Extracurriculars

 Before the child’s participation in the extracurricular, it may be helpful to set up a time to chat with their coach/instructor. This helps eliminate some of the chaos that will come with the first day of class/practice as the coach tries to greet all the parents and participants.  

 

Begin by explaining your child’s condition to the coach, of course disclosing only what you feel comfortable sharing. You may not even need to specify your child’s medical condition, but instead let the coach know the aspects of their condition that might affect their participation in the sport/activity.   

 

For example you may say something like: “My child has… 

• One-sided weakness that impacts his/her ability to use their right/left side. He/she has less movement in his/her arm and/or leg which results in difficulty with coordination, decreased range of motion, slower reaction time, and difficulty with balance.  

 

Next, let the coach know how they might be able to help your child. Some ways they can help the child’s participation include:  

• Physical cues  

• They may need to place the child’s affected extremity in position or guide it through a motion  

• They may just need to tap the child’s extremity lightly to remind them to use it  

• Allowing time for the child to process a command, rather than immediately repeating the command. 

• Continuing repetition and reinforcement of the child’s attempts to use their affected extremity. 

 

Ask the coach to treat your child no differently than the other children and to not draw attention to the child’s disability. Help them understand that your child needs encouragement, challenges, and praise just like all of his/her peers.  

 

Lastly, invite the coach to share any questions or concerns with you. If they show uncertainty, offer to share a list of tips that have worked for either you at home, your therapists, or previous coaches.  

 

You may also share information on language to use and language to not use with your child.  

 

Language to Encourage Two Hands Participating in the Activity  

• “Where’s right/left hand?” 

• “Two hands on the bat!”  

 

Language to Refer to the Affected Extremity  

• Simply “right hand/arm/leg” or “left hand/arm/leg”  

• “Affected arm” if the child is old enough to understand this term  

 

NOT  

• “Bad arm”