Should Your Child Play Soccer When They Are Sick?
Different people have different preferences when it comes to physical activity during sickness. When it is about youth soccer, sometimes a kid wants to play, while sometimes their parents may force them not to miss their soccer training. If you are also worried if your kid should play soccer while being sick or not, then you are at the right place. Here, we will discuss both aspects of playing soccer when a kid is sick so you can decide according to the condition of your kid.
Should Your Child Play Soccer When They Are Sick? Top 7 Factors Every Soccer Parent Must Consider
Being sick and involving intensive physical exercise aren’t two things that go together very well. So, as a soccer parent, you must consider the following factors before letting your kids play soccer if they are sick.
There is always a risk of worsening the illness.
Fighting a fever? Stay home! Involving in physical exercise always increases the risk of worsening the illness. It is because the body goes through physical and mental strain, and even if the kid has fun while playing, the situation won’t be the same afterward, and he may feel even worse once he stops playing. So, both the kid and their parents need to understand that this is not going to be a great idea, and the chances of feeling better are way lower than the chances of feeling worse.
Impaired performance and lack of concentration
Even if you get to play on the field, the performance will never be up to the mark. Exercise isn’t a cure. Instead, it will worsen performance because the stamina and strength in the body will decrease. Additionally, there will be a limit to the cognitive abilities of the kid, which means that the concentration and focus on the game will not be up to the mark. Hence, it will not be a much enjoyable experience overall, and your kid won’t have fun as expected.
Higher chances of dehydration
When you are sick, you need to take very good care of your body, and during the sickness period, the chances of getting dehydrated are already high. Being involved in a soccer game will further increase the chances of dehydration, and it means that the situation can get extremely worse. It can not only impact your performance but cause other severe issues like weakening the immune system by inducing it to more stress while the body is already struggling.
Spreading contagious diseases among other children
When sick, you need to consider others along with yourself. You may feel fit to play without knowing that the disease may spread to other kids and make them sick as well. It is a very common problem when you have a viral disease since these germs spread very quickly and impact other kids as well. So, instead of spreading the illness, one must refrain from playing with others for as long as he is not perfectly fit to play.
Higher risk of injury
Playing soccer during sickness can increase your risk of getting injured, and sometimes, that injury can be severe. It is because the player is unable to assess abilities, and that can lead to difficulty in body-eye coordination and maintaining balance on the field. Playing in such conditions can increase the chances of injury on the field since the kid may trip or fall and hit themself hard on the ground.
Impact on recovery time
Intensive physical exercise, as involved in soccer, already requires a specific recovery time when the body is fit. When you are sick, this recovery time will increase due to several reasons, including:
- The body is already fighting the illness
- You may not be getting a proper diet due to sickness
- The body is already restless due to sickness
When you play soccer in such a condition, the recovery time will increase, and the body may not completely recover, further worsening your condition and gameplay.
Fatigue and weakness
Sickness will already introduce fatigue and weakness to the body, and playing under such conditions will only worsen things. Moreover, this fatigue and weakness will not allow the kid to play efficiently by meeting the requirements of the sport. So, instead of playing youth soccer, it is a better idea to take a rest and let the body recover.
The positive side of playing when sick
While there are a lot of bad effects on health when playing soccer during sickness, there are some positive aspects as well. Below are some ways in which playing soccer during sickness can help your child.
Mild activity may boost mood.
Involving in mild activity can help boost the mood. It is because being sick and staying at home all day can worsen kids’ moods, and having some light exposure to a different environment will significantly help boost your kid’s mood. It does not mean that they need to go to their routine soccer practice when sick.
Better sleep and rest
If you let your kid get involved in the soccer game lightly, it will not introduce much fatigue and weakness, but it will just tire them out enough that they sleep better. This deep sleep will be very helpful in allowing your kid to rest during sickness.
Helps maintain a routine
If you make your kid maintain a strict routine, you can take them to play soccer but stop them from playing intensively. As a result, their environment will change, they will not be physically exhausted, and their routine will not be disturbed.
Conclusion
Many parents think that youth soccer is not that demanding and it is more about having fun. Even when your kids are having fun at their soccer practice, it always includes intensive physical exercise that can worsen things if your kid is sick. So, instead of letting them play or restricting them from playing, you need to assess the situation first and then decide if it will be a better decision for your kid to play. This way, you can help your kid get the best experience and health for your kid.
