Hypermobility and low muscle tone in children (not babies)

[Lenny]

If affects up to 10% of the population apparently. I was hoping someone here might have some advice. I guess I just want to know whether, with muscle strengthening exercises, he will function normally, or is he always going to struggle.

Yes to the carrying thing. Honestly, sometimes I thought I was going crazy. It's a lucky thing he's so light still or I'd be at the physio for a bad back.

Does DD wake at night often? (She's going to be two soon - wow!!). I am hoping these things will improve once we help him get stronger. DSs legs hurt him so much. He wakes very frequently at night crying.

DSs gross motor skills are average, but this is more as a result of trying doubly hard to get half as far. He can't get himself up from lying down - he still needs to roll over and use his arms and legs. His upper body is weaker, but I guess he doesn't ever really get an upper body work out!

His flexibility is, putting it simply, quite revolting! I had no idea until they started manipulating him. Yuck! I mean I knew about the thumbs because I got them caught in his clothes when he was a baby and I thought I broke his thumb. I nearly cried.

I'm hoping someone can tell me how their child copes at school and how long we will need to give him special exercises for.

[onthefly]

Three!
DD is same, but probably 9-12 months behind. Sleep is getting better, though. She usually wakes 2-3 times, but heaps better than before.
I always used to worry about her shoulders when I was moving her around as a baby, but she was always fine and I convinced myself that babies are just flexible and maybe DS had been the same. DD has seen physio, who's only mentioned potential problems with feet & legs and that she might need special inserts, but that they wont' do that till later, unless she's in particular pain. She rarely says she is, but still quite young. I think she's just used to being tired and sore, though. She refuses to do any special exercises