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Help! I am making my son sick!

 
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gla
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Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 46
Location: Abilene

PostPosted: Sun May 21, 2006 7:52 pm GMT +0000    Post subject: Help! I am making my son sick! Reply with quote

I am the proud father of a 10 year-old junior racer. The problem is that on race day he cannot keep anything down because he gets so much race anxiety. I am fairly confident that this is self-induced, as I have tried to keep this a "do your best and have fun" activity, but he loves to race and is very motivated to do well. He competes in other sports but cycling is the only one where we have experienced this problem. It doesn't matter if it is a club race or a important series race, he will puke before or during the race. He did well in the 11-12 age group in the spring series and has expressed a desire to race beginner 13-14 in the fall, which means 30 to 40 minute races will now be 1 hour plus, which really makes hydration and sugars (in my mind) more important. I feel like we have tried everything except limiting pre-race intake to water only, which seems like a bad idea to me.

As always, your advice would be appreciated.

Greg Allen
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The Bike Doc
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Joined: 08 May 2003
Posts: 1398
Location: Corpus Christi and Warda, Texas

PostPosted: Mon May 22, 2006 9:22 am GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

Greg:

It is not unusual for an individual to experience nausea and vomiting with competitive events. It can predispose the sufferer to dehydration during the competition, however. Visit with your son's Pediatrician for your son to be evaluated for gastro-esophagela reflux disease (GERD) which may make you son more prone to this problem. There are good therapies and stradigies that can help reduce reflux. Things that can reduce reflux now is to avoid all cafinated beverages and foods due to the effect caffeine has on the gastro-esophagela sphincter (the muscle at the end of the esophagus that keeps food in the stomach). Cafiene lowers the muscle tone of this muscle leading to increased reflux. Also avoid carbonated beverages. The disolved carbon dioxide in the beverage gets released in the stomach and increase the pressure in the stomach, leading to inicrease reflux and the proverbial belching after drinking a soda.

In the mean time, keep it on the fun side of bicycling for your boy. I would not recommend having him compete at the older age group level at this point. Continue to emphasize the fun side of bicycling.

Thanks,
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Paul K. Nolan, MD
AKA: The Bike Doc
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gla
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Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 46
Location: Abilene

PostPosted: Mon May 22, 2006 9:55 am GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

As always, thanks for your help.
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jfish
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Joined: 23 Sep 2003
Posts: 986
Location: Austin

PostPosted: Mon May 22, 2006 11:31 am GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

Congrats on your son! I've been watching him and he is doing awesome. I thought I would chime in because we've had nervous issues in the past and have found some solutions that you may try. Warming us on a windtrainer really takes their mind off of the race and tones down the nerves. Dissappearing dads before the starts can help. I've even sent the wife before and not gone. As far as hydration, kids store very little fluid and nutrients and for long races, a camel back and a gu taped to the handlebars are a must especially when they get into sport so you might try starting at the shorter distances so he gets used to it and learn to drink. And lastly, he will outgrow it. My 13 year old now has no nerves before a race because he has done so many races.
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gla
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Location: Abilene

PostPosted: Mon May 22, 2006 1:34 pm GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping for some "been there, done that" advice. Congratulations to Kevin on a great season.
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Paul Uhl
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Joined: 20 May 2003
Posts: 880
Location: Smithville TX

PostPosted: Mon May 22, 2006 3:36 pm GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nerves are good, Kara and Tristan are still very nerves at the start of all races, I tell them the day those butter flies go away is the day the fun goes away. Have a good warm up riding around with his peers, make good friends with other racers. It only gets better the longer they race. Tristan and Kara have good friends all over the country now because of mnt racing. It only gets better, their is so much to gain.

Oh and listen to Doc. he knows his stuff.
Paul Uhl
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