By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 13:34 EST, 27 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:49 EST, 27 January 2014 . A schoolboy with a fractured skull was rushed to hospital after falling off his bicycle only for doctors give him painkillers and send him home twice before realising the seriousness of his injury. Matthew King's relatives have said the 13-year-old could have died if he was left untreated for much longer. The teenager injured his head while playing with friends at the Silksworth skate park in Sunderland and was taken to the A&E department of Sunderland Royal Hospital after his worried friends called 999. Injured: Matthew King, pictured left with his brother Mitchell, was rushed to hospital with a fractured skull after falling off his bike, only to be sent home with painkillers twice . Although Matthew was kept in overnight, his family said he was not given an X-ray. They were told he had concussion and given painkillers to treat him. 'He was in an awful lot of pain, we just knew there was something not right,' said his grandmother Pauline King, 56. 'He couldn't remember coming off his bike, and he was also being sick, which is a sign there is a problem. 'But when we took him to the hospital they didn't even give him an x-ray.' Matthew, of Grangetown, North Yorkshire, was sent home the following morning, but his mother Claire became increasingly worried about him as he appeared to be no better and was vomiting. She then called for an ambulance to take him back to hospital and Matthew was admitted back onto the ward for a few hours of observation. However, he was again discharged and was once again told to take the painkillers. His family said that throughout . the following day Matthew was 'writhing in agony', and crying on the . settee of the home he shares with his mother and younger brother . Mitchell, 10. Emergency: Matthew was rushed to the A&E department of Sunderland Royal Infirmary, only to be discharged the following morning . Incident: The teenager injured his head while playing with friends at the Silksworth skate park in Sunderland . By Monday, the family were desperately worried and contacted the NHS helpline who sent a paramedic to their house. It was only then medics . finally picked up on the fracture and decided the teen should be sent . straight to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary for emergency surgery. Grandmother Mrs King said: 'He told us Matthew needed to be back in hospital, so we drove him there straight away. 'We have no idea why this wasn't picked up on, on two separate occasions. You put your trust in medics, and believe what they tell you' Matthew's grandmother Pauline King . 'I . am so glad we trusted our instincts in the end, or I not like to think . what could have happened. It could have been a lot more serious.' He . is now slowly recovering after the operation, having spent his 13th . birthday in hospital last Wednesday and was released on Friday. 'He might not have been here to have a 13th birthday,' said his grandmother. 'We . have no idea why this wasn't picked up on, on two separate occasions. You put your trust in medics, and believe what they tell you. 'Matthew is OK now, but it could have been a lot worse. 'He is scared of hurting himself, and of going on his bike again, but we are just so glad he is alive and at home.' Yesterday his family have said they had been left distraught by the lack of care he received. 'We all feel so angry at what’s happened,' said Mrs King. Drama: On Matthew's third trip to hospital medics picked up on the fracture and decided the teen should be sent to Newcastle¿s Royal Victoria Infirmary for emergency surgery . 'My grandson had to have emergency surgery because of this. 'We were told he had a bad concussion and we needed to keep giving him the painkillers. 'We don’t understand why this wasn’t picked up on, not just once - but twice. 'I’d hate to think of anyone else going through what has happened to our family in the past few days.' A spokesman for City Hospitals Sunderland, said: 'We will look into the circumstances of Matthew’s case. 'Diagnoses are clinical decisions taken at specific times on the evidence available and are, of course, taken in the best interests of the patient. 'We would like to pass on our good wishes for Matthew’s speedy recovery.'
Matthew King, 13, was injured while playing with friends at a skate park .
Was taken to hospital overnight but discharged the following morning .
Family says he was not given an X-ray and sent home with painkillers .
The next day he was returned to Sunderland Royal Hospital .
Matthew was again discharged, and spent a weekend 'in agony'
On third visit the fracture was spotted and he was sent for surgery .
