What to expect after a kid has a big crash...

[SlowManiac]

I'm sure many here have experienced the sickening moment when their kid has a big crash. It's a terrible feeling. My poor kiddo (9 years old) had a big one on the weekend that resulted in surgery and 3 nights in hospital. Jaw fractured in 3 places.

The recovery is pretty terrible too, jaw is wired shut, liquid diet, can't really talk etc.

For an adult this would be pretty traumatic, let alone a 9 year old. If he didn't want to ever touch a bike again I wouldn't blame him. He's been really quiet, seems really down and depressed. Mentally I don't know how he is feeling, he doesn't seem to want to talk much (understandably) and I'm sure he is going through a range of emotions. He's been really brave, I've probably shed more tears than him - taking your kid into surgery is really not pleasant!

 

[moorey]

That's rough, dude. I live in fear of this (not the giving up riding, but the possibility of a potentially life changing crash). I'm sure it's compounded what's already been a rough time for kids in lockdown. I can't offer any advice on your kid, it's always been me with major injuries on the bike, but always returning to the sport.
Let him take it where it leads him, I guess. He'll come back to riding if he feels like it, and has your support, and won't if he's been put off. Again, sorry to hear.

 

[HamboCairns]

My son flipped his mum's bike and landed on his back. My heart stopped but fortunately he got up unscathed.

It still goes through my mind even though he was fine, I mean what if..

The best thing is to always be there for him and when he's ready, talk about what happened and how.

 

[cokeonspecialtwodollars]

I've definitely been there a number of times. They're always brave and pretty resilient. Give Master 9 time to heal and ease him back on the bike when he's ready... a shiny new full face helmet may help ease his concerns and yours.

 

[Jim Junkie]

I'm sorry to hear that mate, sounds like a harrowing experience. I've never really thought much on the what-if's with getting my kids into riding, but reading that I can't imagine what you're both feeling. I guess I just assumed I was the only idiot who hospitalized themselves in my family.
It sounds like your doing everything right, just be there for him and listen. Kids at that age take a lot of strength from their parents, just be patient with them.

 

[SlowManiac]

Yeah the return to riding thing is not a big issue for me. It's a huge part of how we have fun together and I'd miss it terribly but I'd sure understand and never pressure him.

@moorey - seeing the odd video clip you've posted of your kid I'm not surprised it's on your mind! But you have to trust their judgement right? I've always trusted mine, his crash was just one of those bits of bad luck with big consequences.

@cokeonspecialtwodollars ouch...Yep thank goodness he was wearing a full face, could have been a lot worse I am sure.

 

[moorey]

Yeah the return to riding thing is not a big issue for me. It's a huge part of how we have fun together and I'd miss it terribly but I'd sure understand and never pressure him.

@moorey - seeing the odd video clip you've posted of your kid I'm not surprised it's on your mind! But you have to trust their judgement right? I've always trusted mine, his crash was just one of those bits of bad luck with big consequences.

@cokeonspecialtwodollars ouch...Yep thank goodness he was wearing a full face, could have been a lot worse I am sure.

I absolutely trust the kids judgement, particularly Felix. But as you say, it’s the freak things you can’t prepare for and least expect. They rarely happen on the big lines or at top speed racing.
My only advice is keep riding yourself. If it’s something he loves doing with you, it might help him back on the horse. If he doesn’t, support him in whatever he does, but keep your own riding up.

 

[cokeonspecialtwodollars]

Yeah the return to riding thing is not a big issue for me. It's a huge part of how we have fun together and I'd miss it terribly but I'd sure understand and never pressure him.

@moorey - seeing the odd video clip you've posted of your kid I'm not surprised it's on your mind! But you have to trust their judgement right? I've always trusted mine, his crash was just one of those bits of bad luck with big consequences.

@cokeonspecialtwodollars ouch...Yep thank goodness he was wearing a full face, could have been a lot worse I am sure.

Fractured jaw even with a full face, ouch! Hambo makes a good point above, I've always been upfront about the risks involved when getting the kids into it and they're aware that crashing and injuries are a part of the sport. A old friend of mine had a life changing crash going on twelve months ago Mr. 12 in that photo was there to witness it and it shock him up pretty badly but with the right amount of space, gentle encouragement and support he's back into it and jumping gaps that took me years to muster up the courage to hit.

 

[Art Vanderlay]

Sorry to hear @SlowManiac
My youngest had a pretty rough time of it (non bike related) a few years back. Just makes you feel sick and helpless.
Just be there for him and in time encourage him with what he chooses.

Sending your young fella and family best wishes

 

[ozzybmx]

Its a shit feeling when any of your family is hurt.

Hopefully being in the hospital was all that was worrying him and he'll be back to his usual self soon.

See how he goes and maybe he'll want to check his bike over with you soon.

Happy healing for your young fella.

