All-Star Competition And Illness

[oldcheermom]

Since it's a fever and cough, take her. Let her sleep as long as possible, compete (ease up on the tumbling) and put her back to bed. Been there, done that. Yes, I know she is only six years old.

 

[stateallstar_jesse]

I've seen girls vomit through their routines. Flyers too. IMHO there is a point where you stop. I've competed with pink eye and other contagious things. My teammates knew no touching me and i had antibacterial wipes to wipe my hands, arms, face, flyer, and bases basing with me. I cheered with the swine flu, again more antibacterials. She is only 6 so i would say get to the comp around 20 mins before warm ups and then leave as soon as she's off the mat. Unfortunate that you have to still pay as a spectator but she IS part of a team and filling in another young girl is nearly impossible. It's never too young to show the importance of commitment and teamwork, if you ask me. Make it a super short day and make sure (if it's a long ride to/from) that she has plenty of blankets, water, snacks, and some comfort items :) I hope she gets better before morning!

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.

 

[Level5Mom]

It's 2 min 30 sec. Give her some meds, and ask the coaches to take out her tumbling. Let her stunt and pyramid. Trust me this isn't the last time you will go through this with her lol.

 

[CIAgiraffe]

I hope she feels better. I know how she feels, a few years ago i competed with a fever ,double ear infection and strep. it wasnt fun but i made it through it. Doing 2 dance teams and 2 cheer teams was the worst part. The things cheerleaders do for thier team and to compete

 

[melisssaacheerfreakk]

Last weekend at Battle At the Boardwalk in Atlantic City I competed with the Flu. It was probably just about the worst competition in my life. But I got taken out of all tumbling thank fully, and just had to stunt. My mom felt terrible and was gonna keep me home, but then she realized she couldn't do that, and I would never miss a competition.

 

[newcheerdad]

A few things that strike me:

1. The child in question is six. Not sixteen, not on a world's team.

2. Yes, kids should learn to "push through" adversity. This isn't a kid with a mild cold or a runny nose. A child with a 102 degree temperature who's been out of school for three days shouldn't be in public, much less competing. They run the risk of getting a lot of other kids on the team sick, which will screw up a lot more than just one competition.

3. As Miss Bee says, there's a safety issue here. Is it better to have a sick kid who can perform at half strength or just work around them? There's a point where you're not helping the team by being there. And this is coming from someone who took an IV the morning of a state tournament game so I could play.

 

[Katybugmom]

I went to watch one of my students at Nationals a few years back. When I got there I didn't see her. She was in the emergency room til 2 that morning with a busted ear drum. We were so scared when she did her first cartwheel that her equalibrium was going to be all off but she did great- nailed the routine- top flyer in pyramid. The coaches were monitoring back stage and new it was safe.

 

[lifeoftheparty]

Hmm thats a tough one. I am also in the medical profession and have a child who is also very young, but I would still send her to compete and take her as soon as she is done. I guess each child is different though and you know your child better than anyone else. Is she lethargic, able to eat? drink? If your answer is no to these I say keep her home. If it is just a fever I would motrin her up and hopefully the coaches let her squat through most of the routine and just go in for stunts and leave right after. I hope she is feeling better. These fevers of Unknown origin are all over lately.

 

[ACEDAD]

If she is contagious or if competing would be dangerous, then she should not attend, as painful as that is for me to say.

But if there is ANY way she can hold her own for 2.5 minutes, she needs to do so.

I've had athletes on my special needs teams not attend because they were "under the weather" and it burns me up. Trying to redo a routine in warmup for any team is almost impossible.

 

[CXAcoach&mom]

I will respond as a coach and a mom of a 5yr old. My 5yr old had strep at last competition. We went she did her part and wanted to. Unless a kid is really sick I think it is best for them to come and do their part and leave. We work all year to put the routines together and it is hard to change it at short notice (like I said unless they are real sick ..he had one that couldnt come last competition b.c she had passed out a few times b.c of the flu). Also the mom said with motrin she acts fine.
And as far as the other kids picking it up.. they can pick stuff up at the grocery store too. We tell ours they need to come unless they are very sick and at that point that the parent needs to decide what is best for the kid.

 

[kristenthegreat]

Also to consider is that if she's weak and gets tired during the routine, someone else could easily get hurt. Little bodies aren't always the most co-ordinated to begin with, and throwing in some high-temp-induced weakness could spell trouble.

It is a tough one. You want to teach them to work through adversity. To me, a 102 fever isn't adversity. It's pushing high-fever territory and that's just dangerous to spectators and the sick person alike. It's also a little 6 year old and CLEARLY not a Worlds team. I could understand if it were a major major nationals and it was Small Senior 5 and they needed a Worlds bid, but it's not. There's a reason that flu shots are recommended for children and the elderly: their immune systems aren't as strong. See how she is in the morning and go from there.

And for the record, when I was about 8 I was out of school for a week. You would have never known I was sick because I was full of energy. My mother would sit and watch me like a hawk the few minutes before she took my temperature (which she did constantly) to make sure I wasn't pulling a stunt. It was 104 at its worst..she may not show it, but that doesn't mean it's not still there.

 

[CheerFanatic]

Even at 6 - adrenaline will kick in on stage and she will get through the routine - take her if at all possible. This is a sport like none other in that we have no kids on the bench waiting to go in. My daughter competed last year with a 103 fever, her coach had to call me to the warmup room for more advil and gatorade - but when she hit the floor no one could tell she was sick. Then she spent the next 4 days in bed.

 

[Level5Mom]

If everyone pulled their kids out when they were sick, competitions would be very interesting. Think about it. This time of year there is someone sick on almost EVERY team.

 

[lifeoftheparty]

I agree. My 5 yo competed with Strep her first competition. She was on Abx for 24 hours and was no longer contagious. She did fine. They may be a time I would keep her home but to me she would have to be close to hospitalized. I know that may sound nuts but I think with just the common cold or low grade fever anyone can pull out 2.5 minutes.

If everyone pulled their kids out when they were sick, competitions would be very interesting. Think about it. This time of year there is someone sick on almost EVERY team.

 

[CheerMomNTx]

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...

What level is she on??? I guess depending on the 'event' and level, maybe ask if they can take her out of running tumbling. My little one was 5 when she was on Tiny and Mini 1. The THURSDAY night before leaving for NCA on Friday, she started running fever 102-103. She had the flu!!! We loaded her up on Motrin/Tylenol and let her get as much rest as possible. She was so sick the entire weekend but my baby girl did not complain. She relaxed up until warmups, did what she had to do and was carried to the competition floor just to save her energy.

Day 1, she did great on both teams, put that smile on when she took the floor, afterwards we immediately took her to the room to get her in bed to get some kind of food in her and to rest.

Day 2, her teams were performing back to back! She was still running a high fever but again we gave her meds and also had pedialyte with us to keep her hydrated. Did the same process for warmups to the comp floor. Coach carried her, spoke to her, gave her a huge hug and she took the floor with Tiny's and then immediately taken off the floor to get back on with her mini's.

Great performances, you couldn't even tell she was sick and she ended up walking away with an NCA jacket with her mini team and a 2nd place performance with her Tiny's!!!

Were we crazy to let her compete like that??....probably but she didn't want to let her team down and yes she was only 5. I have a very mature little one. She is 7 now and acts 9 :-D It's funny in a way when we look at the pics from the 'Champion Zone' or whatever it's called. She is taking pics with her teammates with a sad look on her face obviously because she doesnt' feel well. She really couldn't enjoy her 'moment'.

Good luck to your baby and just keep her hydrated and rested up until they need her. Keep us posted!!!