Hospital are investigating what happened and wish boy 'a speedy recovery'
By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 13:34 EST, 27 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:49 EST, 27 January 2014 . A schoolboy with a fractured skull was rushed to hospital after falling off his bicycle only for doctors give him painkillers and send him home twice before realising the seriousness of his injury. Matthew King's relatives have said the 13-year-old could have died if he was left untreated for much longer. The teenager injured his head while playing with friends at the Silksworth skate park in Sunderland and was taken to the A&E department of Sunderland Royal Hospital after his worried friends called 999. Injured: Matthew King, pictured left with his brother Mitchell, was rushed to hospital with a fractured skull after falling off his bike, only to be sent home with painkillers twice . Although Matthew was kept in overnight, his family said he was not given an X-ray. They were told he had concussion and given painkillers to treat him. 'He was in an awful lot of pain, we just knew there was something not right,' said his grandmother Pauline King, 56. 'He couldn't remember coming off his bike, and he was also being sick, which is a sign there is a problem. 'But when we took him to the hospital they didn't even give him an x-ray.' Matthew, of Grangetown, North Yorkshire, was sent home the following morning, but his mother Claire became increasingly worried about him as he appeared to be no better and was vomiting. She then called for an ambulance to take him back to hospital and Matthew was admitted back onto the ward for a few hours of observation. However, he was again discharged and was once again told to take the painkillers. His family said that throughout . the following day Matthew was 'writhing in agony', and crying on the . settee of the home he shares with his mother and younger brother . Mitchell, 10. Emergency: Matthew was rushed to the A&E department of Sunderland Royal Infirmary, only to be discharged the following morning . Incident: The teenager injured his head while playing with friends at the Silksworth skate park in Sunderland . By Monday, the family were desperately worried and contacted the NHS helpline who sent a paramedic to their house. It was only then medics . finally picked up on the fracture and decided the teen should be sent . straight to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary for emergency surgery. Grandmother Mrs King said: 'He told us Matthew needed to be back in hospital, so we drove him there straight away. 'We have no idea why this wasn't picked up on, on two separate occasions. You put your trust in medics, and believe what they tell you' Matthew's grandmother Pauline King . 'I . am so glad we trusted our instincts in the end, or I not like to think . what could have happened. It could have been a lot more serious.' He . is now slowly recovering after the operation, having spent his 13th . birthday in hospital last Wednesday and was released on Friday. 'He might not have been here to have a 13th birthday,' said his grandmother. 'We . have no idea why this wasn't picked up on, on two separate occasions. You put your trust in medics, and believe what they tell you. 'Matthew is OK now, but it could have been a lot worse. 'He is scared of hurting himself, and of going on his bike again, but we are just so glad he is alive and at home.' Yesterday his family have said they had been left distraught by the lack of care he received. 'We all feel so angry at what’s happened,' said Mrs King. Drama: On Matthew's third trip to hospital medics picked up on the fracture and decided the teen should be sent to Newcastle¿s Royal Victoria Infirmary for emergency surgery . 'My grandson had to have emergency surgery because of this. 'We were told he had a bad concussion and we needed to keep giving him the painkillers. 'We don’t understand why this wasn’t picked up on, not just once - but twice. 'I’d hate to think of anyone else going through what has happened to our family in the past few days.' A spokesman for City Hospitals Sunderland, said: 'We will look into the circumstances of Matthew’s case. 'Diagnoses are clinical decisions taken at specific times on the evidence available and are, of course, taken in the best interests of the patient. 'We would like to pass on our good wishes for Matthew’s speedy recovery.'
The teenager injured his head while playing with Sunderland and was taken to the A&E department of Sunderland Royal Hospital after his worried overnight, his family said he was not given an Grangetown, North Yorkshire, was sent home the hours of observation. However, he was again the following day Matthew was 'writhing in only to be discharged the following morning . playing with friends at the Silksworth skate park for emergency surgery. Grandmother Mrs King said: On Matthew's third trip to hospital medics picked recovery.'