# What do you do when your kid crashes?



## DiRt DeViL (Dec 24, 2003)

Never given too much thought to this until today.

Yesterday we're riding an all mountain trail with and everything was fun, tons of mud pits, nice downhills, roots, ruts, you name it.




























All of the sudden I find myself following LD and after avoiding a rut he disappears from my sight. I jumped of my bike and all I can hear was my name being shouted from somewhere. After looking a bit more I found my son's bike halfway down the side of the trail (small cliff).

First found the bike and then he stands up.










Luckily he wasn't injured on the crash, he can't even say what or how the fell on the cliff. I helped him up and managed to pull the bike to the trail.

At the trail he complained about having a headache and told me that he went OTB landing head first, he wanted to walk to the trailhead but I explained how far we were and rode the rest of the trail proving to me that he was fine.

This morning he complained about soreness on the shoulder area but went to school as usual.

How can I as a parent deal with this kind of situation without going into panic mode? Believe me the world crumbled down on me when I saw him disappear on that area.


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## MT_Tam_95 (Jan 15, 2008)

1. ELBOW PADS, it looks like he already has the knee / shin pads

2. MRI -- get it done, he could have neck or skull injuries, not worth the risk, they can scan his shoulder while they are in there. 

3. Check the wheels for true and check for other not-obvious damage, shifters etc.


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## LWright (Jan 29, 2006)

Get some basic first aid training and a kit, it will always be harder when it is your child, but the training will help you keep from going into panic mode.
Once, when a nephew fell over, the family was very impressed at how fast I ran to get to him, until they saw me standing over him taking pictures before I untangled him from the bike, now of course he loves those pics.
As for your kids, I fell off a trail once and when I stopped falling the first thing I thought was "I hope my son does not break his leg the way he is running down this friggen hill!"


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## Razorfish (May 9, 2008)

You did the right thing, you took a picture before anything. The 10 seconds to take a picture couldn't make it worse.

Seriously, you probably did the same as we all do, you sized up the seriousness of the situation and responded appropriately. Kids get hurt many times before they get on a bike and most parents can tell right away if their child is hurt or not and by how much.

On the MRI: Good idea but good luck getting one. They don't hand them out like candy. In the ER the doctor will start with some basic tests. If nothing is out of the ordinary then they send you home after a couple hours.


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## DiRt DeViL (Dec 24, 2003)

LWright said:


> Get some basic first aid training


Great idea, will look into that.


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## -Devil- (Feb 28, 2008)

i check real quick to see if my kid is hurt or not (as a parent you know it from the sound of their voice or the look on their face) ... and if it aint to serious .. i start laughing at what happeend and how he fell ... 99% of the time that gets him laughing as well and we just go back to riding without a second thought.


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## Razorfish (May 9, 2008)

Hey, I'm diggin your kid's helmet & goggles setup too.


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

DiRt DeViL said:


> At the trail he complained about having a headache and told me that he went OTB landing head first, he wanted to walk to the trailhead but I explained how far we were and rode the rest of the trail proving to me that he was fine.


Just fyi, the effects from a head-injury can be quite delayed. Swelling can cause life-threatening problems hours after everything seemingly appears ok. I've seen it happen.

I second LWright's idea of first-aid training. I took some training myself a couple years ago, after being in a similar situation as you in which my son crashed while we were out in the woods together on cross-country skis. Try to get some training with a "wilderness" component too it.That will help you better know what to do when there is no phone and no ambulance.

p.s. I'm glad your son came through ok.


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## Razorfish (May 9, 2008)

My niece is a doctor. She used to ride and I've been trying to get her to go riding again. I haven't thought about this aspect of riding with her but that would be a bonus.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

Whatever you, don't laugh.

My hubby and I ruined my son for mountain biking. This is the kid with no sense of humor. He came flying down a hill and right at the bottom (where we were standing) super manned right into a mud puddle, landed face and chest in the mud. He wasn't hurt at all. We couldn't stop laughing, and the madder he got the funnier it was. Maybe being 13 had something to do with it. He hasn't gone mountain biking since.


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## GuruAtma (May 17, 2004)

When my son crashes, I just kiss his boo boo, and everthing's ok. He's 2.


