My neighbor boy broke his lower arm when he was 8 and again when he was 9. I didn’t really know the family that well at this time. When he was 10 he was placed on the little league team I was helping to coach that year.
This team was a very young and inexperienced team with no kids on it that had pitched the year before. This boy (we will call him Dexter) was the best athlete on the team and took to the mound very well. He stayed at our house a lot that summer and begged daily to practice baseball any way, shape, and form. I would hit grounders to Dexter and my boy before work, after work, and we would practice pitching anytime we could sneak a few minutes to go to the park.
I check my pitchers arms and shoulders after they are done pitching very religiously. After about our last practice before the season started I noticed a little swelling about 4 inches above his wrist. When I told his parents about this is when I found out about him breaking his arm.
I monitored his pitch count super close every practice and every game! Iced his arm after every outing. He grew stronger and stronger as the year went on. Taught him the 2 seam, 4 seam, little off set cutter, circle change, and the straight change former cub Mike Proly taught me as a kid all in this first season of pitching. BUT, this kid had awesome body and footwork to go along with everything else. I am POSITIVE this is what allowed him to pitch so well and often as he did only a little over a year from his arm injury. Had the swelling persisted or arm showed extended tiredness or any pain I of course would of halted all pitching immediately!
That team went on to finish 10 and 6, mostly because of this kids pitching and great help from a lot of the parents getting involved during our practices.
Oh yeah, we faced the team Dexter is on this year a couple weeks ago and had the lead through 4 innings. Would of won too if not for a 12 y/o pitcher who came in for the final 3 innings and only allowed one run to cross the plate (one of the two we had on when he came in to pitch). Needless to say, Dexter was all smiles after this one, and the arm looks fine.
So have hope! But really monitor the arm. I am sure there are those on this sight who could can really help you out on this one.
Take care
dman