reason. With those 2 pieces of info, coach said if you don't practice, you don't compete (BIG meet this weekend.) so the kid went to practice.

What the dad and kid failed to mention was that he was running a temp all weekend, up to last night. less than 24 hours ago. Until about 12 hours ago it was bad enough that they thought it was strep.

i was quite upset that he was at practice, exposing everyone else. The dad didn't think it was a big deal at all and in fact, thought I was overreacting. thoughts?

 

[juststartingout]

I would never bring my kid with something that is contagious and I would hope other parents wouldn't either.

 

[skschlag]

I agree, but this was the debate...when are you contagious and when aren't you? the dad kept saying that he didn't have strep, and hadn't had a fever all day...even though he had one last night...still contagious?

I know at school the rule is 24 hours with not fever/vomiting (of course, he went to school too), but what do you guys think?

 

[my4buffaloes]

I think he was still contagious and likely in a weakened state, so he could have easily gotten injured. Dad should have kept him home from school and gym - calling him in, not bringing him to tell coach himself. Lame and a lack of parenting if you ask me. I would be furious.

 

[bogwoppit]

Fever within 24 hours, stuff coming out of orifices or odd rashes that have not been evaluated. Trouble breathing, ear pain or dizziness. Abdominal pain, head pain.

Any of that ^^^^^^ stay home.

 

[Amusibus]

A bit of "the boy who cried wolf" influencing the situation, is that what you are saying? I guess if the kid constantly wants to stay home I can understand the tendency of all involved to downplay the situation. That said, I still would not want my kid exposed to him!! Please, parents, don't be so quick to jump to "bad parenting". Pet peeve of mine. You don't know the specifics of what influenced that dad's decision in that situation.

 

[skschlag]

Unfortunately, I do. CGD syndrome. They are so hard on him. He has quit 3 times and his parents are irritated that he isn't winning everything. But that is neither here nor there. HIs dad knew he was sick, and still brought him. now I am pumping d full of oj, vitamins, healthy food, and lots of rest. We have 3 big meets in a row (1 this weekend in state, travel next weekend, and then state). I so hope that this kiddo didn't share

 

[Amusibus]

Ok... sorry. Hope so too! If it's any consolation, a girl in my daughters group was sent home barfing this evening.

 

[htimcj]

24 hours of no fever is my rule for gym and school. DD usually can't do much with a headache either, not at the optional level. Stufy nose.. she goes.

 

[raenndrops]

At our house, too sick for school = too sick for gym.
A fever and the possibility of strep = dr or urgent care to be sure... and 24 hours of antibiotics before they go anywhere (of course, they have naturally large tonsils and abnormal strep presentations- so bad that doc was POSITIVE it was NOT strep once and test came back so fast that it WAS strep that the doc didn't even have time to write anything in the chart she was working on... and the next time, she was SURE it WAS strep and both RapidStrep and the regular one were both negative). We do not mess around with anything that could be contagious.

Headache w/o a fever... make sure they have taken their allergy meds... and see WHERE it hurts... if not sinus, then Tylenol and gym... if sinus - sinus meds and rest. If we can get them to wake up enough for practice, then gym... if not, rest is good too.

 

[HoldThePhone]

I can't stand to see kids who are obviously not well, at the gym. Germs spread like wildfire there, and if a kid who is obviously sick is going around touching everything right before my kid, then my whole house is bound to get it. We have one parent in particular who comes to mind, she's 7, and her parent's think she already has a scholarship at a D1 school. They bring her when she's in tears from feeling ill, and it really angers me. She's not productive, and she's miserable. Missing practice when you feel that badly is OK! She's not missing coaches scouting her, so keep her home!! This is a child who came to the gym for a WEEK not feeling well before finally she missed one day. Came back the next still sick but according to her parents "had missed enough".

 

[Becauseisaid]

I go with school/daycare rules. Child must be fever/vomit free for 24 hours.

OP - your post sounded very similar to a recent issue at our gym with one of the L4 girls. Girl routinely misses practice, but came one day 2 weeks ago when she had strep. Mom's excuse was "Well I gave her Tylenol and her fever came down". <insert eye roll> This is a woman who is in nursing school.

THIS is why my child has hand sanitizer in her gym bag and instructions to use it at every break during the winter sick months. (Not that she does, but I've given the order. )

 

[curlymop]

I have one who sometimes acts sicker than he really is, but when there's a fever I know he's not faking it. We follow the 24 hour rule.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

over here its the 48 hour rule at school, so P&F is a bind as she has a delicate stomach and can be sick at 9 am and fine by 10 ! But thats the rule - same for gym.

 

[gracyomalley]

no gym for 24 hours of abx with strep. No gym if can't go to school, or can't breath, etc...but come on guys, can you really tell me that the L7 with a new fever at the big invitational that came down with coach administered advil and still placed on 2 events should have left the floor (DD last year)? I generally agree that younger kids/lower levels the 24 hours no fever rule is good - but if you try to keep middle school and higher kids out with every "contagious" thing (ie almost every runny nose is contagious in the winter...) they won't go to half the meets!! Kids are full of germs....as a pediatrician that's all I can say!

Now training when truely ill can be dangerous, so don't get me wrong....just a little reality check!

 

[skschlag]

I guess I still think if you had a fever all day Sat and Sun, and it was so bad that mom took you to the doc monday morning, you should not be at gym. you are still contagious. So, now, this level 7 will get to compete, but will the others? Or will they all come down with what he shared with us? I firmly believe if you have a fever or are vomiting, you do not expose people to that. 24 hours. My doctor firmly believes that.
Especially just at practice.

 

[HoldThePhone]

Maybe if kids are going to go to gym sick, they should be required to wear a mask.

 

[GymMom67]

I go by the 24 hour rule with fever, throwing up, or diarrhea. Unfortunately, not all parents agree. Some even seem to think that if the fever is artificially brought down with Motrin, or something, that they are not contagious. "Not feeling well" and having run a fever within the last 24 hours are completely different things. My kids' pediatrician told me if all parents had the same philosophy I do, he would be a lot less busy. I'm not sure why people just don't seem to "get it".

 

[lhmom]

I also go with the 24 hr rule for fever and throwing up. I even held fast to this rule the week of DD's state meet last year (she was sick the weekend before so I didn't allow her to practice that Monday before State). I never want it to be my DD who spreads something to her whole team before a meet!

 

[mommyof1]

We looked at a gym that had a sign telling kids to wash their hands before practice and to stay home if they were sick. The staff and coaches were obviously washing their hands frequently. I really liked that gym.