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## DiRt DeViL (Dec 24, 2003)

formica said:


> Whatever you, don't laugh.
> 
> My hubby and I ruined my son for mountain biking. This is the kid with no sense of humor. He came flying down a hill and right at the bottom (where we were standing) super manned right into a mud puddle, landed face and chest in the mud. He wasn't hurt at all. We couldn't stop laughing, and the madder he got the funnier it was. Maybe being 13 had something to do with it. He hasn't gone mountain biking since.


Funny story but so true, when they get embarased they usually get mad and never do it again.


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## dh1 (Aug 28, 2004)

DiRt DeViL said:


> Funny story but so true, when they get embarased they usually get mad and never do it again.


I convinced my 11 year old that when he endoed that it was a "wicked cool" crash. he bought into the awesomeness of his gnarly crash and bragged to his cubscout buddies afterwards about how he went over his bars on a technical downhill section of a ride. He had to explain to his friends what an "endo" was. He enjoyed being the center of attention and his friends were genuinely impressed that he stared death in the face and lived to tell about it.

Regarding the MRI< I am going to be the voice of dissent here. Get yourself some first aid training so you can recognize serious from harmless injuries. After this particular crash, I would have done the same as you, encourage my son to get back on the bike...it's natural for them to be timid immediately after a fantastic crash. But look over him, his bike, and his equipment for damage. Pay attention to his headgear. Is his helmet banged up? Any obvious signs of an impact? What is his range of motion? Examine anything that he claims to be painful carefully. Being that he immediately stood up, and you didn't notice his helmet being gouged up, I think you are in good shape.

Unnecessary testing is just one of many reasons that medical costs have skyrocketed and doctors offices are always jammed. I wouldn't subject my kid to that mess unless I was pretty sure he needed it.

I have the benefit of having 2 doctors, 4 nurses, and one pharmaceutical executive in my family. I have learned a lot about physiology and injury by osmosis...that and I had first responder training when I worked for the State Parks in college.

If he injured his shoulder, getting an MRI done in the first few days is not necessary. Give the injury a couple days for the bruising and swelling to get back to normal. If he is still experiencing pain or limited range after a couple days, then consult your doc. Clearly if something seemed broken, then a trip to the ER would be in order....but again, first aid training will help you identify the difference between a sore shoulder and a dislocated shoulder or broken collar bone.

If you have an extra thousand bucks to toss around or don't mind abusing your medical insurance, go ahead and get an MRI every time your kid falls. IMHO it's overkill. Most of the time, some rest/time to heal, some ice, and some ibuprofen will fix most injuries.

Anyway, the key to keeping your kid interested is different for each kid. My son thought it was really cool that his crash was "awesome". My 9 year old son would definitely prefer to sulk in private for several minutes after a crash, but then he would get over it. Yet my youngest son would have taken that fall and not even said a word....just gotten back on his bike and kept going. That youngest boy has no fear, and that worries me.


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## DiRt DeViL (Dec 24, 2003)

You nailed it, first aid training will be on my short list.

His gear was fine only a small scratch on the helmet, nothing that would indicate a serious hit.

About a week after the crash he's fine and asking for some more runs.


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## bagpipes (Feb 3, 2007)

Judging by the series of pictures you did exactly what I would have done .............. snap a picture.

My rule has always been if they are standing and everything looks like it's in the right place, I shout ...._ That was awesome!_

I wish people would allow kids to find fun, laughter and even some bragging rights to a good crash. Don't instantly run to them if they are upright, see what they do and encourage some high fives.


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## helocat (Aug 26, 2008)

JonathanGennick said:


> Try to get some training with a "wilderness" component too it.That will help you better know what to do when there is no phone and no ambulance.


 Beat me to it, do get Wilderness First Responder training. Knowing what to do when its going to be a few hrs before help can come is key.

But when you do call for help, most areas do have cell coverage these days. A GPS with you on the bike will get help faster to you if you really need it. (How is that for justification for that GPS bike computer!) Two years ago off roading (4x4) in Moab, a person in our group was seriously injured in a roll over. A satellite phone and a GPS put the helicopter from Grand Junction on the ground next to us in just under 40 minutes.

