my 6 yr old son has headaches when punching bags, pls help, replys much appreceated

[hayleyjane3011]

please can someone help me, my son is 6 and started boxing about 4 weeks ago, recently hes been complaining of bad headaches when he punches the bags, and when he does tuck jumps, i noticed when he was skipping he came and had a drink from me and i asked him if he was ok and he said he had a little headache, i felt his head and it was boiling and i could feel the pounding pulse pounding on top of his head, the coach has had disscussions about my son as they dont want to train him anymore as his headaches are concerning them, their concerning me too, hes got adhd gets prescribed ritalin, i thought this was the problem so i stopped the ritalin and he still has the headaches, so it cant be the medication, he looks really red and flush, and the coach said you can see the distress in his face when he has the headaches when punching the bags, i brought him home early and he was really quiet and cold, then about 10 minutes later he was fine, this is happening frequently, he enjoys going and i find it upseting that these headaches are stopping him doing something he finally likes doing, and most of all its worrying for me incase there is something wrong with him, hes not dehydrated as the coach said he doesnt look dehydrated he drinks plenty, and my sons consultant said he could be training too hard, but there is younger kids there than him that does the same training with no problem and the coach said that the training aint too much. please could someone suggest anything about these headaches, their really worrying me, i would appreceate any replys, thanks, hayley..

[Chris Nagel]

It might or might not be related to his training, but take him to see a doctor as soon as possible.

[Scrap]

How Heavy is the Bag He Punches.

[hayleyjane3011]

It might or might not be related to his training, but take him to see a doctor as soon as possible.

thanks for your replys, the bags there in the gym are all different sizes big long ones, and some big mid length ones, and punchball bag whch he can use as he cant reach and another funny punch bag like a big bottom to it and a liitle top to it on string, he uses that too, they switch bags every couple of minutes, i dont know much about boxing myself, thats why i joined this forum because im generally worried and cant wait until monday until the doctors are open,, thanks, hayley...

[hayleyjane3011]

they are heavy bags , as the adults use these bags after the kids lessons their proper heavy adult bags not the kid type bags..

[Dadi Astthorsson]

Punching an object, tuck jumps and skipping rope. What do they all have in common? Impact. I'd have him examined by a doctor.

[hayleyjane3011]

what do you mean impact? sorry im not that intelligent! are you suggesting something? any suggestions whats wrong or whats happening to him? my doctors aint open until monday, its the weekend now, but will be straight up the doctors monday, i will demand a scan after all the things ive been reading on the net, thanks so much for your reply...

[Dadi Astthorsson]

When he hits a bag there's the impact between your son and the bag. When he does tuck jumps and even when skipping rope there is impact between your son and the ground. It's relatively minor impact, but it can possibly aggravate any condition he might have, whether pathological or temporary.

My guess is you basically want to know if this is "normal" for boxing specifically. The answer is no. It is not normal, but it has nothing necessarily to do with boxing as such. It might be anything. Don't think of the trigger movements as "boxing"... just look at them as movement in general. My guess is that impact causes the symptoms to manifest. Not perhaps as a root CAUSE, but as a TRIGGER.

EDIT: To put it in a different way... if he jumped off the sofa repeatedly my guess is that the same problem would occur.

[Youngblood]

While this wasn't from a head blow, as mentioned there is still impact. And 6 is aweful young for boxing. Just saying. And ditto in the going to see a doc, pronto.

I made this post below awhile ago for people to read thru for headaches etc associated with boxing.

http://www.saddoboxing.com/boxingfor...in-trauma.html

[rjj tszyu]

While this wasn't from a head blow, as mentioned there is still impact. And 6 is aweful young for boxing. Just saying. And ditto in the going to see a doc, pronto.

I made this post below awhile ago for people to read thru for headaches etc associated with boxing.

http://www.saddoboxing.com/boxingfor...in-trauma.html

Whilst 6 is young it's not too young to be starting boxing. I've seen many young lads of that age boxing and they are fine.

To be honest it sounds like the impact may be aggravating another problem completely unrelated, assuming his trainers haven't been stupid enough to have him sparring or lifting any weights. He IS too young to be doing any of them.

Please can the poster keep us updated of what the doctor has to say on monday.

[Youngblood]

Whilst 6 is young it's not too young to be starting boxing.

