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Gymnastics and Eating Disorders
Gymnastics can be a high-stress and high-maintenance
sport for even the most emotionally stalwart of children.
After all, gymnastics pressures its participants for physical
perfection -- for flawlessness of form in gymnastics routines
and, sometimes, in appearance. You should always keep an eye
on the progress of your child or children. Meeting and opening
up lines of communication with their coaches, speaking to
their peers and their peers' parents will help you keep watch
over their physical and emotional states. Creating a network
of eyes and ears like that will certainly take a load off
of your mind, that's for certain, especially if you find yourself
unable to make all of your child's meets or practices.
Emotional and Physical Distress
Emotional distress can most certainly develop
as a result of peer judgment or insults and even from off-color
comments made by coaches. You need to keep close watch over
what happens here, because extreme emotional distress can
result in more serious problems in the future, including bulimia
and anorexia, two of the most common -- and most dangerous
-- eating disorders known today. We will discuss those later,
however. Be sure to talk to your child about how he or she
is feeling. Talking will usually bring problems out into the
open, so that you can work toward correcting them and restoring
the confidence that is inherent in your child. Self confidence
is one of the many keys to good health and to success in gymnastics.
Physical distress is sometimes more easily spotted
than emotional distress. If your child has been injured in
an event or during practice, you can usually see the bruises,
the scrapes, or the swelling. Sometimes, though, physical
distress in a gymnast can be somewhat puzzling. If your gymnast
has suddenly taken ill, feels muscle cramps or stiffness,
is fatigued all of the time, or complains of general soreness,
it may be wise to check up on his or her progress with the
coaches. Overexertion can definitely lead to problems--sometimes,
it may even be necessary to decrease the amount of strenuous
exercise until conditions improve. In the meantime, you should
make sure that their nutrition is proper -- that they are
eating enough, and, certainly, that they are taking in enough
fluids.
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia nervosa is a serious eating disorder
that stems both from physical and emotional distress, in most
case, as a result of judgment passed by peers or coaches or
by society itself. In today's world of stick-thin models,
where appearance is everything, your gymnast may be pressured
to drastically and quickly reduce body size. Typically, the
behavior associated with bulimics is binge eating and then
purging. In other words, they may take in thousands of calories
of fatty food, only to vomit it back up again; all the while,
they may also use laxatives. This will eat away at the enamel
of the teeth, causing the gums to recede (eventually, all
of the teeth may need to be removed), and also cause the salivary
glands to swell. The laxatives eventually cause rectal bleeding.
A person who has this disorder may retreat to the bathroom
for long periods of time or keep large stashes of high-calorie
food around the house.
Those afflicted with bulimia nervosa are typically
easier to coax out of their routines than those who have anorexia
nervosa. They are also more responsive to therapy. It might
not even be necessary for hospitalization, save for the severest
of cases, which typically include dehydration. Good communication
can help prevent all of this from happening.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is certainly the more severe
of the top two eating disorders that afflict young gymnastics
athletes today. Anorexia is rather like bulimia in that an
anorexic does not allow food to be digested -- but they take
it one step further, and avoid food completely. Laxative use
may be present, as well, which is exceedingly dangerous. An
anorexic will shy away from situations that involve food.
Eventually, the malnutrition will get to a point where blood
pressure drops, body temperature drops, bone density decreases,
hair falls out, and the skin becomes grayish and scaly. Lanugo,
a downy body hair, may also develop. Anorexia is fatal in
up to ten percent of cases, and if it is not, it may require
hospitalization and psychiatric treatment in the end.
This is, of course, why you must maintain communication
with your gymnast and his or her coaches. Encourage your child
or children. Don't let emotional distress develop into something
far more serious. Let them know that they are already incredible
for their involvement with gymnastics. They don't need to
take mean comments to heart -- and they do need to relax occasionally.
Have fun with them! It's best for all involved.
And with that, good luck to you.
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About the Author:
By Murray Hughes Gymnastics Secrets Revealed "The book EVERY
gymnastics parent should read" http://www.gymnasticssecretsrevealed.com/gymnastics-articles/gymnastics-eating-disorders.php
Article Source: http://www.goarticles.com
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