School toolkit launched to support pupils with hypermobility-related disorders
The Ehlers-Danlos Support UK (EDS UK) and the Hypermobility Syndromes Association (HMSA) have together launched an online toolkit for schools to support pupils with hypermobility-related disorders.
The new website aims to provide school staff with simple information about symptomatic hypermobility and the Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) and how they may affect primary and secondary pupils at school. It emphasises that the conditions affect children and young people in different ways and often, simple, low-cost adjustments can make a big difference.
The challenges in recognising when hypermobility may be causing a problem are explained alongside the different terms used to describe the most common hypermobility-related conditions. In the UK, it is more likely for children and young people to be diagnosed with joint hypermobility syndrome (JHS) than hypermobile EDS (hEDS) or hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD).
The toolkit covers how JHS and EDS can affect how pupils sit, how they write and what they can do in terms of physical activity. It offers schools advice on a range of adjustments they can consider to help with everything from moving around school to uniform and using the toilet.
A resources section provides a printable card containing key information about the conditions and helpful adjustments, templates for pupil profiles and prompt cards and a range of links to related articles, videos and websites.
Visit theschooltoolkit.org to find out more.