Joining a gym with a SN child

[GoVanGogh]

Do you share the diagnosis or not?

We joined a gym the other day, just a few days after my DS was old enough for to take classes and use the equipment.

Nobody asked if he or I had any physical issues, so I didn't share my DS's CP diagnosis.

 

We took a water class and the instructor asked if we had any joint issues she needed to be aware of. I said No.

That was a small class and I was near DS to help. (He needs directions broken down and repeated at times.)

 

Our PT and OT have both been recommending that we join a gym, but DS was too young prior to this. They want him to lift light weights on the machines so he is forced to use his arms together. They also want him doing yoga, walking on treadmill and doing water exercises. Our orthopedic specialist has also said the same thing. 

 

I was talking with a trainer at the gym today. She will be doing an assessment on DS and I in a few days. Without seeing my DS (he was home) and without knowing the diagnosis, she said he shouldn't be doing any weights at his age. I said, "Well, his physical therapists recommended we join specifically so he can do weights." She never asked why he sees a PT.

 

He has been doing free weights at home and in therapy for over a year now.

 

What would you share with the trainer/facility?

I will always be working out with him and monitoring him.

I am worried they wont' let him work out if they know.

[kbutton]

Find out the rules about the weights. Our Y has definite age guidelines about anything weight or machine-related. They offer a class that allows kids of a certain age to do some things with a parent, and they sometimes waive the age requirements if they have a doctor's note. Our son took a class on how to use the weight machines designed for kids 10+ (he was 8 at the time). They work with resistance rather than set weights. The note went to the program director at the Y. Even at that, they were fairly reluctant to make an exception (it sounded like they were concerned others would try to exploit it). The trainers themselves would not be able to make exceptions to the rules. If you are trying to have your son use adult weight machines or free weights, you might ask them what they'd need to know or what you need to do for them to make an exception. For instance, they may want your PT to actually list out a routine or give limits, and they may want you both to take a special orientation.

 

 

[GoVanGogh]

DS is old enough to do everything at this gym, except free weights. (He can only be in free weight area with one of the gym's personal trainers.)

The trainer I was with this morning said DS was old enough per gym rules, but she personally didn't think it was good for boys to lift weights so young.

I think I may just ask for a different trainer for my son. I basically just want him to have an orientation session on the weight machines. I have lifted for years and could teach him, but thought it would be nice to have someone else go over with DS. I just really don't want to tell them about DS's physical diagnosis unless I have to.

 

I tried to get a waiver (with doctor's note) at several gyms last year and couldn't find any that would accept it. (Though I did have one gym that insisted they would let me 'lie' about DS's age on the application. Um. No.)

The gym we joined has the youngest age requirement I could find.

[xixstar]

Our gym is very accommodating and helpful for all participants. If the information would help the trainer, I would provide it; I assume information is helpful if it impacts his body's reaction to physical activity. I would probably just say my child has x and has been recommended that we do x, y, z. We've already been doing r, s, t and looking for u, v, w from the gym. Not knowing the age of your child, I can see a generic response to having a child use weight machines or free weights to be discourage, but if there is specific reason to then it makes sense to accommodate him.

[Jennifer-72]

Without all the information I can see why the trainer would say she doesn't think weights at his age are a good idea. My understanding from our pt is that a large amount of weight training for young kids is more about helping the child learn to recruit those muscles when need. I think the trainer has limited dealings with children and probably thinks your goal is different if you don't disclose the info. Personally, I wouldn't hesitate to tell the trainer as I would want the trainer to be able to use their knowledge and skills to provide and design the most effective program for my child and I think being informed of his dx is important for that. It could be I feel that way as the gym/facility I workout at had an adapted weights program as well as regular equipment and therefore the trainers were much more knowledgeable about SN. It is a unique facility though. Do these trainers just have training certifications and not kinesiology degree? Huge difference between the two! I would never go with someone who doesn't have a kinesiology degree.

[geodob]

One distinction that I would make, is 'DS's physical diagnosis ' and 'DS's CP diagnosis'.

Most likely the trainer will have little if any understanding of CP?

So what I would like to suggest.  Is that you begin an explanation of his 'physical diagnosis', and motor difficulties.

Then once they understand this, you could then tell them it also labelled as a CP diagnosis.

 

But you have already helped them to understand his actual motor difficulties.  So then when you tell them these motor difficulties have also been diagnosed as CP?

It wont create confusion for them, as you have already explained what his actual difficulties are.

 

Though with the 'weight training', perhaps you could discuss this with them, as separate from the gym exercises?

Where you wrote that you could teach him, and probably do them at home?

But you would like him to have an orientation session on the weight machines, and that it would be nice to have someone else go over them with DS.

So perhaps you could talk with them about organizing an individual orientation session for DS?

Where you could provide them with written recommendations from your PT and OT, recommending weight training.

But you might rather begin the weight training at home, which you could regularly discuss with DS's gym instructor.

Then over time, DS could make a gradual transition to making increased use of the weight machines at the gym.

Where the gym instructor has developed a good understanding of DS's ability to use them.

 

But the crucial thing, are the overall benefits for DS, from doing gym regularly.

