Ds is 13 and has problems walking. He's OK for a couple of metres (sometimes less) on a flat surface, then he struggles as the ligaments in his ankles are too loose so walking becomes painful or he falls over. I have to take him to school because he falls into the road and he needs someone with him to make sure he's safe.
I did apply for DLA a couple of years ago but they turned him down 
, they seemed to ignore the fact that he's in pain and it's unsafe. I'm applying again (farking form), but I've been trying to find out whether the local council can help (a bus pass or something). They are not picking up the phone though. The trip to school involves a bus, and then a tram as he'd never make it up the hill. Do you have any ideas?
Thank you 
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What's the best way to get a child to school?
LadyMaryCreepyCrawley · 09/11/2012 11:21
The paediatrician assessed him for that, his ankles and wrists are severe, but the rest of him is OK so she didn't say yes or no. I paid for him to have weekly pilates lessons a couple of years ago, that really helped to stop the falls but didn't help with the pain. He has flat feet as well, so wears insoles (which also don't help with the pain).
I have another form, Mamma. Their excuse was that he could actually walk and it wasn't life threatening to do so
She assessed him using the beighton scale, Walter. The physio should assess him again (when the appointment comes through).
It's costing me a fortune to get him to school, my ticket is twice the price of his, and the tram to get him up the hill (2 stops) is £26 a week! I get so pissed off, it's such a rip off but there's nothing that I can do.
This has been going on for years! 
The first GP referred him to an orthopedic surgeon who (despite my telling him that ds was hypermobile- I'm also hypermobile so I know the signs) planned on operating. This would have involved breaking both of ds's femurs, turning them slightly and pinning them. Ds had a gait assessment, which said this wasn't necessary. The orthopedic bloke then referred him to a NHS physio, who agreed with me. She saw him once, then fell off her horse so cancelled all further appointments. I called about 4 months later, to find that they had discharged ds. In the mean time I paid for him to have pilates lessons. My GP referred ds to a paediatrician, she didn't have a clue. The school GP referred ds to a community paediatrician, she then referred him back to the NHS physio and OT team. This appointment took months to come through, and by the time it had we'd moved house so they refused to see him.
I had to go to a new GP and get a new referral to a new paediatrician. She is referring him, again, to a paediatrician and an OT. We're now waiting, again, for an appointment. In the mean time, ds can barely walk down the road. I applied for DLA for him 2 years ago and they turned him down as he 'can actually walk'. They rejected his appeal. It's just a sick joke.
I did try to get a private appointment for him with one of the professors at Great Ormond Street but I didn't hear back from him I'll google Nathon Hasson. We are waiting for another physio/OT/Orthotics appointment though. I could really do with some help getting him to school though, and I don't really know where to get this.
Good for you! I'm shocked at how they treat children. It's not rocket science.
There is a school bus but he won't use it as he's had a bad experience on a different school bus. It would make life soo much easier.
They've changed the DLA form, this one seems so easy to fill in.
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