Classroom Spoonsavers (Part 4- Helping Your EDS Child)

This post is designed to share some of the in classroom “spoonsavers” you can use to make each school day a little less painful. You can find writing “spoonsavers” here and out of classroom spoonsavers here.

Not every child will need these classroom spoonsavers (adaptations). Please pick and choose what is best for your child.

If you and your child can suggest any ideas that are not listed, please do so in the comments section of this post.

Keep an extra set of classroom books at home. This reduces wear and tear on your child’s shoulders, as well as, your own, when you collect missed work on sick days. (My daughter’s Literature book weighs 5+lbs by itself. Yes, I weighed it.)
Carry a backpack to each class. This saves wear and tear on their hands and elbows. My daughter has wrist pain and gripping her book, notebook, binder, & pencil pouch is just too much strain. The backpack may need to be clear to accommodate some school’s policies.
If thick binders or notebooks are required and your child has trouble gripping things, seek permission from each teacher to allow use of a thinner version. (My daughter’s Comp. teacher requires a 2″ Binder, and after purchasing one, I realized it was ridiculous for my daughter to try and carry. I spoke to her teacher for 2 minutes and she stated, that a one inch binder would be just fine. (We will simply buy another one inch binder, if needed, in the 2nd semester.)
Seating: In front, if your child is short or has difficulty seeing the board. In back, if your child has hip and back pain and needs to move around on occasion to avoid more problems. (My daughter is allowed to do this as long as she does not disrupt the class.)
Use of an ergonomic chair or portable seat cushion to avoid or lessen back and hip pain.
Direct contact between parent & teacher for problems, homework, etc… We use email so that the teachers can let me know if my daughter is behind, send homework when she is absent, share concerns or anything else at their convenience. I use email to keep them updated on what is happening, ask make-up work or homework questions and check on her progress. (You still need to coordinate with the main office and nurse, too.)
Something to prop his/her books on so that he/she doesn’t need to strain his/her neck. We have stacked additional books under the material, used a lap desk that tilts or made our own.
Extra time on projects: writing or physical ones. This will not always be needed, but with our fantastic kids we never know what joint will be uncooperative this week, so it is good to have in the paperwork. (We love making posters, panoramas, models, etc… but it never fails they are always assigned when my children are absent or damaged in the arm somehow.)

If you have any additional suggestions or ideas for “classroom spoonsavers” please share in the comments for others to benefit.

Check this post for suggestions for out of the classroom spoonsavers: PE, Recess, Playtime, Pep Rallies, Lockers, Hallways, etc…

Additonal ideas and info can be found in our other posts:

1. Helping Your EDS ChildPart 1 IEP and 504 Resources

2. How do you prepare for IEP or 504? (Part 2 of Helping Your EDS child)

3. Spoonsavers for Writing (Part 3- Helping Your EDS Child)

5. Out Of Classroom Spoonsavers (Part 5- Helping Your EDS Child)

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Tags: 504 ideas, Children with EDS, Classroom Accomdations, classroom spoonsavers, EDS kids, Educators and EDS, IEP ideas, Spoonsavers

Helping Your Unusual Child | TinaMiller | October 6, 2014 9:32 pm

8 Comments

By HEATHER, October 7, 2014 @ 7:56 am

Your articles are always well written, have great content and are easy to follow and understand. Thank you for taking the time to do this and helping others.
By TinaMiller, October 7, 2014 @ 10:10 am

Thank you for the encouragement.
I know I have always felt lost on some of the sites I have tried to access (I am a bit computer illiterate.) and wanted to create a easy to read and maneuver location for others to navigate from and through and even discuss problems or suggest ideas.