(photo courtesy of Health.com)
Your player has asthma, and so do these famous athletes…
1. David Beckham, renowned soccer star
2. Jackie Joyner-Kersee, basketball and track athlete at UCLA, 6 Olympic Medals, SI Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th Century
3. Greg Louganis– regarded as one the best male divers in history, 5 Olympic Medals, 5 World Championship Titles, 47 National Titles
4. Paula Radcliffe-English marathon runner, 4-time Olympic participant, 2005 World Champion Gold winner, current record holder for the women’s marathon with a time of 2:15:25
5. Jerome Bettis– Former Pittsburg Steeler and Super Bowl Champion, successfully played at University of Notre Dame and drafted to the LA Rams.
6. Peter Vanderkaay-swam alongside Michael Phelps to win Gold at the 2008 Beijing Games.
7. Amy Van Dyken-accomplished swimmer with 6 gold medals at the Atlanta and Sydney Olympic Games
8. Dennis Rodman- former L.A. Lakers basketball star with five NBA titles
just to name a few!
What do all of these prominent sports figures have in common?
EIB – Exercise-Induced Bronchospasm formally know as EIA, exercise-induced asthma (some also have allergies that bring on symptoms as well)
What is Exercise Induced Asthma? Read to find out more at the Asthma Allergy Foundation of America http://www.aafa.org/page/exercise-induced-asthma.aspx
You can also check out EIB at the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology at https://acaai.org/asthma/exercise-induced-asthma-eib
“Typical symptoms of EIB include wheezing, shortness of breath, dyspnea, cough, or chest tightness during or after exercise. These symptoms usually occur during strenuous exercise and peak about five to 10 minutes after exercise.” -AAFA.org
How can athletes become successful in their athletic arenas despite their asthma diagnosis?
Key #1 Early diagnosis and a doctor supported symptom management plan to keep asthma symptoms under control. This is not an occasional plan to take medication and inhalers when symptoms are at their worst. This is a plan that should be strictly followed because it’s simply part of a person and their daily health routine. Everyone wants to feel their best doing what they love.
Key #2 You’ve heard “Teamwork Makes the Dream Work”. Incorporating certified doctors, asthma and allergy specialists, your coaches and trainers in your personal asthma management is critical. Always meet with your specialists routinely and at critical times such as before the athletic season starts, when allergens are high, etc. to make sure any plan for success is updated. With correct management and professional support, you can achieve whatever level of athletic success you are capable of and are willing to work for.
Asthma should be viewed as something that’s simply part of you, not a weakness to be hidden from trainers and coaches.
Tips for Young Asthmatic Athletes and Parents
Asthma is a lifetime diagnosis and some doctors are unwilling to diagnose too early with the hope that young children will grow out of it. If you don’t have an official diagnosis yet then keep track of any allergies, concerning symptoms noting dates, frequency, and duration, consult a medical professional as needed, and dial 911 in an emergency.
• Talk with your asthma specialist about your child and their participation level in sports before starting any new activities. Ask about preventative measures that can be taken to reduce the likelihood of an asthma attack during play. What medications are beneficial to take before, during, or after athletic activities? Would it be beneficial to have a pulse oximeter in your first aid kit? Always seek professional medical attention with any asthmatic event. Your specialist will want to know how well medications and inhalers are working in order to make any necessary changes.
• Meet with coaches and your player privately and get them familiar with your young athlete’s health plan, common symptoms, and how well players self-manage their own symptoms. Discuss what support and course of action will be needed and name two adults (coaches, staff, adults other than family) who your player is comfortable communicating with on site at practices, games, etc. to request support.
• Be sensitive towards how a young athlete views their asthma and how comfortable they are with communicating with adults and peers about their symptoms. Broadcasting personal information to an entire team is unnecessary and potentially damaging to personal dignity.
• Label emergency inhalers with the player’s last name. Label access to emergency inhalers on gear bags with colored tape so designated adults can find them easily. (Prescription medications including inhalers are only for person whose name is listed on it.)
• You may have to show documentation from a doctor that a player has permission to self-carry and self-administer emergency inhalers, etc., especially in a school setting. Keep original packaging if patient information label is attached to it (ie. Patient information label on the box the inhaler came in)
• Use the inhaler spacer device that came with the inhaler. A spacer is a tube that attaches to the inhaler and holds the medication until you can breathe it in. This makes the device easier to use and helps get the medication into your lungs rather than just your upper airway. Not all inhalers are used with a spacer, so ask your doctor or pharmacist if you need one. -www.webmd.com
A spacer is a simple device that’s proven to make an inhaler work better. In fact, studies show they make an inhaler work 75 percent better, reduce side effects, and improve coordination. –https://www.healthcentral.com/article/what-is-a-spacer
• Understand that training regimens and reaching the goals set by those regimens may be attained within a widely varied time table depending on many factors associated with each individual athlete. It’s imperative that comparisons are not made between athletes and what they are doing when factoring in health situations. While there is decision-making pressure on coaches, the big picture focus should be the development of the individual athlete and success celebrated on tracked improvements. (It took Amy Van Dyken swimming daily for an entire month to finally swim the length of a pool once before she achieved her six gold medals years later).
Don’t be shocked if you stumble across people with an asthma stigma. They haven’t taken the time to educate themselves. Stay true to your own goals and desires, and surround yourself with the right support network.
Sport Families United 