C2 Fracture

What started as an ordinary day of play quickly took a serious turn for seven-year-old Patrick McGahon. While spending time at home with his cousins, a playful moment on the gymnastics bar led to an unexpected injury—turning fun into fear in an instant. 
 
Patrick landed awkwardly on his head, though at first the family took a sigh of relief that all seemed fine. But it wasn’t long before it became noticeable that something was really wrong. “He began complaining that his neck hurt, and we noticed that he couldn’t straighten his neck,” explains his mother, Rachel.
 
A visit to his pediatrician resulted in an immediate trip into Birmingham to get Patrick to the emergency room at Children’s of Alabama. X-rays revealed he had a C2 fracture, a break in the second cervical vertebra in the neck. Doctors set Patrick up with a neck brace to stabilize his vertebra, which also allowed him to return home and get back to as much of his normal routine as possible. “We knew surgery was inevitable,” Rachel says, “but the neurosurgeon wanted to meet with the entire team to put together a plan for treatment first.”  
It was just a few days later that the family received the phone call that surgery was scheduled. “The doctors walked us through everything and made us really comfortable,” Rachel adds. “Obviously we were worried, he was just seven years old, and it was major surgery. But the doctor reassured us.”  The surgery went according to plan, and Patrick was soon meeting with an occupational therapist to ensure he could comfortably manage everyday tasks like walking, getting dressed, and brushing his teeth. Recovery while in the hospital also included some time to help Patrick feel like a normal kid too—a part of the process that the entire family appreciated. “After surgery, Patrick had the chance to visit the hospital’s activity room, a welcoming space filled with books, toys, and even a PlayStation,” Rachel says. “Being around other kids helped him feel less alone, and the opportunity to play brought a sense of normalcy and comfort to him. We appreciated that very much.”
 
Patrick’s recovery exceeded expectations. He was able to go home from the hospital much sooner than anticipated, and he didn’t require any additional therapy once discharged. Since then, he has returned to his normal routine without any mobility issues and is once again playing competitive soccer with ease. His follow-up appointments with Dr. Rocque, which began as six-month check-ins, have now transitioned to yearly visits—an encouraging sign of just how well he’s doing. “We had a great experience at Children’s,” shares Rachel. “An injury to your kid like that is such a scary thing to go through as a parent, but the doctors and nurses were so caring and kind, not only making sure Patrick was comfortable but that we all were.”