Limb difference is the term used to describe children or young people who have congenital limb loss (born without a limb), or who have had amputation of an upper or lower limb. Some children and young people may have the opportunity to use a prosthetic limb.
Education strategies
If a child or young person has a lower limb difference, familiarise yourself with their specialist equipment:
- do they use a wheelchair over longer distances?
- do they use crutches?
- do they have a range of prosthetic limbs/blades which they use on different occasions?
If the child or young person has an upper limb difference:
- how do they record their work?
- will specialist ICT be required?
- do they need additional time/equipment/ help with fine motor tasks such as dressing, cutting up food, recording their work?
PE: discuss with the child or young person their preferences:
- which sports do they enjoy?
- what skills do they already have?
- look at equipment already in school to see how it can be adapted. Activity Alliance provide free activity cards that cater for all age groups and school development stages. With 25 games and activities across five different categories there’s plenty of choice for teachers, children and young people.. The categories include warm up games, fundamental skills, striking and fielding skills, invasion games, and net court, and wall games. These can be downloaded using the following link: Inclusive PE activity cards (activityalliance.org.uk)
School trips: ensure staff have risk assessed all activities so they are accessible and safe for the child or young person to take part.
Questions about limb difference
Be prepared that some children and young people may ask questions.
Discuss with the child or young person and their family what their choice of answers will be.
Some children and young people are confident talking to a small group, or showing them their prosthetics, others may not be comfortable with this.
Lollipop bookclub has links to books about limb difference that may help. (Always check with the child, young person or their families first) Use the following link to find out more: 15 Inclusive Children’s Books About Limb Differences and Disabilities – The Lollipop Book Club
For more information
Use the following links to find out more information about limb difference: