Ds is having problems walking around at school & carrying his bag.

[belledechocchipcookie]

It's secondary school. He's complaining that his feet and legs hurt every day and putting his bag in his locker isn't practical as he's too slow and it makes him late for his classes. What can I do? He's hypermobile.

Putting afternoon books in his locker, then swapping at lunchtime?

I've suggested that. He said he'd forget He's very disorganised.

Ummm, not much you can do, really. You could ask his head of year for advice, but I would struggle to find a solution. HE just needs to organise himself better, make it a daily ritual.

He's not carrying all his books round all the time is he? My DD reckons that some people (actually she says boys ) carry every book they own round the school rather than just what they need for the day because they don't trust themselves to pack the right books each day.

Even if he is just carrying what he needs though, I know the bags can be very heavy. He does need to use the locker.

He packs what he needs for the day but each lesson is 40 minutes so he practically takes all of his books. I carry it there for him and back and it's very heavy. He needs to use his locker but he doesn't have enough time in between lessons to go there. He's slow getting to his lessons anyway as his legs hurt from walking.

I can well see why this would cause difficulties: if he is hypermobile and suffering pain, then getting to his locker between classes would be just as great a problem as carrying the books with him. He wouldn't need to be carrying inordinate amounts of books for it to cause him pain either.

I would have a word with his form tutor to see if you can come up with a solution between you.

Surely he has enough time at lunch break to switch over for lessons. Does he have an orthopaedic type bag like these ?

He has a backpack and uses it properly. I'm trying to get him an appointment with the physio so she can write a letter for his tutor, I doubt they will believe what I say. He should have time in the lunch break but he's disorganised, he's been told to leave what he doesn't need in his locker. I bash my head against a wall sometimes.

Get him a bag on wheels/trolley bag

I suggested that aswell, he won't be able to pull it/carry it up the stairs at school. I really am out of ideas. It would be very helpful if he could leave his books in the classroom, do homework on a piece of paper and staple it into his book. Do you think they would accept this?

Bloody hospital discharged him without telling me. I've been waiting for an appointment for months. I now have to go back to the GP and get him referred again. They sent me a letter in the post apparantly ARGH!!!

I am hypermobile and I always have a wheeled suitcase thing. They make wheeled laptop carriers now for business use and they look very smart and are practical. If he is hypermobile a back pack is not a good idea really.

Go to the HMSA website here and see if you are near any of the areas where a specialist consultant practises. Get your GP to refer you straight to them not a hospital where they don't know what HMS is.

If you see Prof Graham provately you don't need a GP referral, but of course, you have to pay.

I carry it to and from school for him, it's very heavy though. I can't believe I need to take him back to the GP and start all over again! I'm so annoyed. I'll see if I can get him an appointment with Prof Graham, poor lad can't go on like this. Thank you for the link.