All-Star Competition And Illness

[bestbackspot]

ive competed with a stomach virius, which meant almost throwing up all over the mat after each tumbling pass.

ive competed with bronchitis, which meant coughing everywhere after i competed.

at my gym you cant miss a comp unless you are like in the hospital, so take her. she'll push threw it and the team will be so happy that she came.

 

[cheerkidzmom]

p.s. the girl throwing up was center flyer in her pyramid, she'd vomit in her hands, then wipe them on her skirt and grab the flyer to flip them. she also vomited while tumbling and the team tumbled through it. gross.

In my opinion, and I work in the medical field. This was negligent. Exposure to body fluids should never be allowed. There are diseases that have not cure that are passed in this manner. Hepatitis being one that comes to mind. No cheer competition is worth a lifetime of disease.

 

[specialtpass]

Only the emergency room would keep mine from competing. There is always someone sick at some point all year long. The entire team depends on everyone showing up at every practice and at every competition. The money that is put out for a competition by every family on the team should also be a consideration. Coaches will usually take them out of tumbling and not require the usual hair and makeup because they just want them to do the 2:30 minutes. I have seen kids spend the entire weekend in a hotel room sleeping and only emerging to compete. That to me is what you sign on for and those are the kids and parents I want to spend the season with.

 

[CXAcoach&mom]

i hate that everyone is worried about the level the girl is on. As a coach our level 1 is just as important as the higher level. No matter the level or if they are going to worlds the cheerleaders work for months to get the rountine to where it needs to be and if ppl have a sickness and decide not to come lots of changes have to be made.

 

[newcheerdad]

i hate that everyone is worried about the level the girl is on. As a coach our level 1 is just as important as the higher level. No matter the level or if they are going to worlds the cheerleaders work for months to get the rountine to where it needs to be and if ppl have a sickness and decide not to come lots of changes have to be made.

I think the level is less relevant than the age of the child. In my experience, younger kids are far more influenced by the parents and coaches - and if they think they're "letting down their team" by not competing, they're going to say they're fine even when they're not. I've seen it firsthand. Young kids REALLY want to please adults that they look up to.

I'll reiterate what I said before - if a child's significantly ill to the point that they've missed multiple days of school - or contagious with something like the flu - it's the obligation of the coaches and parents to hold that child out. The reason you can't go to school with a high fever is the same reason you shouldn't be competing with one: there's a risk of getting other people sick, including people for whom getting sick if a far, far bigger deal. That's different that competing with a minor injury, mild cold or even an ear infection. (although if ear infections make you dizzy that's a concern from a safety perspective)

I'm sympathetic to the idea that it forces routines to change. But I believe the health of the child, their teammates and others around them should trump that.

 

[Diamond]

How sick is too sick to cheer?

Knowing this is a team sport my 6 year old mini CP will be at competition tomorrow despite fevers and cough all week. She did miss 3 school days this week trying to get better. I put her to bed tonight with Motrin and another 102 fever. My husband thinks I am crazy to take her to competition tomorrow.

Thoughts, stories to share to make me feel better...

So how did it go? Did you take her? Was she okay?

 

[cheergoogle]

She went with Motrin on board so no fever. She cheered with a smile on her face. She came off the floor and coughed a few times but otherwise no issues. We are now in the hotel resting for day 2. I am glad we came.

She is a level 2 who has been doing this for 4 years. I think hospitalization might be the only thing to keep her away.

 

[My3KidsMom]

My daughters first year of Cheer she competed on 2 teams. She was sick but wanted to still go. She knew at any point if she felt like she couldn't do it NOBODY would be upset. She pushed through her first routine and ran off stage and threw up as soon as she was done, then she was taken back to warm-ups for her second team. She competed the second routine came off stage and we took her straight home, made sure she had plenty of fluids and she went right to bed. She slept through till the next day and was fine day 2. I don't think she was damaged in any way by her competing and nothing outside of injury would keep her from competing!

 

[cheerbear]

She went with Motrin on board so no fever. She cheered with a smile on her face. She came off the floor and coughed a few times but otherwise no issues. We are now in the hotel resting for day 2. I am glad we came.

She is a level 2 who has been doing this for 4 years. I think hospitalization might be the only thing to keep her away. ​

​

wooh hooh! what a trooper! good luck to her team! ​

 

[gymncheercoach]

In the majority of cases- yes they should compete.

Something to keep in mind- younger children cannot 'sweat out' a fever as some old school people like to do. You need to keep younger children cool if they have a fever or it could escalate and lead to seizures. A fever means your body is fighting infection. Cheerleading, or any other aerobic activity, raises your pulse and pumps blood through your body at a quicker rate. This could cause a fever to spike, especially in a younger child, which can be very dangerous. IF the fever was caused by infection that would happen to be an infection that got into the bloodstream (such as an absessed tooth), it could even be fatal by doing aerobic activity. I know it is rare, but something to consider.

 

[Diamond]

Glad it went well=) Good luck tomorrow!

 

[MakeYourMark]

When i was about 7, and in gymnastics, i competed with food poisoning, a horrible case of it.
I vomited the entire night before and morning of (i also competed in the morn)
my coaches walked around with me everywhere with meds and a garbage.
Keep in mind, gymnastics comps are also much longer for an athlete to just compete, that a cheerleader. I was so weak it was rediculous, but i managed to pull through, and even place.
I think your little girl will be able to since when she's on the meds she seems to be a bit better.
Just get her in and out of that competition

 

[keepdreamin]

I think she will be ok. Its a short routine and maybe ask her coaches if she can do less than she normally does. For example, take out her tumbling or something.
How sick is too sick to cheer? Well, im not sure. But, some poeple i know have competed when they were so sick they should've been in the hospital.

 

[cheergirl630]

Today at comp in the back warming up there was this poor little girl she was maybe 8 or 9 and she got done with her routine covered her mouth and ran to the trash can and threw up everywhere!! I felt so bad for her!!

 

[ellen495]

I think kids should compete even sick - and good for you for taking her. No tumbling or dancing - stunting only is okay. If you feel you need to get to the ER with a 104 fever or something, that's different. Rare case - and then call the coach fast!