Gymnastics?

My 4yo daughter recently had a pacemaker implanted in her abdomen for a 2nd degree heart block with syncope and seizures. I don't fully understand her activity restrictions. The doctor has told us she wont be able to play any contact sports like football or karate. Is gymnastics OK. She has been in gymnastics since 8months old and loves it. What about soccer where the ball could hit her stomach? Any advice would be helpful. Up to this point she has been an extremely active kid who loves playing outside. Thanks Lisa

5 Comments

Ditto

by Casper - 2013-11-03 11:11:58

I echo exactly what Angry Sparrow is saying, hopefully Tracey E will chime in, she always gives great advice.

There are quite a few members who have varying degrees of hearblock, I hope they will chime in.

Hang in there.

Casper

Some but not all

by Pacemum - 2013-11-04 03:11:36

There may be some gym equipment that it would be unwise to use (I.e parallel bars). Floor gymnastics should be OK as should the use of some equipment with care.

My daughter has done some dance based gymnastics. However, please bear in mind that the pacemaker will not bend and your daughter will have to work around it so her arch moves may be slightly different to other children.

If you use a reputable qualified teacher there should be some aspects of gymnastics that your daughter can do.

raising kids

by Tracey_E - 2013-11-04 10:11:35

Ditto what Pacemum said, she can probably do gymnastics but with some limitations like the parallel bars. Just make sure the coach knows, and that she knows to speak up if something hurts. You may have to shop around a bit to find the right class/school. Some places will freak out having a kid with health issues and hold her back more than necessary (btdt!). Look for one that rolls with it, that respects that she is a little bit different but focuses on what she can do.

I think soccer should be ok, esp now when she's little. When she's older and they get rougher you might want to rethink it. I'd see how it goes.

This isn't part of your question, but I'll throw it out there anyway... call this ramblings from an adult who was in your daughter's shoes. As long as she feels good, try as much as possible to let her be a normal active kid. I was diagnosed with complete heart block when I was 5. I never minded having a heart different from everyone else, I never worried or feared for the future because kids just don't think that way. What got to me was being singled out from the other kids. This was in the 70's so kids weren't paced unless it was life threatening so my list of restrictions was pretty long and I spent most of gym class on the sidelines. I am very talented with a stopwatch and I can keep score like no one's business :oP

I have so much respect for my parents. As an adult and a mom now, I know they must have been terrified and the urge to hover huge but they never let me see it. They never focused on what I couldn't do, always redirected and found something I could excel at. I was learning to ski and taking karate when I was diagnosed, cardiologist put a stop to that. Mom enrolled me in horseback riding and art and girl scouts instead. I was still busy and active, but not put in a position where I had to be pulled out to watch while the other kids did things I couldn't (like happened every other day in gym class!). At home I was normal, and looking back I think that went a long way to me growing up emotionally healthy and well adjusted. Btw, I'm 47 now, on my 4th pm, mom to two teens, a business owner, a girl scout leader, active at the kids' school and church, hike or ski most vacations, do boot camp 5 mornings a week. I don't look like your typical heart patient and I don't let it affect how I live my life or see myself.

Your daughter has a bright future ahead of her. Technology is so amazing. I get a little jealous of kids now, they can be paced young and grow up doing all the sports I could only watch.

Yes

by vbilbrey - 2013-11-13 02:11:13

Ditto to TraceyE... I agree. Don't restrict her. I, was in gymnastics when I was much younger and don't recall any issues. The only thing that might bother her is mounting or dismounting the parallel bars with her PM in her abdomen, but I don't remember that being a problem either. Even if it is for her, she will find a way to adjust her body so it doesn't bother her as much. It might be a good idea to let the coach know just for emergency purposes but not for giving her special accomodations. She will learn how to adjust the way she does things. I remember what used to bother me was walking through the school doors with my arms full where I would use my hips to push the handle... Sometimes it got me at my site but it was just an annoyance more than anything.

Back to sports.... I think the only sports you should be concerned with are sports such as Karate, Boxing, Tae Kwon do and things of that nature where she could receive a direct blow to her PM site. Other than that she should be able to participate in pretty much anything she desires.

I also agree with TraceyE in that my dad treated me as a normal child and so it also helped me to grow up confident and healthy. I'm 35, on my fourth PM, too. I shoot IDPA, snorkel, hike when on vacation, etc... Yep. I completely agree. Technology has improved so much over the years that your daughter does have a full bright future ahead of her. I can't speak for TraceyE but I know it's even brighter than when I was little because of the improvements in technology. When I was her age they didn't have PM's for infants or children. So I had an adult PM that beat 60 BPM when my heart should have been beating at a child's rate. I couldn't stay awake throughout the day because I was so exhausted. Then when I had it replaced when I was 7 I became a new person -- full of energy.... Now I joke saying I'm battery operated -- I keep going and going and going... :)

Your daughter will be just fine. Let her enjoy life to the fullest.

Thanks

by saturn6776 - 2013-12-27 05:12:43

Thanks so much for your advice and support. My daughter has had the pacemaker for two months now and is doing great. I didn't realize how much of a relief it would be once she got the pacer (I no longer stay up all night checking her pulse to make sure it didn't drop too low.) I have come to realize sports and activities are not strictly yes or no. As long as there isn't direct, forceful impact to her pacer, and it doesn't hurt, she'll be fine. We missed this soccer season because of the downtime after the surgery, but she starts dance next week (she always wanted to but I couldn't do both dance and gymnastics.) Thanks again for all the help and just having someone to talk to about it. I was so scared and nervous about the surgery, but all I feel now is relief that she wont be passing out, having any more seizures, or, god forbid, her heart slowing or stopping. Her heart is perfectly fine and she is completely healthy except for the heart block that is now fixed with this pacemaker. I feel like I can breath again and not have to constantly worry. Thanks again. Lisa

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