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Contact sports ie football and non NT brain

ppantsppants member
in Special Needs

DS is almost 9 and has ADHD.  He's taking medication and doing great with it.  We live in a small town where football is a big deal.  Many (or most) of the boys in DS's grade (3rd) have been playing contact football for a couple of years.  I'm sure they played flag prior to that. 

The teams that are together currently have been formed since around K I believe.  We lived outside of town in the beginning of K so we were never asked about DS joining.  He has expressed some interest in football this year.  I feel comfortable taking to some of the parents to see about trying to get DS on a team.  These are the same kids and families that he's known since K and I went to school with some of the parents.  I don't know if they have any openings or not so it may not even be an option.  The only sport DS plays is summer baseball and he's been on a team(s) before with many of the same kids that play football.

I'm not worried about DS starting his football career later.  I wasn't a great athlete and I'm pretty sure DH isn't the greatest either.  I don't know how "good" DS is going to be/get.  That's not really my concern.  Even in HS, he can still be part of the team and take in practice even if he doesn't get much playing time. 

DS enjoys being part of a team and it is fun to watch his baseball games over the summer.  I do like football, but I do have concerns about concussions in sports.  I worry even more about how it could affect DS and his brain given that he has ADHD.  I plan on talking to the pedi at his yearly appt in February about it.  What are your thoughts?  Any experience?  Sorry it's so long.

Wendy Twins 1/27/06. DS and DD
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Re: Contact sports ie football and non NT brain

  • Princess_LilyPrincess_Lily member
    You could always see how he does for a few months...like a trial.

    While DS (ADHD) loves the idea of sports too, IMO he isn't coordinated enough for the demands of the sport world, at least right now. So, he may stick out more on the team - not the best idea


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  • ppantsppants member
    I do have concerns in general about playing football and concussions. I will bring it up with his psychiatrist at his next appt. FWIW, DS has never struggled academically (yet). The long term effects do give DH and I pause about his possible participation. Thanks for your input.
    Wendy Twins 1/27/06. DS and DD
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  • marchbabymarchbaby member
    Could you try flag football?  My 9 year old loves football and my DH refuses to let him play tackle football but we compromised on flag football.   That being said my son also plays hockey, so clearly we are at risk for injury anyway.  My son does have ADD and I wasn't really concerned he'd be at a higher risk because of this, but overall you hear so much about concussions etc with football that was our reasoning for keeping it to flag football.  Maybe talk to your doctor?  We did talk to our pediatrician about it, he basically said he understands our reasoning for not wanting him to play but that said he has a child who plays football. 
    I think that if my child didn't have other things he loves I might re-visit the issue b/c I would want him to have something he was passionate about, but we found that with hockey and flag football is a close enough second.
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