One of my colleagues with a hypermobile third-grader told me this chair has been a great chair at school for her child.  It hits a lot of my targets for a good chair recommendation, so here it is:  The Giantex chair.

Why do I like it so much?

• It is a bit adaptable and it is sized for kids.  No chair fits every child, but the more you can adjust a chair, the more likely you are to provide good supportive seating.  This chair is a good balance of adaptability and affordability.  My readers know I am not a fan of therapy balls as seating for homework when a child is hypermobile.  Here’s why: Should Hypermobile Kids Sit On Therapy Balls For Schoolwork?
• It isn’t institutional.  Teachers, parents, and especially kids, get turned off by chairs that look like medical equipment.  This looks like a regular chair, but when adjusted correctly, it IS medical equipment, IMPO.
• It’s affordable.  The child I described got it paid for by her school district to use in her classroom, but this chair is within the budget of some families.  They can have two; one at school and one at home for homework or meals.  Most kids aren’t too eager to use a Tripp Trapp chair after 6 or 7. That chair is a hit with many therapists, but it’s untraditional looks bother a lot of older children.  This chair isn’t going to turn them off as easily.  It gives better back support as well: Why Using a Chair Correctly is SO Difficult for Hypermobile Kids and Adults
• This chair looks like it would last through some growth.  I tell every parent that they only thing I can promise you is that your child will grow.  Even the kids with genetic disorders that affect growth will grow larger eventually.  This chair should fit kids from 8-12 years of age in most cases.  The really small ones or the really tall ones?  Maybe not, but the small ones will grow into it, and the tall kids probably fit into a smaller adult chair now, or in the near future.

For comparison, read about a desk chair that has a footrest: Need A Desk Chair With a Footrest For Your Hypermobile Kid? .

If you would like more posts on helping hypermobile kids, read Why Joint Protection Solutions for Hypermobility Aren’t Your Granny’s Joint Protection Strategies, How To Correctly Reposition Your Child’s Legs When They “W-Sit” and When Writing Hurts: The Hypermobile Hand.

Want more information to help your older child and make life easier?  My newest book on hypermobility has finally arrived!

The JointSmart Child:  Living and Thriving With Hypermobility  Volume Two: The School Years is now available as a paperback or as a read-only download on Amazon , and a printable download on Your Therapy Source .  It is filled with the practical information that parents and therapists need to make kids’ lives easier, safer, and more independent.  Your Therapy Source has created book bundles, discounting all of my books when you buy more than one, making it more affordable to get the information you need.

There are extensive ideas for school and home, and strategies that make immediate improvements in a child’s life.  Learn how to buy and fill a backpack that doesn’t damage a child’s joints, how blankets can create more pain and sleep problems,  and how to help a child write and keyboard with greater control.  PLUS:  the appendix is filled with handouts you can use.  Ideas for fun cooking projects that build fine motor skills, checklists for you next IEP meeting, and a form to guide your next doctor’s appointment!

Read more about it here: Parents and Therapists of Hypermobile School-Age Kids Finally Have a Practical Guidebook!