I disagree. I think it is going to be more about parents wanting to force feed their kids into it to be the next P4P champ then it is actually kids finding their way there. Plus the stress that's placed on the body for such a long period of growing time that boxing demands if they stick with it, won't be very good either. + add that most kids that age have the attention span of gnats I just don't see too many of them really benefiting much. But yes I realize some do get into very early. In Canada we start very late, possibly too late I think. You can't fight sanctioned until you are 12. I think you need to be 10 to even step into a sanctioned boxing gym.

[hayleyjane3011]

thanks for all of your replys i very much appreceate it and i will keep you posted of what the doctor will say and suggest on monday, i think i will demand a scan as i have read up alot on the net about the concerns i have about my son, the trainer he has dont beleive in weights in a boxing gym,so no he hasnt been doing weights, i though all boxing gyms have weights for the adult boxers though, but he has been punching sparring pads in the ring with the trainer, i feel myself that 6 years of age to join boxing in the uk is a good age as it will benefit him for when he becomes old enough to box as an adult as all the fitness and skill will be there, but in this gym he goes its non stop for an hour , continious cardivascular training fot hlf hour, then its boxing the punch bags, and before all this he skips for a warm up, im glad i joined this forum as i have had a lot of info from many experienced members on this forum, i will keep u up to date of anything about my sons concerns i have, thanks very much for all of your replys, many thanks, hayley, any more info will still be appreceated, thanks

[JazMerkin]

Which gym is it by way of interest?

I'd have to say that 6 probably is too young, certainly for heavy bag work, although from what you say that doesn't appear to be what the problem is and Dadi's last post explained it well. But, for example at my gym, they don't let any of the kids that young use the heavier bags. They use some of the lighter, heavy bags gently, but it's more generally padwork with them.

One other thing, how regularly is he going to the gym?

[hayleyjane3011]

he uses the proper adult training bags the big ones, and he trains 3 times a week for an hour, and the coach/trainer there had a disccussion with the other trainers there that they dont want to train my son as they can see when he hits the bags hes distressed through the headaches and even cries, i think that my son is too much of a liability for them i said that the training work they do may be too much for my son, and the coach said that its not hard training for them as there is lots of other kids around the same age that copes with it all, so the coach must be worried about my son to turn around and have a disscussion with other trainers there not for him to continue as his headaches when punching the bags concern them, so the coach said he cannot continue boxing until i have him checked out, the headaches only used to happen occassionaly but it happens every time now, but then the coach said hes not going to be taking children on under 9 years of age, its a new boxing club in south wales in ewenny, it opened about 8-9 weeks, money got funded to them to open the boxing club by sponsorships from other businesses..as it is bridgends first ever boxing club, bridgend is where i live..

[JazMerkin]

he uses the proper adult training bags the big ones, and he trains 3 times a week for an hour, and the coach/trainer there had a disccussion with the other trainers there that they dont want to train my son as they can see when he hits the bags hes distressed through the headaches and even cries, i think that my son is too much of a liability for them i said that the training work they do may be too much for my son, and the coach said that its not hard training for them as there is lots of other kids around the same age that copes with it all, so the coach must be worried about my son to turn around and have a disscussion with other trainers there not for him to continue as his headaches when punching the bags concern them, so the coach said he cannot continue boxing until i have him checked out, the headaches only used to happen occassionaly but it happens every time now, but then the coach said hes not going to be taking children on under 9 years of age, its a new boxing club in south wales in ewenny, it opened about 8-9 weeks, money got funded to them to open the boxing club by sponsorships from other businesses..as it is bridgends first ever boxing club, bridgend is where i live..

How experienced are they? In terms of how long have they been coaching?

I will say that they appear to be doing the right thing, although I would say that the thing about the training regimen is incorrect, because some kids might cope with it by putting in less effort or being more naturally athletic. Also when you say continuous cardiovascular training, they are taking round breaks right? From what I've seen, juniors generally work on a 1.5/2min round-1min recovery basis, as opposed to the 3min round-1 min recovery of seniors & older juniors.

I train at Fitzroy Lodge in London, and they don't let any of the kids that young use the heavy bags because their bodies aren't ready for the impact of hitting something that hard yet.

However, again it probably isn't related to that, it's more likely an issue with impact that he would additionally be having if he were to be climbing trees and jumping down. As you're in the UK, I'd try and arrange something at a hospital just to be safe, because they will give him a scan to check if there's anything wrong, which in my experience is better than a doctor going off symptoms.