My son was recently diagnosed with mild Crohn's. We are still waiting for pre cert insurance but hoping to start Remicade April 4th. He played youth football for 4 years and took two years off. But now wants to play football next year as a freshman. The coaches had a meeting with the interested boys and weight lifting will start soon. How has this sport worked for others with Crohn's? Was or is it complicated to play with disease? Did you or do you feel it was worthy? Do you feel the player was given the opportunity to succeed? Do you feel the player would do it again? Any advice or experiences appreciated.
Crohn's and playing high school football?
- Thread starter emmac13
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Jack plays football we never had any problems until this last season as a freshman and he was flaring pretty bad and had lost weight and was down to 90 lbs. He had already started workouts and practice when we decided it may be a little much for him that season as the next smallest kid on the team was 134 lbs. He was also on total EEN at the time. The coaches were great however and really wanted him to stay/be a part of the team as much as he was able. He went to the practices (didn't have to) and helped the coaches run drills and went to the games and kept stats, helped the coaches and was just a part of the team.
We just started remicade in January and had we started at the beginning of football he most likely would have played as we saw a complete turn around with the first dose and so far a 15 pound gain. He looks like he has even grown a little (I'm afraid to measure him and be disappointed) but his pants are looking a little short and I had to buy new baseball pants because they were definitely short as he like the long pant-like ones and there was quite a bit of sock showing. He has been able to wear the same ones for the last 3 years.
Jack has just started weight lifting, since he's gaining weight and we want muscle. He thinks and I don't disagree that it will help him in baseball next year (He hasn't decided about football yet) but he did not make the 9th grade team and feels that it had a lot do to his size as he made the 8th grade team which is okay because he is a really young 9th grader but he was extremely disappointed. He is still the smallest on the 8th grade team.
I think the head coach wants more time for him to grow/mature but still keep him in the baseball family as it was since he is the only one that didn't make the cut of the 9th grade team but still placed on the 8th grade time. 41 kids tried out, 15 made the team and 25 didn't make any team.
We just started remicade in January and had we started at the beginning of football he most likely would have played as we saw a complete turn around with the first dose and so far a 15 pound gain. He looks like he has even grown a little (I'm afraid to measure him and be disappointed) but his pants are looking a little short and I had to buy new baseball pants because they were definitely short as he like the long pant-like ones and there was quite a bit of sock showing. He has been able to wear the same ones for the last 3 years.
Jack has just started weight lifting, since he's gaining weight and we want muscle. He thinks and I don't disagree that it will help him in baseball next year (He hasn't decided about football yet) but he did not make the 9th grade team and feels that it had a lot do to his size as he made the 8th grade team which is okay because he is a really young 9th grader but he was extremely disappointed. He is still the smallest on the 8th grade team.
I think the head coach wants more time for him to grow/mature but still keep him in the baseball family as it was since he is the only one that didn't make the cut of the 9th grade team but still placed on the 8th grade time. 41 kids tried out, 15 made the team and 25 didn't make any team.
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Thanks, once he got over the disappointment. He is just happy playing baseball and he really does like his coach and teammates. I think he is going to have a fantastic season. I told him chances where if he had made the 9th grade team he would spend a lot of time riding the bench at least this way he will get a ton of playing time.
Here's a link to an article about athletes living with Crohn's that may be interesting to your family.
http://www.everydayhealth.com/crohns-disease-pictures/athletes-battling-crohns.aspx#/slide-1
I think you will have to take things as they come. My son has found that good hydration is essential to his well being so if this is an problem area for your son he should think about making it a priority.
Also wearing sun screen (though I can't convince my son to do it regularly) is important because skin cancer has really come onto the radar as a risk for those on immune suppressing meds.
Best wishes
http://www.everydayhealth.com/crohns-disease-pictures/athletes-battling-crohns.aspx#/slide-1
I think you will have to take things as they come. My son has found that good hydration is essential to his well being so if this is an problem area for your son he should think about making it a priority.
Also wearing sun screen (though I can't convince my son to do it regularly) is important because skin cancer has really come onto the radar as a risk for those on immune suppressing meds.
Best wishes
Just a little interesting fact... Lewis Moody, ex England rugby captain was diagnosed with UC and flared terribly during the world cup when he captained the side... He is my everyday inspiration 
Sir Steve Redgrave also has 5 olympic gold medals, and crohns
Whatever the sport, it can work with this disease!!
Sir Steve Redgrave also has 5 olympic gold medals, and crohns
Whatever the sport, it can work with this disease!!
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No football experience but my son plays hockey...
