United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Go for it with football! See if its not too late to get on the team! Not being allowed to participate in sports is a huge isolating factor. Just remember we are just like any other kid! If you would tell your other children (if you have others) that they cant play football either then maybe stick with it but I would say let him try it!

I used to play flag football at school and tackle with my cousins and siblings. We always had a blast!
I say let him try any sport that he wants to try!
Go Josh!
Hugs,
Amy 20 years old ROBPI from MN

Oh i feel for you!! My husband and i already agreed to wait on football until the boys were older. This came before the BPI. I have a younger son (4 years old) than Drake and they will both have to wait until they are Junior high to play football. Now any other sport will be ok. It is such a rough sport to play on young growing bodies. The injuries anyone, not just a person with a BPI, aren't worth the risk. Just like Ben's dad said about the NFL player that got hurt and just last week in the dfw area we had a high school kid die at football practice and sadly he wasn't the first. I quess just like everything else, this is a situation where you have to take into consideration your own child's injury and see if he can physically handle the hard hits that he would be taking. If he is blocking, a lot of the hits are to the shoulder and that is what scares me. I have no doubt in my mind a kid with a BPI could keep up, i don't think that's the worrisome part at all. Good luck!

thanks everyone for your input. Next year I have to be more prepared and consider letting him "try out". The team try outs were in aug and they already have the team.
They do have flag football, but he doesn't want to play (he did last year) because ALL his friends went to tackle football--Just feeling very guilty---it doesn't help when my son asked my husband--you mean to tell me I can never play football because of my arm???

I think this is a gray area...protect our kids against injury or further injury vs. having them participate in sports for all the reasons already given.

Question: Are our kids more susceptible to injury (because of initial BPI) or possible worsening of BPI injury? If the answer is yes...then serious consideration has to be given to keeping them off a tackle football team, even with all the protective equipment/shoulder pads.

I wanted to add that football as a child is going to be a lot less harmful than jr and sr high and college/pro-football are a whole other story entirely!

Living with a bpi I probably do a lot of things that could make my injury so much worse or injure me in other ways or my other arm, for example, I get in my car how many times a week, and how many now have tbpis because they made that same choice.
Like I said I used to play tackle football with my siblings and cousins and could I have gotten hurt, you bet, did I, nope, nothing more than scrapes and bruises.

Last summer I went water skiing, something my dad never wanted me to do so I didnt tell him and went with a friend. He never wanted me to go because he thought I would hurt my good arm, did I, you bet but I had a great time doing it!

We cant live in a bubble because we might get hurt of further injured. My parents probably had half a heart attack for evey thing I did but they survived and so did I and got to enjoy my life!

If the child is making comment that he insnt allowed to play because of his arm then I see a problem. Dont be guilty just let him play! He cant get more than hurt. And we do get hurt but we get over it!

Amy 20 years old ROBPI from MN

Amy,
I just want to say thank you. As parents sometimes we can't help but over-protect our kids (trust me you'll see when the time comes). However, I truly appreciate hearing your point of view and thoughts on the subject, from your unique perspective. I don't think any parents here want to hold their children back, we just want what's best for them. Again, thank you!

I agree with Amy, and I know parents disagree with BOTH of us when it comes to this. I played rugby.. ya football without the helmet/padding.. did I hurt myself? No much more than anyone else on my team (high school). Did my parents want me to play? Heck NO! I did it anyway, much like I did any activity.. I stopped rugby not because of my arm, but because I busted my knee and was out of all activities until it healed.

Football at that age is not as bad as Jr and Sr high or college of course. Us BPI kids know how to protect our arms, it's instinct. Even if we get hit we still know how to save ourselves just like any other kid.

Please don't wrap your kids in bubble wrap! If the doctor has not said NO, he can't play (like after surgery or whatever) then let the kids try out. Nothing is as isolating as being told No, you can't because of your arm. Often it's the parent protecting themselves from worry... I know you parents worry, I saw it growing up with my mom.

Have fun and PLAY sports!
I did swimming, diving, ballet, figure skating, rugby... I sucked at diving but had a blast doing it for a few summers, much harder than I thought it would be... Ballet and figure skating were what I loved. Skating sounds like it's not contact, and it's not really, but try falliing over and over, I learned how NOT to fall on my LOBPI side. I did Ice dance with a partner and some dance holds hurt my shoulder at times, but I didn't get hurt just because it hurt...

Marieke (31, LOBPI)

Thank you Ben's dad! I dont have kids yet so none to protect but I see it in my sister already so its an every parent thing. She says her soon to be 1 year old son will only be allowed to play chess, no football, no baseball... I am like your kidding right! He is so going to play whatever he wants to even if I have to sneak him.

Hugs,
Amy

Amy & Marieke
I am glad you posted. I played stick ball, basketball, touch tackle football, roller skated, ice skated rode my bike and YES my Mother was scared to death.
We did not have as many organized sports for girls when I was young.
I played on the street with the other kids.

I thought it looked cool AND then my husband said.
"Kath I don't think you should do that, you might get hurt!"
Duh... I used it twice!

I admit I would not let my son play Football when he was small.
I was afraid, I said it was because he had Asthma and suffered from Migraines.
That was how I got around it but he swam competitively for years and then played varsity Lacrosse in HS and College.
I guess he could have played but it was about me and my fear.
I found out that when he was in HS he would go to Gaelic Park with his friends families and play Irish Football.
So much for stopping a kid who wants to play.

I believe kids need to be part of a team sport and obpi children are no different.
If they are wrapped in a bubble it will really disable them.
We are tough stubborn little and big ones... LOL.
Kath robpi/adult

I had a similair experience just a few weeks ago. Brandon came home and wanted to go and try out for the flag football team, I told him yes, even though I really meant no. He came home after and said....."Mom, those kids play way too rough for me, I do not want to play." Whew, I got out of that one. I come from a family of Athletes and my brother played professional football years ago, but I can tell you that my brother did not play till he hit college age. My dad said something about the growth plates. I truly understand what you mean though, I guess the BPIer's know their limitations even at nine years old. I am just glad he loves BASEBALL !!! LOL But thank you Amy, Marieke and Kath for reminding me that you guys are tough little cookies and that you will do what you do, even if it is when we are not looking !!!!
Gayle mom of Brandon ROBPI