Mark


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## fmdj (Nov 7, 2007)

I had an old buddy who taught me to laugh after a crash to shake off the shock and pain. As my son has been learning to ride, I told him the same secret. I don't initiate the laughing myself, but he thought it was cool to get up and laugh at a crash.


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## jacketsfanatic (May 3, 2006)

*Don't panic*

I know with my daughter, the more panicked I look the bigger reaction she ends up having. Assuming it's nothing serious or life threatening I just tap her helmet and remind her of why we wear them and high five her and tell her "cool scrape". Seems to work for us.


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## Razorfish (May 9, 2008)

1) Girls are way different. Not all but it's common for them to be more emotional. I treat mine like she's in boot camp and it makes no difference. She just cries at the same time while still kicking butt.

2) If she crashes more than once in a single ride then I blame it one the bike. I'm daddy and it's in my nature to deny any and all faults of my baby girl. hahaha. BTW, she loves the new tires.


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## retro-newb (Aug 20, 2008)

when my boys get hurt in any situation first off i CALMLY look them over and 99.9% of the time it's just a little ding. then (like some said) try to make it a non-issue or even say wow what a crash your fine dust off and jamm some more.

my wife sometimes will go in freaky mom mode and scare them or provoke a worse senario that it is.

i had extensive first aid /first responder training when i was in the navy,and even tho i fogot half of it (it's been 15 years since ive been out),i highly recomend even some on-line courses in first aid.

btw that bike of his is cherry!! looks like he can ride too kudos:thumbsup:


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## Garlock (Jul 9, 2008)

I asked a guy why his kid didn't race. He said that he didn't want him getting hurt. Pr


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## Okie Dokie (May 14, 2008)

You did everything right. And you were right by not wasting your time going to the ER (it is what I do for a living). Soreness is normal after something like this. Most important is that you provided your son with the proper safety equipment so that you minimized his risk. 

As for head injuries, symptoms that should raise concern would be confusion, loss of consciousness, persistent vomiting, difficulty arousing, visual changes, fluid draining from ears or nose, seizures etc. Also numbness or weakness in extremities is also a red flag for spinal injury.

If there had been a concern about a head injury, a CT scan of the head would have been performed not an MRI. CT scans are used in trauma to see if there is intercranial bleeding or swelling. An MRI would not be beneficial in this instance (and take a long time to perform, and are extremely expensive). Of note...CT scans are radiation, and radiation causes cancer. Two CT scans before age 50 has been shown to represent a measurable increase in risk of developing cancer comparable to people exposed to low levels of radiation at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Observation often is more then adequate and can reduce radiation exposure. Hope this helps. And I hope my daughters kick butt like your son does when they get older!


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

I went over the bars once and broke my right forearm. If nothing breaks, it's an awesome crash. 

If my 17 year old crashes, I'm laughin'. If it's my little guy.... Well, he's 4, so he doesn't get it yet, but soon....


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## Garlock (Jul 9, 2008)

formica said:


> Maybe being 13 had something to do with it. He hasn't gone mountain biking since.


Heh, at 13 I had already gone through one or two helmets, and fallen plenty of times.


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## ricacu (Sep 2, 2008)

Dirt, no le hagas caso a estos ignorantes, la mitad de los posts lo que hacen es hablar pura m. El mejor reply fue el primero y yo lo secundo. Por lo que veo esta equipado para downhill y aunque mencionaste que era una ruta AM y no DH necesesariamente es bueno tener un full face el cual me imagino que tiene como quiera. Elbow pads y ir a hacerle un examen básico. Uno dijo que no lo entregan como dulces pero el no vive en Puerto Rico, aqui cualquiera te puede dar un referido a un MRI. 

Saludos ( te e visto en el foro de boriken )


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## Garlock (Jul 9, 2008)

^^What the hell was that about?
Anyways, Puerto Rico= no bueno mtb


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## ricacu (Sep 2, 2008)

What the hell was that?

The advantage of knowing two languages. 

Thanks and have a nice day


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## Garlock (Jul 9, 2008)

I actually know spanish, I just wanted to make him look like a fool.


