Safety warnings for parents must be written. Safety warnings for preschoolers must be VERBAL and must be repeated OFTEN.

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Amelia Parker
5 years ago
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1 With Beth Gardner

3 Safety warnings for parents must be written. Waivers Release Forms Signage posted around the gym. Safety warnings for preschoolers must be VERBAL and must be repeated OFTEN.

4 Three purposes of a good warm-up: 1. Increase Heart Rate and Core Body temperature. 2. Engorge Muscles with Blood 3. Move Muscles and Joints through Appropriate Range of Motion for the Activities

5 Ballistic vs. Dynamic Stretching Ballistic stretching includes bouncing during the stretches. This tears the muscles and nerves. It should be avoided. Dynamic stretching is defined as moving through the various stretch positions using short hold times. While older children and adults require longer hold times during their stretches, preschoolers require very short hold times of about seconds. The window of flexibility is between ages 7-9 years old.

6 Two Keys to protecting the spine: Keep the Spine as straight as possible during stretch to alleviate over-stressing the lower back. Eliminate unnecessary torque

7 Avoid Yoga Plow Stretches Keep the Head Up during butterfly, straddle and pike stretches to help alleviate over-stressing the lower spine. Lateral Stretching: Avoid Unnecessary Twisting and Torque to the Spine Protect the knees during splits. Prior to splits, the foot should be in front of the knee so that the knee angle never bends further than 90 degrees during the lunge. Use the adapted hurdler stretch

8 Know the children s names Keep children within your field of vision Place rotations facing away from the rest of the gym Have enough stations to keep the children busy Maintain one spotting station within a rotation. Adapt activities if needed.

9 Teach Parents in your Parent and Tot Classes Safe torso and above the elbow spotting to avoid Nursemaid s elbow Make sure that as you spot forward rolls in preschoolers, that you support the neck and lift at the hips. Be sure to teach parents how to spot appropriately so they do not push their children down the mats.

10 Double-bouncing on the trampoline Staying with the class Outside information from articles and certifications like the passive Heimlich

11 If a preschooler is going to be on top of the bar, as in a support position, the bar should be set chest-high to the preschooler. If the bars are too high, mat up to meet the standard. Remember that preschoolers have small hands and can easily slip off the bars, especially on the standard uneven bars. DO NOT allow parents to place hands on top of their child s hands while holding the bar. This can cause the same injury as grip-lock. When a preschooler is performing skin-the-cat, the bar should be matted up so that the child s feet hit the floor before the child hits full extension. This is to protect the shoulders. Ligaments in a preschooler s shoulders are not ready to hang unsupported until around 18 months old.

Like other events, the preferable spotting technique is torso spotting Remember to spot between the elbow and shoulder to avoid nursemaid s elbow,

12 Like other events, the preferable spotting technique is torso spotting Remember to spot between the elbow and shoulder to avoid nursemaid s elbow, never between the elbow and wrist Spot Inversion. Anytime a preschooler is upside down, they need to be spotted. They will release at unexpected moments.

13 The same standard for bar height applies to the beam for preschoolers. If the child is going to be on top of the beam, it should be set at a height chest-high to the preschooler. Keep the children on floor beams as much as possible Remember to spot to avoid Nursemaid s elbow Torso spotting is the best spotting method.

14 One child per trampoline Teach the children how to stop the bounce by bending their knees Double-bouncing Teach the children to stay in the middle Nursemaid s elbow

15 Physiology of the Preschooler Large Heads Unstable musculature Strength Lack of flexibility within the shoulders

16 Spondolysis is the pars fracturing in the spine usually around the 4 th or 5 th Lumbar vertebrae. Left untreated, Spondolysis can become Spondylolisthesis. This condition causes chronic back pain.

17 Seal stretch and Abdominal sag Crab walk / Tabletop Supported bridge work Start the children with feet elevated at least 8 inches. This applies not only to the preschool-aged child, but also any beginning gymnasts, regardless of age We do not use single point spotting such as draping. The whole back needs to be supported as the children bridge OR spot at the shoulder and thigh to avoid placing pressure at a single point on the spine.

18 Down s Syndrome / cervical neck x-ray Add stations to help children who have sensory integration needs into your regular classes. Safety rules apply to special needs kids too Floater coaches

NASTICS TEAM GAZETTE

NASTICS TEAM GAZETTE Volume 1 Issue 1 Wayne Thoden Flexibility Hello everyone, I am often asked by parents as to what they can do at home to help their daughter with gymnastics. The advice I give most