My son was playing hockey on a competitive and his school teams as well as being in two phys.ed classes per day (one of which included weight lifting) when he became sick. During the months in searching for a diagnosis, he lost 20-25 lbs, was fatigued, anemic, etc. and this all took a toll - he continued playing/participating as often as possible but you could easily see he was struggling. By the time we got a diagnosis in May 2011, his regular hockey season had ended but he had moved onto summer ice hockey and ball hockey... So I had a chance to see his sports performance before, during and after diagnosis and treatment...
Once he began treatment (EEN), he responded very quickly and was back at his phys.ed. classes a couple of weeks later (albeit at a slower pace), he added back one hockey team and then the other within a month. He did have to take breaks sometimes and just generally take it a bit slower. By the end of summer though, crohns wasn't really having a direct impact on his sports, however, it probably took until approx. November before everything was back to 'normal' - weight, strength and endurance. The only thing that bothered him was long distance running - a 5 km run was part of the phys.ed. program and training for the run caused him pain every time. However, short/quick distances, such as the running in ball hockey, did not have this effect.
The winter hockey season following his diagnosis was actually the best he'd ever had! And he's continued to play hockey since (almost 3 years). He's also continued with weight lifting sporadically.
Throughout this time, he was on supplemental EN, taking in 1500 cal per day, 5 times per week - I very much believe that the nutrition he gained from the EN helped his body recover and helped build his weight and strength. I would really encourage some supplemental nutrition as any sports activity will put extra demands on the body and maintaining a solid nutritional status is already a bit of a challenge with crohns.
I know for my son, if we had told him we weren't going to let him play, that would have been more heartbreaking then the crohns diagnosis! We were worried that he wouldn't take breaks when necessary, that he'd push himself too hard, that he'd get frustrated or hurt... but, decided to let him try and see how it went and it hasn't been a problem. We did very much stress to him that he was the only one who could determine when he needed a break and he had to show the responsibility to take one when necessary (and he did.). But, we also spoke with his phys.ed. teachers and coaches and all were very supportive.
Our GI was also supportive and said his goal was to get him living the life he lived before diagnosis... As far as injuries - since then, he's had a knee injury, separated one shoulder and dislocated the other :yfaint:; all healed well, had no impact on his crohns and he recovered as well as he would have without crohns/treatments.
My son was playing hockey on a competitive and his school teams as well as being in two phys.ed classes per day (one of which included weight lifting) when he became sick. During the months in searching for a diagnosis, he lost 20-25 lbs, was fatigued, anemic, etc. and this all took a toll - he continued playing/participating as often as possible but you could easily see he was struggling. By the time we got a diagnosis in May 2011, his regular hockey season had ended but he had moved onto summer ice hockey and ball hockey... So I had a chance to see his sports performance before, during and after diagnosis and treatment...
Once he began treatment (EEN), he responded very quickly and was back at his phys.ed. classes a couple of weeks later (albeit at a slower pace), he added back one hockey team and then the other within a month. He did have to take breaks sometimes and just generally take it a bit slower. By the end of summer though, crohns wasn't really having a direct impact on his sports, however, it probably took until approx. November before everything was back to 'normal' - weight, strength and endurance. The only thing that bothered him was long distance running - a 5 km run was part of the phys.ed. program and training for the run caused him pain every time. However, short/quick distances, such as the running in ball hockey, did not have this effect.
The winter hockey season following his diagnosis was actually the best he'd ever had! And he's continued to play hockey since (almost 3 years). He's also continued with weight lifting sporadically.
Throughout this time, he was on supplemental EN, taking in 1500 cal per day, 5 times per week - I very much believe that the nutrition he gained from the EN helped his body recover and helped build his weight and strength. I would really encourage some supplemental nutrition as any sports activity will put extra demands on the body and maintaining a solid nutritional status is already a bit of a challenge with crohns.
I know for my son, if we had told him we weren't going to let him play, that would have been more heartbreaking then the crohns diagnosis! We were worried that he wouldn't take breaks when necessary, that he'd push himself too hard, that he'd get frustrated or hurt... but, decided to let him try and see how it went and it hasn't been a problem. We did very much stress to him that he was the only one who could determine when he needed a break and he had to show the responsibility to take one when necessary (and he did.
). But, we also spoke with his phys.ed. teachers and coaches and all were very supportive.Our GI was also supportive and said his goal was to get him living the life he lived before diagnosis...
As far as injuries - since then, he's had a knee injury, separated one shoulder and dislocated the other :yfaint:; all healed well, had no impact on his crohns and he recovered as well as he would have without crohns/treatments.
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FYI David Garrard played quarterback in the NFL with Crohn's he even started for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
DustyKat
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My son has been playing soccer for 14 years.