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## tomsmoto (Oct 6, 2007)

you gotta watch head injuries.. some of the advice behind handed out here is reckless.

you didnt see the crash. he could have landed headfirst on a rock and been tossed over the cliff. you can get a concussion, get up and tell all your friends/family you're fine.. and then go home and die in your sleep. it does happen.

if you goto kaiser and tell them you've had a bike crash that cracked a helmet, its a mandatory cat scan. even medical doctors cant tell you the extent of trauma in a crash just by a description, these guys on the internet certainly cant either! 

the kids probably fine, but still.. you gotta watch head injuries, it IS a big deal!


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## tech_dog (Aug 25, 2008)

He got a cheap lesson.

Any time my kid has a crash or any other type of accident, as long as he's not seriously hurt, I think he's better off than he was before the accident. You'd rather have him deal with this type of thing while you can supervise, verses have him figure it out on a street motorcycle when he's 20.

Crashes teach them they're not bullet proof.


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## Okie Dokie (May 14, 2008)

Tomsmoto,

I agree that head injuries are a big deal, but not every cracked helmet or head injury requires a CT Scan. Trust me as I am a Board Certified Emergency Medicine Physician. It has been predicted that 3% of all cancers are caused by radiation exposure secondary to radiological studies. It is expected to rise to 6% as the newer CT Scanners use so much more radiation. Those at greatest risk are people under 50 but especially children.

The trick is to know who to scan and who not too. We look for signs and symptoms such as persistent nausea and vomiting, seizures, loss of consciousness, confusion, visual changes, neurological deficits, drainage of fluid from nose or ears, hemotympanum (blood behind eardrum), bruising in specific areas, etc. There are plenty of physicians who find it easier to just scan everyone especially in todays legal environment, but it is just plain wrong. Especially as they will not have to be there in 20 years to tell Johnny he has a brain tumor. They are more worried about themselves then the patient. A good ER physician will consider mechanism of injury, physical exam, symptoms, and also home environment in whether a scan is necessary. Also part of our job is to alleviate parental concern and explain why or why not we are doing something.

Sorry for long post but I feel it is important for people to realize that a "test" is not always the answer. Also to help people recognize when it is important that they do get seen. I just hope one day that my daughters can ride like Dirt's kid can!


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## tomsmoto (Oct 6, 2007)

i agee.. the people in the ER kinda agreed too. i was in there a while ago for a pretty bad crash. they asked if i cracked my helmet in the crash. i said i sort of did, i chipped a bit.. he made a face and informed me that all cracked helmet crashes get scans, and that i REALLY didnt want to wait all day for a scan. kinda nudged me again and asked if i cracked my helmet, i replied no. 

i was really just saying, if someone crashes on their head, keep an eye out and dont rule anything out for a day or so. if they're loopy 12 hours after a bad crash, is it not reasonable to maybe hit the doctors office?


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## dh1 (Aug 28, 2004)

ricacu said:


> Dirt, no le hagas caso a estos ignorantes, la mitad de los posts lo que hacen es hablar pura m. El mejor reply fue el primero y yo lo secundo. Por lo que veo esta equipado para downhill y aunque mencionaste que era una ruta AM y no DH necesesariamente es bueno tener un full face el cual me imagino que tiene como quiera. Elbow pads y ir a hacerle un examen básico. Uno dijo que no lo entregan como dulces pero el no vive en Puerto Rico, aqui cualquiera te puede dar un referido a un MRI.
> 
> Saludos ( te e visto en el foro de boriken )


Wrong.

Perhaps in Puerto Rico, an MRI is as cheap as candy. Here in the USA you can get an MRIs done anywhere, but they aren't free.... and in this case it is not necessary.

You don't get an MRI because you "might" be injured.. You get one when you know you *ARE* injured and need it properly diagnosed for treatment and therapy. Otherwise you are just wasting time and money.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with letting a bruise heal before you freak out about an injury. If you clearly have broken something.... that's a different story.

Me personally, I would feel like a bit of a tool if I spent hundreds of dollars and hours of my time only to have an MRI tech tell me that I am simply "sore" or "bruised" and will feel better after a couple Advil and some ice.