 

[petertronica]

My 11yo broke his elbow in lockyD #5. He's having surgery to have the screw out in about 3 weeks.
You'd be surprised how quick the human mind blanks out the bad memories once everything is healed. Maybe just give that particular track/jump a wide birth for a bit once he's riding again.
One plus - due to the lockdowns, he's not missing any school sports or other activities like that.

 

[Halo1]

I hope he heals up real soon and gets back in the bike. My youngest had a big crash at 4 years old and went head first into a fence at speed. Cracked the helmet and was very up set. she Walked away physically un injured and would not ride her bike confidently for about 6 months after.

My other daughter has an eating disorder and we just spent time in hospital for that. It has to be the hardest thing I have had to deal with as a parent and is ongoing.

 

[fatboyonabike]

the timing on this thread is a little scary, one of my boys came inside the house about 2 hours ago to tell me that his brother had just had a "massive stack" doing jumps out the front, landed badly and OTB'd into the boat trailer
He came into the house a little shaken, a bit scuffed up and asking me if he has concussion, to which my response was if that he is asking me , he probably doesn't!
It does make your heart skip a beat when you hear of injuries to our little shredders, but remind him that there is a large group of burnt out , cranky old mountain bikers that wish him a speedy recovery and would love to see him dust off the dirt, pick the gravel from his palms and get back in the saddle.

 

[SlowManiac]

Thanks for all the replies and good wishes. And to those that have experienced the same, biking related or not I hope everything is going well with your kids too. Hope I haven't stirred up any bad memories.
Some really good advice and even I feel better having talked about it a bit.

 

[Chriso_29er]

Mate, that sounds horrible. Like the others say, I hope it's soon put to back of mind once he starts to feel a bit better, and gets back on the horse.


My older boy was 9 1/2 when he had by no means a big stack like that, but managed to buck himself off and slide down the back side of a big BMX track rolling double. Grazed himself up well and good due to the gravel surface but nothing major.

He loved coming for rides with me, but unfortunately he has his little funny ways due to being on the autism spectrum and since then will not touch a bike
Has no issue riding scooter or even skateboard, but nothing I can do will encourage him to ride bikes again. I only hope he eventually rides again in his own time.
Luckily my younger now 8yo son still loves riding with me, even though he has had a couple of minor spills.

 

[wornoutwords]

My 11yo broke his elbow in lockyD #5. He's having surgery to have the screw out in about 3 weeks.
You'd be surprised how quick the human mind blanks out the bad memories once everything is healed. Maybe just give that particular track/jump a wide birth for a bit once he's riding again.
One plus - due to the lockdowns, he's not missing any school sports or other activities like that.

View attachment 379065

my 6 yo (at the time) had a similar injury about a year ago. He fell off the seesaw @ school awkwardly onto concrete and his arm snapped above the elbow, bone fully offset but not through the skin thankfully.. it 5min before hometime on the 2nd to last day of the last week of the term. Worst luck
there were a few complications with nerve damage and the feeling in his fingers isn't back 100% yet..
It became obvious pretty early that he'd have trouble processing it, and even once the cast came off he barely used the arm and hand (which made the recovery worse)

You know your kid best and can notice if stuff is getting a bit too much & might need some outside guidance

Mine was doing something called play therapy at the time for some other stuff, and it helped a lot with this - he used the toys to act out the event & used one of the toys as a proxy for himself starting to use the arm and doing flips/monkey bars etc etc before doing it in the real world. Might not be applicable to you since yours is a bit older. I'm pretty sure medicare subsidise up to 5 specialists like an Occ Therapist or maybe an speech therapist in your case?

aside from the scars from the pins and a bit of numbness its all back to normal now - monkey bars, trampoline flips, climbing trees etc etc. I do know however if we had listened to hospital's advice to just leave it and he'll forget about the cast before its off and will go back to using his arm naturally, he'd be a hell of a lot worse off right now because of the psychological block of knowing his body can break from minor stuff

 

[yuley95]

My little bloke face-planted into the ground a couple of years back and split open his chin. It was traumatic for me as it had to try and clean him up and get the two of us and both bikes back to the card then to a doctor for stitches But he was a trooper (was only about 6yo) and even rode part of the way back to the car with tears flowing.

I got him a full face after that and he initially got ‘back on the horse’ but has since lost interest and often refers to when he split his chin open. I just keep offering him to go for a ride and generally he says no but every now and then we go for a short ride. I’m hopeful he will be keen to get out there for longer rides with me more often but wont push too hard

 

[indica]

Son broke his arm (not riding), post recovery fell from a tree in the backyard and broke it again.
Sometime later was fucking about in the park and fell from 2 metres, broke his arm, elbow and dislocated the elbow.
After the third one the arm was not in a good way, took a long time the recovery.
Doesn't help you but I feel for you, the facial injuries must be hectic to recover from.

All the best to you and the little one!