United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Gayle,
I think your son is a lot like me. I generally dont take no for an answer. If I want to try something, I will. Right now I am waiting patiently (well my patince are slipping) to try and climb the rock wall that we have on campus. I think I am going to bug my OT about it and see what she says, then ask my doctor when I see him on the 19th. I have been restricted from that because of my surgery last summer. And so far I have listened to their advice but I really really want to try the rock wall!
And even though my parents have told me no about water skiing I will try it when I get another chance. And now I am not really sure I want to shoot clay pidgens. I am really good at hunding things on the ground(deer), I dont think I want to try shooting them in the air any more. But if I want to do something, telling me no only last so long. I think the only reason I have lasted this long withthe rock wall is that I really dont want to do this surgery again, this is already the second time for my hand.

Kath, lol that you went water skiing. I will to someday, and I dont care if my parents know or not. This is something I have always wanted to try and have been jelous of my sister for because they let her try. I know my parents were trying to protect me, but I can't live in a bubble either.

So note to parents, telling your kid no will probably just make them want to try whatever you told them no to even more.

Amy 19 ROBPI from MN

How many of you remember back to riding a bike. (She's only four, by the way). She seems to get a little discouraged because she has trouble steering. For a while she wanted none of that tricycle stuff - now after a few falls off of the bike (toward the right where she can't put her hand down to break her fall!), she's suddenly decided that bicycles are for big girls and she's not big yet . Is she just too little, or is bikeriding trouble later?

Brandon did have trouble riding a bike....but once he got it, off he went never to be seen again. Have you gotten her one with training wheels? that might help. I know that once we did that, he got it pretty quick !!! Gayle

Amy
She is just little

I have two 4 year old granddaughters they are cousins so one riding the "big girl bike" and the other one not able to was a big deal. They purchased a smaller bike (a cheap one) for her and she is starting to ride with the training wheels on. I had to do that for one of my girls . My daughters are 14 months apart and the younger one was riding a two wheeler in Kindergarten while my older one was not able to.She was just getting over Mono in first grade and really could not do it. We bought a bike that she could stretch out her legs and touch the ground it worked out great. I think 4 is young for the "big girl bike" but I guess all of the kids are getting them.

Kath (adult/robpi)
PS... My Mother did not want me to ride the big bike my Dad bought a BIG bike and ran up and down the street with me until I got my balance. I was almost 7 and after that rarely off the bike.... LOL..

I don't have any personal experience on the subject, but I will say that I have two completely normal arms and I SUCKED at sports! I was never good at ANY of them. So I think people just have athletic ability or not... If they do, they are good at them and will find a way compensate for weaknesses.
I also think that sports especially team sports are so great for kids for so many other reasons than actually playing them. They are great for making friends and learning social skills. Kids need to learn how to work with eachother. I think team sports are excellent tools to teach kids these things.
Also, if they do have trouble playing, make sure your focus is on having fun and not necessarily winning or being "great" at it. I go bowling and have a BLAST,but my score is soooooo sad!!
I just leave with one last thought... I think these kids and adults with a BPI are amazing! From what I hear you guys or your kids have more determination than I ever thought about having. I already see that determination in my son and he's 3 months old. He is so tough and I know he'll need that to overcome! I would never want to hold him back because i thought he couldn't do something. Life is full of failures and successes whether you have an injury or not!
Shari

Amy - I am RTBPI, but was injured at age 5; I have no use/feeling of my right hand/arm from the elbow down. I rode a bicycle, although I was probably 10 before I figured it out. I lived in the country and gravel roads were difficult (for me) to learn on. My Mom worked, so I spent summers with a friend in town - when they brought my bike into town I just took off on it with no troubles.
I passed Jr Lifesaving before I was 13 when my friend, who had use of both arms and was a year older, did not! If we want to do something, we usually figure a way to do it! Good luck to you and your daughter!

I think 4 is pretty young for a bike. I dont think I even tried a bike until I was 5 and a half to 6 years old and that had training wheels. I think I had the trainging wheels until about 7 then my gradnma decided for me that I was a big girl and should not need training wheels. I wiped out a few times but got it soon after. Although I still wipe out sometimes. I dont think it was my fault last time I wiped out (last summer, I took my brothers bike and I think the chain slipped and made me wipe out). She will get that hang of it sooner or later. Dont worry, she has time.
Amy 19 ROBPI from MN

I started on a 2-wheeler at 6 and SUCKED! I fell so many times... I finally got really good at it at 8 yrs old... I was afraid of turning the corners, especially to the left (I am LOBPI). But once I got it, it was no problem. I loved riding my bike.
I also did ballet and was a competitive figure skater. So yes, I did these things and sometimes had to adapt or change the way "normal" people did them. My parents never said no, they would let me discover what I could and could not do, or what I needed to do to change it.
Marieke

Amy:

I can't remember exactly at what age I started riding a bicycle, probably 6 or 7. Bicycles were very important in my youth because they were needed to get around the neighborhood and go to school. So I needed to become a rider if I didn't want to walk to where I needed to go.

I remember having trouble reaching the handle bar with my ROBPI and still do. Also, riding for an extended period is a little more comfortable when I can staighten up and use one hand from time to time.

My 4 year old grandson recently discarded the training wheels on his bike so you might want to consider training wheels for Alexis.

John P.

Amy - My daughter Peyton started riding on the smallest bike available with training wheels and had balance issues as well as trouble with steering. We ended up adjusting her training wheels so that the one was higher then the other one to compensate for it. As she got better on the bike, we slowly evened them back out.
Then when she was 5 1/2 the training wheels had to come off (none of her friends used them anymore...)and it took a more than a few spills before she figured it out. She still has some trouble with corners, but will never give up.
Also, she is in gymnastics and tap dance and has taken swimming. If she has her way, she will be in T-ball and soccer this summer...the only thing that would slow her down is her mother not being able to keep up
Annette