When he was diagnosed with Crohn’s it came at the end of a very big season of playing each Saturday under 16’s and men’s 3rd grade plus every other week or so a 1st grade game as well. His diagnosis was made very quickly and on few symptoms but complications set in very quickly and he required surgery a few months later. All this happened in the off season.
My son eats, breaths, everything soccer. The months prior t surgery he lost an incredible amount of condition and his surgery was about a month before the start of the season. He was unable to play for the first half of it and I could see he was incredibly disappointed. He would go and watch the games, which did help as his team mates and everyone involved in the club was wonderfully supportive and encouraging.
He started training the second half of the season and it was so heartbreaking to watch him, he fell over a couple of times and I was nearly bawling! I could see the look of shock and concern on the faces of his team mates but Matt was beaming! He was SO happy to be back on the pitch. If a healthy and happy mind goes even half way to the healing process as the physical does then I would have to say it was better than any medicine he could ever be given. He only ended up getting the last 6 weeks of competition in but it gave us back our pre Crohn’s boy.
Matt continues to play soccer during the main Winter season and also plays twilight Summer soccer. I don’t ever see him stopping! :lol:
Dusty. xxx
When he was diagnosed with Crohn’s it came at the end of a very big season of playing each Saturday under 16’s and men’s 3rd grade plus every other week or so a 1st grade game as well. His diagnosis was made very quickly and on few symptoms but complications set in very quickly and he required surgery a few months later. All this happened in the off season.
My son eats, breaths, everything soccer. The months prior t surgery he lost an incredible amount of condition and his surgery was about a month before the start of the season. He was unable to play for the first half of it and I could see he was incredibly disappointed. He would go and watch the games, which did help as his team mates and everyone involved in the club was wonderfully supportive and encouraging.
He started training the second half of the season and it was so heartbreaking to watch him, he fell over a couple of times and I was nearly bawling!
I could see the look of shock and concern on the faces of his team mates but Matt was beaming! He was SO happy to be back on the pitch. If a healthy and happy mind goes even half way to the healing process as the physical does then I would have to say it was better than any medicine he could ever be given. He only ended up getting the last 6 weeks of competition in but it gave us back our pre Crohn’s boy. Matt continues to play soccer during the main Winter season and also plays twilight Summer soccer. I don’t ever see him stopping! :lol:
Dusty. xxx
My son who is now 17 & a junior in HS and was diagnosed at age 13. He plays ice hockey on 2 different teams (Midget and High School) and baseball on 2 different teams (travel and Varsity HS).
The biggest thing for him is keeping him hydrated and well fed. He isn't able to do the same foods that his teammates do so we change things up for him. I don't see big changes in his body during baseball season (it is *so* slow after hockey season!!), but we keep a close eye on his weight during hockey season because of the conditioning and speed of the game.
One thing to consider (if you haven't already done it) is have your son's bone density checked. My son was on the low side for a *very-long-time* and had to take extra Vitamin D (50,000 mgs per week + mandatory 1 hour per day outside time). When I asked the GI (who is from India) if he could continue playing Ice Hockey with the bone density being low, she stated, "Well... as long as he isn't getting hit hard." My son and I just looked at each other and back at her and he piped up with... "It's not too bad." I thought I was going to choke! laughs... Point being your son might need a boost.
Good luck!
The biggest thing for him is keeping him hydrated and well fed. He isn't able to do the same foods that his teammates do so we change things up for him. I don't see big changes in his body during baseball season (it is *so* slow after hockey season!!), but we keep a close eye on his weight during hockey season because of the conditioning and speed of the game.
One thing to consider (if you haven't already done it) is have your son's bone density checked. My son was on the low side for a *very-long-time* and had to take extra Vitamin D (50,000 mgs per week + mandatory 1 hour per day outside time). When I asked the GI (who is from India) if he could continue playing Ice Hockey with the bone density being low, she stated, "Well... as long as he isn't getting hit hard." My son and I just looked at each other and back at her and he piped up with... "It's not too bad." I thought I was going to choke! laughs... Point being your son might need a boost.
Good luck!
We had an bone age scan and a bone density. He is chronologically 14.2 years old. His bone scan showed him to be 13 years old. His density Lumbar spine: ([L1-L4])] 0.925 g/cm2, Z-score -0.5
Total body BMD: 0.904 g/cm2, Z-score -0.2
What ever that means. I looked it up and I think is normal.
Doctor said wait on Remicade. She thinks he is not as bad as first thought. We are starting Imuran. She said she will only give it 6 weeks to see weight increase. She said he can play football.
Total body BMD: 0.904 g/cm2, Z-score -0.2
What ever that means. I looked it up and I think is normal.
Doctor said wait on Remicade. She thinks he is not as bad as first thought. We are starting Imuran. She said she will only give it 6 weeks to see weight increase. She said he can play football.
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