• It is important to realise that fractures can be caused by normal behaviour such as shutting a door; teachers will not be held responsible if such a fracture happens in school.
• A child with this condition may have to spend a lot of time in hospital so it is important to try to provide continuity in education; if possible, liase with parents and other carers and provide work which is being missed.
• It may be necessary to experiment with different types of pen and paper etc. as children are likely to have had many fractures in their hands.  The majority are left-handed due to frequency of fractures in the right hand.
• Teachers should consult with the occupational therapist with regard to type of seating and desks for the child.
• As handwriting is likely to be slow and poorly formed, handouts of notes would be helpful.
• A computer keyboard is likely to be helpful.
• Swimming is good but most other forms of P.E. are not; consult with parents and medical personnel.
• If a child with brittle bones is mobile, e.g. on crutches, arrangements will need to be made so that he/she will not be knocked or bumped into.  For example, he/she or she may wait until others have cleared the corridor before he/she returns to the classroom.

This condition is caused by a lack of the collagen protein which builds bone, nails, skin, ligaments and teeth.  The absence of this leads to bones fracturing extremely easily.  Repeated fractures and weak bones can result in small stature.  This condition can lead to deafness in adulthood.

What to look for:  children with this condition will bruise easily.  Before diagnosis they may be thought of as accident-prone.

It is important that these children have a calcium-rich diet.

Case Studies

Teaching Strategies

People who can help: SENCO/Resource Teacher; Physiotherapist

Books

Further Information

http://www.dundee.ac.uk/medther/tayendoweb/images/brittle_bone_disease.htm
http://www.webhealth.co.uk/a_to_z_of_health/brittlebone.asp
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/brittlebones.html