United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Colleen has a heavy load of books she carries back and forth from school everyday. Have any of you requested extra books from the school so that your kids don't have to lug them back and forth?
When she had her pronator teres sugery last spring, I got her a rolling book bag. However, she still needs to carry it in certain areas. Am I being overly protective of her non-BPI arm???

Donna

No you aren't being over protective of her non-bpi arm! This is an excellent idea. Those of us who are older obpi's will tell you that we wished we had done more to protect the non-bpi arm. The weight on the shoulder of a heavy backpack can be quite harmful either way, either wearing it on the non bpi shoulder by itself or by wearing it on both shoulders.

It doesn't hurt to ask them. This would be an easy accommodation I would think.

Let us know how it goes.

Nancy

Hi! Ditto what Nancy said.
Also I told both of my daughters that they should both never hurt themselves by carrying too much in their back packs - that it was so hard on their backs, necks, shoulders, and so on. (I try not to single out my daughter who has the injury because sometimes that makes her more stubborn trying to prove that she CAN carry...)Anyway, last week Brittney told me that they are supposed to carry the same books home everyday even though they don't really need them if they get their stuff done. She told me that she talked to her teacher and told her that her Mom didn't like her carrying so much in her backpack and asked if she could please leave the books at school that she would not need at home that night and the teacher told her that was a fine idea. I also told my daughters that they should call me from school if they must carry too much home and I will come and pick them up instead of them walking or riding their bikes. Those book bags get so heavy. I sure do not remember mine ever weighing as much as theirs sometimes do. So anyway - maybe you could find out also if all the books she is bringing home are really needed every night. Hope this helps,
Christy

I am a teacher. Depending on te school district, most will accomodate with an extra textbook to be kept at home. If you are in a state that has textbook rental fees you may be asked to pay the rental fee for each set you request. If the school is short on books, another option may be to copy the current chapter of the book to keep at home. I know it is a pain, but some schools have student classroom assitants that can make copies for the regular teacher or you could copy it yourself. Another thing I notice with my kids at school and my nephews who are school age is that some times the kids get in a rut of carrying things home that they don't really need. Example is that they have a book they are reading for a book report, they drag it back and forth from school to home four times before they actually read it. Keeping the bag cleaned out and down to essentials will help. If you are doing case reviews at this time the books for home can be put into an IEP. I had a student with tramatic brain injury that we did this for, he had short term memory problems and would forget his books all the time after his accident.

My daughter had to have tendonsreleased in her wrists a few years and was not allowed to carry more than a few pounds..her dr weighed her back pack and not even a full load ended up being over 50 lbs! I think asking for the extra books at home would be a great idea to ask for or put in the iep and will keep this in mind. we are already looking into a rolling pack for katie to haul her stuff around the house/ therapy/daycare with as she is starting to want to "help" and we don't want her to abuse her non injured arm! try weighing the bag so you can use this as an attention getter if need be when talking with the school!

I saw this news magazine show years ago..forgot which one...they showed schools in Japan - they have paperback books that are only as big as one chapter! That's one smart idea!

Why are American school publishers SO STOOOOPID ?? The size and weight of these books are just ridiculous. I think EVERY child should keep their books at home and not have to shlep that kind of weight back and forth! I wonder if we're going to see reports and studies about neck injuries and disc herniations, etc from all this weight 10-20 years from now.... aarrgggh!

stepping off my soapbox!
-francine

I don't even want to get on this soap box because it ticks me off so bad!!! School administrators would quit their jobs if someone forced them to carry 50 lbs. around all day!!
T.

To Tessie258:
AMEN!!!!! A friend of mine who teaches does not have a regular classroom. When he requested a cart to put his supplies on to push from room to room and help him be more organized the Principal laughed at him and said that he was just being lazy, carrying stuff is good exercise! Good thing ya' didn't get on your soap box, it could get really crowded on there in a hurry

Nancy

You said it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! .... my left arm carried so many books and bags.... it thinks it's the bpi arm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! now

I believe that the school system must supply books for children who have special needs... and it is a special need for a bpi child.... carring books and dragging the bag on wheels contorts their bodies!
causing more compensation.....
If a student breaks their leg... books are sent home for them...

I wish all of the children did not have to carry so many books... just watch a class of first to third graders going into school... all have backpacks and are hunched forward for balance... some of the back packs are bigger then the kids... last year I picked up my granddaughter from school when I saw the position she was in carring the books I took them from her... and let her stand up straight... someone commented "look how the grandmother's spoil the kids" well it was true all the grandmother's there carried the kids books because we know it is bad for their little backs.... (also bad for the teenagers too)

jumping off my soap box... I hate backpacks... too much homework... and kids taking all of their books home.... we never did and had tons of written homework.... but only three different subjects each night... perhaps it is the amount of homework given that causes the kids to bring the books home....
Kath

I really appreciate the sage advice from all of you. I guess I'll head on over to speak with the principal!

Thanks, Donna