My son was flamed for using a priority seat on a bus

[mindgoinground12]

This is more of a rant so i can get it out there, i may be being unreasonable though.
So a bit of background, a lot of the time i post here about my eldest son, who has MH problems along with physical problems, my family suffer from a genetic connective tissue problems, that i didn't know i had until the birth of my 4th child, DS2 and 4 suffer moderately, my eldest (and myself) has it very mildly and is a dancer as well so almost uses it to his advantage! Because i have 5 DS's and a lot of time this year has been taken by my eldest DS being very poorly, i make sure every know and then to spend one to one time with each DS.
So today was the time for DS4 who is 11, i asked him what he wanted to do and he said he wanted to go look at some star wars lego that he wanted to buy with his christmas money and get some ice cream, i also took it as a time to get him some new shoes, some clothes and we had some time playing in the arcade it was such a lovely day and he had such a wonderful time to it was so nice to just talk to him, but he did get tired rather quickly so we called it a day at about 15:30, unlike in the morning when the bus was very quite it was really busy, there was about 2 seats free, one right at the back up the stairs and a priority seat, so like we have done many times before i told him to sit in the priority seat, if the bus is quiter i try and find two other seats for us to sit together near the front but as it was obviously a very busy bus, when we have done this before i/he have been starred at a few tuts but i brush it of dont get in the argument, but today was different, when the bus got moving, a women sitting near us said 'he will have to move soon people may want to sit down' I politely commented that he has a physical disability and needs to sit down, she proceded to argue that he dosen't and looks fine, i commented that not evrey disability is always visable, then another man chimes in with the 'this generation are just lazy' comments between the two that were also said were 'no respect to the older generation and how hurt they could be if they fell on the bus, because my young son refused to stand up' (he could be very hurt falling on a bus) and that i was teaching him to be weak if he can stand he can stand on the bus etc. I think i might just be being extra sensitive because hes my boy, i know i will never see these people, i know whats going on, but it knocks his confidence he was very upset afterwards, about how hes not normal and as a mother it makes me feel like a failure. Something similar happened with DS2 whilst on his own and it knocked his confidence, I of course understand that these two will have just seen my son walk onto the bus and sit down in a priority seat, they don't see some of his joints in supports, they dont see the medication he takes, they don't see that sometimes he does have to use a wheelchair, they dont see how tired he is and that hes in pain, at that point was being hidden by the smile of the lego toy he was grasping in his hands, he recently started secondary school (this september) and a massive thing for him was being diffrent, if i could take his pain away and give it to me i would do it 10 times over.
Sorry that was really long! i might be being unreasonable, over sensitive etc, but i just had to get it down myself.

@blanktimes quite right. Why should anyone have to divulge personal medical information in order to justify themselves to strangers? Local transport authority issued badges could be useful for thise with hidden disabilities, not only to stop arseholes having a go but (more importantly) to let other passengers know that they could consider offering their seat if the bus is full.

As a separate issue, how do we ensure that those with disabilities get priority seats? Clearly the public can not be policing this as you will never know who does and who doesn't need the seat - do we just expect all able bodied people to be honest and kind? It's so frustrating.
This ^^. What is someone who gets on with an invisible disability supposed to do if the priority seats are taken? Assume that the people sitting in them also have invisible disabilities and keep quiet, or risk having someone swearing at them if they politely ask? Better surely if they made priority seats ONLY for use by people with the actual need for them (visible or invisible) and never for anyone else, though you know some entitled twat would use them, safe in the knowledge they'd not be asked.

My son has bad eyesight, and on occasion needs drops in his eyes at the hospital to make them see in his eyes. He is unstable on his feet and really does need a seat after having them.
The amount of times I’ve argued with someone about it even when he isn’t in a priority seat.
There’s nothing wrong with him comments do my head in!

My DD used to get a lot of abuse/comments on the bus she took to school. She was physically able to stand but has autism and could cope with the hustle and bustle of a busy bus around her. She always sat in a priority seat that was right behind the driver as it felt safest to her.

She was quite lucky though as the drivers were regular and soon got to know her. They wouldn't tolerate anyone having a go at her.

I remember having a row with someone on a bus when 8 months pregnant but didn't look it. Stand your ground.

When I lived in London, a young woman got on a bus with a buggy. She tucked it in the designated spot and stood in front of the pram. At the next stop was a wheelchair user. Driver told her she would have to give up the spot. 'Okay' she said breezily and went to get off. Wheelchair user told her, he was waiting for someone, so it was fine. She said thanks, all good and parked up again. Then an elderly couple who had watched this started moaning loudly about how disgusting it was she didn't get off for the wheelchair, the she should have thrown her off. People are so rude nowadays. I actually turned round and said 'He didn't want to get on, he was waiting for someone'. But they ignored me and continued, saying young people were so lazy and least she could walk. Eventually the young woman pipes up 'OK Waldorf and Stadtler go back to the Muppets or shut up'. Bus was really busy everyone laughed. Couple then sat with cat's bum mouth. I have always admired that young woman's non sweary put down and the fact she could reference The Muppets.

Bus Police are so annoying.

Thank you again for all your kind words DS4 hasnt mentioned it today so thats a good sign.
@Mummylife2018 sorry if i didnt make my OP clear, DS4 has EDS moderalty and goes between being able to walk small amount of distances with breaks to using a chair. HE often wears splints and supports though. My DS1 has it very mildly and is a dancer he uses the natural bend to his advantage, he would never use a priority seat on a bus. The only reason he was really diagnosed is because he showed some symtoms and other memebrs of the family had been diagnosed, it would never had been picked up in him otherwise!
EDS is such a large scale IMO

Some idiots query a blue badge, so I'm sure they wouldn't believe a Disabled Bus Pass.