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## Okie Dokie (May 14, 2008)

Certainly Tomsmoto if someone is loopy or has signs or symptoms as I mentioned above they should definitely be seen. And yes symptoms can arise late as well...especially in older people whose brains have atrophied and therefore have "extra" space in their skull where blood can accumulate before it causes an increase in pressure.

Funny a Kaiser doc said that to you. Wonder if he/she trained in Emergency Medicine? I cracked my helmet for the first time a week or so ago and it never crossed my mind to get a scan. But then again I got a thick skull...just ask my wife.


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## IAmtnbikr (May 17, 2008)

I'd opt for a longer lens and flash-fill myself... 

...just kidding! Glad all turned out okay for you.


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## Garlock (Jul 9, 2008)

When I stupidly fell and hit my head, I was loopy all day. I was saying stupid things, and I asked 3 times about something, right after my friend had just said it.

Random story. Next time, I'll get checked.


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## Razorfish (May 9, 2008)

Also there's no point in an MRI (or X-ray or other tests) if the outcome wouldn't affect the treatment.


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## gflip (Oct 21, 2008)

An MRI...? wow...

I usually just ride a wheelie right past him making a "wooohooo!!" sound while he's picking himself back up. If I'm not in a good spot for a wheelie, I grab my water bottle and squirt him while he's down. 

Good times.


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## ricot83 (Jul 2, 2008)

I deffinately agree first aid training, maybe cpr while you are at it anyway. Then I would say you did everything right. I dont have any kids but I am sure my world would crumble if that same thing happened and I saw the same thing


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## outdoornut (Aug 13, 2005)

bagpipes said:


> Judging by the series of pictures you did exactly what I would have done .............. snap a picture.
> 
> My rule has always been if they are standing and everything looks like it's in the right place, I shout ...._ That was awesome!_
> 
> I wish people would allow kids to find fun, laughter and even some bragging rights to a good crash. Don't instantly run to them if they are upright, see what they do and encourage some high fives.


Dito !

And don't forget to throw in the " Dude ! wish I'd have got that on camera ! " 

Glad your son was not hurt. His pride probably took a bigger hit and getting him back
on the bike was the best thing you could have done. Do get some of the training,
I fall back on my EMT training often when things like this happen. It's some peace 
of mind just knowing what to look for and how to handle a situation if you would ever
need to.

ODN


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## Monk_Knight (Aug 1, 2008)

I don't have any kids, but I do coach elementary school kids biking and if they fall I usually wait a second to see if there is any serious damage, and if not just start high-fiving them and telling them how sweet it looked. Mostly in my experience with kids if you freak out too much or pay too much attention then they end up thinking it's worse themselves. If you act like it's an ordinary -- and cool -- thing, like going off a jump or shredding a sweet line, then they just go with it and forget soon enough.

And an MRI??? Maybe see how things go, but those things aren't exactly cheap... I've taken SO many falls while learning, some rather hard, and I never needed anything like that. Within reason of course... but the only time my parents ever took me in was earlier this season when I hit hard enough to knock myself out and lose some short term memory. And even then when we went in they said that the chances of anything happening were so remote that they really didn't even need to do it.


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## Rockhopperkid (Oct 11, 2009)

*GEt Him a full face helmet*

Teeth dont grow back at that age!!


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## jalopy jockey (Jun 7, 2007)

Both crashes today I waited for him to get up and said what happened. in both cases he said he forgot to stand on that rooty decent and the bike jumped on him. 

At 5 he's made of super ball rubber


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## AlexDeLarge (Oct 5, 2009)

*Cool dad*

My dad was the ultimate in staying calm under pressure. I was pretty active as a kid, and always finding some new way to accidentally decrease the volume of blood flowing thru my veins.
One summer day, after school had let out, I was playing on a rusty swingset with some friends, and ended up with a rusty bolt ripping my arm open from elbow to wrist. The kids freaked, and I ran home. As I stood in the bathroom, blood soaked towel and shirt, arm held up for inspection, dad calmly said: "looks like we don't have any band-aids big enough. Guess we'll have to go to the doctor and get some."
Funny thing is it didn't really hurt; I was more worried over having lost so much blood. But his calmness stayed with me ever since, and I stay equally calm under the worst pressure. I ended up with stitches and my arm in the cast for the whole summer (no biking or swimming! :madman: ), and a wicked cool scar to show people.


