Teenager Hannah Took On The Responsibility Of Caring For Mum

It’s not every 15-year-old girl who lists putting her mum’s socks on for her among her daily, routine tasks.

But that’s just one of the little things that make life a bit easier for Hannah’s mum, Audrey, who was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy before her only child was born.

The condition, which is a type of nerve damage, causes pain, numbness, tingling and weakness in the hands, arms or feet.

That means Audrey relies on her teenage daughter for help with simple tasks that her illness has rendered impossible. And even though young carer Hannah has never known it any other way, Audrey can’t shake off her feelings of guilt.

“My mum is very wobbly. She does not have the best balance. Her nerves are not good and she occasionally uses a stick,” explained Hannah.

“When we are out and about, I play ‘stick.’ She leans on me. It is mainly her legs and feet, but her grip can go, too.

“My mum used to be steady. Before lockdown, she was more steady, and more confident about walking. Her walking is more stumbly than it was before.”

In normal times, when Airdrie Academy pupil Hannah is at school, she prefers her mum to stay home when she’s not around. She said: “When I was at school, she’d stay in the house until I came home because my dad works…

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https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/teenager-hannah-took-responsibility-caring-23821728