| Over the years, a number of parents have asked | | | | field and at home. He was a high school student. |
| me to counsel children who were struggling in | | | | After talking to him for an hour, it was clear to |
| athletics. Many of these moms and dads were | | | | me that he was suffering from bipolar disorder. |
| quite unaware of the real issues which were | | | | Once he got the right medication, he performed |
| preventing their kids from doing well on the court, | | | | better in school and his sport and his overall mood |
| field or course. | | | | improved greatly. |
| In some instances, these youngsters appeared to | | | | When a child has these kinds psychological |
| be having difficulties in sports because they had a | | | | problems, they frequently manifest themselves in |
| rather significant and undiagnosed learning disability | | | | the classroom as well as in sports. The |
| or psychiatric disorder. | | | | aforementioned conditions can also create an |
| A few of the kids who came to see me were | | | | abundance of social problems for a youngster. |
| clearly suffering from attention deficit disorder. | | | | If your child is struggling and suffering in his or |
| Some were clinically depressed. Others had | | | | academic life and his or her athletic life, the first |
| difficulty in controlling their rage. Several of the | | | | step ought to be a thorough psychological and |
| children had physical limitations which made it very | | | | learning evaluation. |
| hard for them to master some of the skills | | | | Your school system can be a good place to get |
| required to play a sport at a competitive level. | | | | this kind of evaluation. In many school districts, |
| In some cases, the kids had processing problems | | | | these evaluations are quite thorough. More |
| which made it very hard for them to follow | | | | sophisticated evaluations are available at hospitals |
| coaches' instructions and also made it hard for | | | | like Columbia Presbyterian in New York. |
| them to sort out where they should be and what | | | | Parents, teachers and coaches need to be familiar |
| they should be doing during the course of a fast | | | | with the signs of a psychiatric disorder or a |
| paced game. | | | | severe learning disorder. In addition, they need |
| Last year, I received a referral from another | | | | some training in learning disabilities to learn how to |
| therapist. This case involved a young man who | | | | communicate and help children with these kinds of |
| had difficulty controlling his rage on the football | | | | conditions. |