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## Guest (Nov 10, 2009)

My son always ask if there is anything wrong with the bike before finding out if there is anything wrong with him after his spectacular crashes. He is a true FR trooper. When he was 8 years old, he once tumbled down a very steep (almost vertical) 20' rolling drop with his bike, to only sort of pop up off the ground and ask if his bike was OK. :lol: :lol: :lol:.....LOL


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## Lawson Raider (Jul 24, 2006)

When dad first took off my training wheels (Wierd, I can remember this like it was yesterday and it's been way over 30 years ago) and took me to the park across the street to teach me to ride on two wheels, I rode perfectly until I found a telephone pole and found out that 1) I didn't know how to turn and 2) I didn't know how to brake. Needless to say, me and the pole got to know each other intimately.

Dad's response: Get up, get back on, and do it again.


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## Guest (Nov 11, 2009)

Yes sir....."When your steed bucks you off, get up (if you can) and dust yourself off, and get back on that steed and ride again" 

I remember never having training wheels. My dad pushed us off and we had to learn fast to catch our balance. It wasn't too bad, but we did have some intimate times with the ground. :lol: :lol: :lol: ....LOL

That was the good ole days!


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## Tootlepipster (Nov 2, 2009)

*Pushy Fathers*

A few days back my 2 boys and I were trail riding and came across a father with his 5 year old son on one of the down hill sections. Firstly the little nipper unintentionally placed himself right in front of a jump so that one of my kids had to stop the section half way down to avoid a collision. That aside he was a little trooper and did a lovely small jump and perfect landing on his tiny bike. I think that I gave him more praise than his dad, but then he did it again and wiped out completely. As you can imagine there were tears (he wasn't wearing any pads) and it looked like he had bruised his legs and had some small cuts. So, what did dad do? Launched right into what he did wrong! I couldn't believe it. I told him that he was a very brave boy and not many 5 year olds could do a jump like that. My boys looked at me and as we continued on our way, my 12 year old said ''Mum,that guy, what an ass hole.'' Of course I checked the language but to be honest I had to agree.


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## rsullivan (May 16, 2009)

My oldest daughter broke her wrist during practice before a ABA bmx race. It was at our local indoor track that I slave at.... A kid wrecked in the 1st turn and with her going full speed into the turn had no time to aviod him. She nailed his side and flipped over the bars. Doing the normal superman crash, she stuck her arms out to stop her fall. Doing that caused her wrist to snap right at the growth plate. When I got to her and got her unpiled, she complained about her arm feeling weird. I started to pull back her sleeve and noticed a L-shape to her wrist. Slid the shirt back down and calmly told her it was broke and needed to go to the hospital. Surprisingly she remained calm and walked off the track. Later at the ER while we were waiting on Xrays she smiled at me and said "Man Dad, I was looking good too.... " I couldn't help but start laughing. 
She hit hard enough to break her full face helmet in the mouth gaurd area. I had them do a MRI but all was good. No issues. Helmet did its job and compressed enough to absorb the impact before breaking. (Helmet was a Pryme Evil Pro Carbonfibre). I keep the helmet around to help express the reason and purpose of a Full Face helmet to all the new parents that come to the bmx track.


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## axolotl (Apr 24, 2008)

Use it as a learning experience. First Aid training is helpful-the more the better. Preparation and prevention are also helpful. My son wears a full complement of pads (not quite, but am planning on adding neck brace) as do I. 

Learning how to fall is a great and often overlooked skill. (Common injuries like broken wrists and collar bones can be avoided with the tuck and roll) I've been pretty lucky at using my pads as I fall, but I have years of experience taking beaters. Even basic trail riding, I usually wear knee, elbow and back pads. Toss your kid around some.