Though something else that with doing weight training at home, until he gets older.

Is that when he and other kids his age get old enough to use the weight machines at the gym?

He may find that he can left heavier weights than the other kids, given that he has already been training?

Which would be good for his self esteem.

[srs]

I am hoping to use my gym for my DD when she is eleven, which is the age requirement there. When I asked the trainer on duty I think I mentioned the CP diagnosis, and it didn't set off any alarm bells. My personal experience has been that most people have heard of CP, so they are understanding that things will be different for her, but they don't always get it if I talk about the specific challenges. 

 

I generally don't tell anymore than I have to, but this would be a situation where it would matter. One problem I have found is that many people seem to equate CP with cognitive problems and mental retardation, so I have to explain that my DD can understand and follow directions, but her body may not always cooperate.

[Paige]

I might give the trainer medical info without the CP label. CP is sort of a meaningless term and people hear it and usually get all uptight and anxious. With my DD, for instance, instead of CP, I may say that she has weakness or muscle tightness in a certain area, I may explain that she cannot move in a certain way and that her doctor feels that she could with muscle strengthening and stretching but that other areas, she probably really couldn't move it voluntarily no matter what. That info is more useful than just saying CP which affects different people in very different ways.

[Dmmetler]

As an adult with CP, my suggestion would be to, if possible, get written guidelines from the PT or doctor. One of the best things for me was that in college I qualified for adaptive PE-which was actually an individualized plan set up with one of the coaches who worked with the football team. He was able to take those recommendations and set up something that really worked. I do think having specifics is good because CP is such a blanket diagnosis that it really isn't useful by itself.

 

With my DD, I have found that letting gyms and programs know that she has sensory integration and motor planning issues helps as well-the extreme case was that when she was 6, her gym was able to put her with a coach who was working on a masters in OT, but in general, it's helped, even if it only means that they ask me before snapping at DD when she balks at something instead of assuming it's behavioral.

[geodob]

Though this raises one of the most important issues that people with what can be termed as 'invisible disabilities' ( that aren't obvious to the observer) faces throughout life?

Do I tell them?

What do I tell them?

How do I tell them?

Would it be better not to tell them?

What will happen if I do tell them?

What will happen if I don't?

 

Do I tick the Disability box on the form?

Do I tell my employer?

Do I tell my new partner?

 

These are universal questions that people with 'invisible disabilities' are confronted with, at different times throughout life?

Which generally causes great confusion and stress.

Which really needs a universal answer?

 

[Χά�ων]

Though this raises one of the most important issues that people with what can be termed as 'invisible disabilities' ( that aren't obvious to the observer) faces throughout life?

Do I tell them?

What do I tell them?

How do I tell them?

Would it be better not to tell them?

What will happen if I do tell them?

What will happen if I don't?

 

Do I tick the Disability box on the form?

Do I tell my employer?

Do I tell my new partner?

 

These are universal questions that people with 'invisible disabilities' are confronted with, at different times throughout life?

Which generally causes great confusion and stress.

Which really needs a universal answer?

This.

[Dmmetler]

One thing I've had to learn is when it is and isn't relevant. In a gym, when working with a personal trainer, the parts of my disability related to motor skills is relevant. When I meet a new mom at a homeschool meeting, it's not relevant-but I will often tell adults that if they don't understand my speech, to please ask me to repeat or slow down without explaining the labels.

 

For work, it all depends on the job. In general, I won't disclose unless it makes a difference (in teaching kids in a PS setting, the question on handling special needs often came up in the interview, and yes, I would mention that I had a lot of first hand experience with that ;) ).

 

It's a life skill. I have noticed that a lot of younger adults share much more quickly than I do-and that often over sharing ends u getting seen as an excuse, even if it wasn't intended as one. I suspect that's a side effect of a school system where labels and diagnosis are much more apparent-in mainstreaming, the goal was to blend in, while in inclusion, it often seems like the goal is to stand out.

 

I will say that one of the best experiences in my life was meeting a young man who, when I finally disclosed that I sometimes had difficulty walking responded "I know, some form of CP, right?" This May, we will have been married for 20 years, and known each other for 26. Turned out he had a brother with profound CP, and had learned, early on in clinic and therapist waiting rooms that a kid with CP was often a great playmate-and had a relaxed acceptance of it that I've rarely seen even in professionals.

[GoVanGogh]

Thank you all for the input.
I am still trying to figure out when and how to share the info, who needs to know and who doesn't.

 

As it turned out with the gym - we were to have an appointment today with the lady that said she felt DS was too young to lift weight, but she was out sick. We had our appointment with another trainer then - a male, former PT who was familiar with muscle tone issues. I shared the basics of the diagnosis without using the CP label. He was wonderful talking with DS about the importance of setting healthy workout habits now, how to train for muscle memory, etc.

I had taken in paperwork from OT and PT evals, plus their home program, and a letter from neurologist about recommendations, but he didn't question or comment on DS's age or ability to lift weights.

 

[Jennifer-72]

That's great! Sounds like a much better fit for you and your son. Just love when things workout like that.