Proper bike maintenance is preventive.
Riding with the right gear is key. It is good to be able to:
fix your bike
Get home with or without your bike
Know how to get help
Handle any emergency without making it worse
Avoid weather related issues (hypothermia, heat stroke, exhaustion...
and a ton of other stuff.
The worst of all is the Disneyland mindset (safety is someone else's concern)


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## bobvanjr (Jul 14, 2009)

My youngest just got off training wheels this spring. He'll be 6 in a few weeks. If he goes down and I can't see any obvious trauma or more blood than a skinned knee, I get him back up on the horse and riding again asap. I'm talking almost immediately before he has time to think about it.


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## Lost Shaker (Feb 17, 2010)

Had my seven year old on a trail last weekend and on a steep rooty downhill he endo'd while riding in front of me. I swear his face was on the trail while his feet were over his head and he was bent at and angle that would have broken me. I jumped off and was on him before he stopped moving but he came up screaming in pain. After a quick check (full teeth, nothing bent "wrong", slight facial abrasions) I was telling him he's okay, more for my peace of mind. Another rider who'd seen the wreck came up and was checking too when my son looked at me and through the tears told me he wasn't "fine" that wreck hurt. The other rider smiled, winked, and silently mouthed "he's fine" which I knew at that point. 

A few moments of "medical" check's and we were back down the trail nothing wrong except I suspect my blood pressure may have been a few points higher. 

I don't look forward to the day when something comes up bent in the wrong direction but I suspect my parents didnt' either........


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## LWright (Jan 29, 2006)

Take a picture if you can.


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## Oracle7775 (Oct 31, 2008)

My 5 yo is just learning, and hasn't been on an MTB trail yet.

But, I always show him my various scrapes and bruises when I get back from the trail, let him know that they are no big deal, and tell him how much fun I was having when I got them. Hopefully this will encourage him to have a good attitude when he does start riding trails.


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## jgerhardt (Aug 31, 2009)

Oracle7775 said:


> My 5 yo is just learning, and hasn't been on an MTB trail yet.
> 
> But, I always show him my various scrapes and bruises when I get back from the trail, let him know that they are no big deal, and tell him how much fun I was having when I got them. Hopefully this will encourage him to have a good attitude when he does start riding trails.


My daughter took a header onto the pavement last week and bruised up her nose a bit, but she got back on because "when daddy gets hurt mountain biking he gets back on too..."  
It is amazing how something like that can make such a difference!


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## J_Westy (Jan 7, 2009)

Oracle7775 said:


> But, I always show him my various scrapes and bruises when I get back from the trail, let him know that they are no big deal, and tell him how much fun I was having when I got them. Hopefully this will encourage him to have a good attitude when he does start riding trails.


Funny, I do that with my daughters too. I think it does make a difference.

Now I get, "I know daaaaad -- If you don't fall once in a while, you're not trying hard enough"


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

My little guy (5), fell the other day and scraped his elbow. As soon as he saw blood, it was tears and screaming. I keep these little tablets in my Camelbak that when you wet them, they unroll into a towel. I wet one, cleaned up his arm and then tied it on like a little bandage. After that, he was fine. I guess I just had to make a little show of doing SOMETHING to fix the cut. He did another lap with his bandage.


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## TwinBlade (Jun 21, 2010)

When our son came home after taking his first spill on asphalt, crying like crazy from a skinned up elbow and knee, he walked in the house, I looked at him and asked him what happened. When he told me through his tears, I asked him, in as serious of a tone of voice and unfaltering look, "did you rub some dirt on it?" He momentarily stopped and had this WTH look on his face. I asked him once more and he said "No". So I told him to go rub a little dirt on it and then come back inside and we will take care of that road rash.

Sure as you are reading this, the tears stopped, he went outside, rubbed his hand on the ground and then lightly rubbed his road rash, came back inside and was completely fine afterwards. 

Point is, if the kid is breathing, and his arm or leg isn't bent 90 degrees the opposite way, or he isn't gushing blood, keep a level head and divert attention. Panicking only adds fuel to the fire.


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## gasayers (Jul 1, 2010)

Slightly off topic, when my 6yo falls off, if appropriate, I laugh and joke with her. On elderly couple walked by as she picked up her bike after simply dropping it. The woman tut tuted and helped pick it up. Then as she walked past me she leant menacingly over towards me and hissed "don't push her to hard!"......... I'd spent the whole ride trying to rein her in!


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