DLA for Eczema? Help Please!

[AnnaG]

Can someone please help me fill out the overwhelming 52 pages disability living allowance form?

DD has severe eczema and it has come quite second nature with cream application, etc.

Would be grateful for any tips.

A
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I don't have experience of eczema but have 2 boys who both receive DLA.

Hopefully others will give you specific advice but general tips are:

• Describe the bad days as they really are and don't make the mistake of trying to sound positive about it all.

• Keep a diary for a week or so and write down absolutely everything you have to do, including how long it takes.

• Help needed at night-time is disregarded unless it takes 20+ minutes at a time. If your dd needs help 3 times a night for 10 minutes each time you would be better off putting the time into onebig block.

Frequently include comparisons to other children of the same age with no eczema and use the horrible phrase "A normal child needs/doesn't need...."

• Try not to feel as though you are somehow being disloyal to your dd by writing it down as it is. Ultimately she will benefit from the extra help you get.

• Photocopy everything before you send it off and keep a copy safe.

• send it by recorded delivery so they can't deny it ever arrived.

• Add copies of any medical reports you have and list absolutely every bit of equipment/medication your dd needs.

Hi there!

I am in the process of applying for my youngest ds (2.1) There alre lots of elements to my ds's claim, eczema being one of them.

I agree with the previous poster, tell it like it is. I have been in touch with someone who used to work for DLA who said the best way to get an award is to fill in the form from the perspective of your dd's worst ever day and worst ever night. Keep these firmly in your mind.

A diary is also a good idea. If like me, you do creams or medications without second thought and don't even really notice that you have done them because it is just another part of your day, you need to make a note of everything that you do from washing your hands to changing blood stained bed sheets or even just comforting your child at night, even if you don't have to re-apply creams or dressing.

I won't lie, the forms are depressing, it is hard on any parent having to concentrate on your child's bad points. Don't be afraid to go into detail, paint a picture with words if you have to. If you put just the basic facts and don't elaborate on how hard it is on you and your family you will get nothing.

Good luck!

i can do a walk through for each questionms for you that you are stuck on. dd1 gets high rate care for asthma, eczema and allergies. totally get what you mean about second nature. its comman for my three year old now to disregard foods qwith 'nicole cant have that, it has colourings in'. 'no that will make my skin sore'.

I think it's more the further justification part? Do I include the extra things (creams and clothing mainly) we buy her (not available on the NHS). Do I just repeat what I sort of said on a run through of a normal day? I think it takes 10 mins to apply cream, but another 10 washing hands, putting clothes back on. And that's a minimum of 10 times a day (during the day). It's a different thing at night, as we wet wrap her sometimes or just keep re-applying the creams. We also have to sometimes wet wrap her during the day also????

This is all second nature and I've never had to think how long it takes to put cream on!

Part 8 - I also said that someone needs to be with her 24/7 because of her food allergies and the risk she may come into contact, but then ... at her age, someone does need to be with her 24/7?

The fun ...

I ticked yes for part 8 as ds also has food allergies (as well as a heart condition, breathing trouble, eczema, sensory issues, speech..blah, blah, blah!)

Hang on a tick and I will see what I put on part 8! (incidentally, did you know that you can practice on an on-line claim form? That's what I have been doing, but it helps if you have adobe 7)

Here's part of what I put for part 8:

Jamie's diet must be closely monitored due to his allergies to all dairy products, eggs, nuts and wheat and his intolerance to soya. It only takes trace amounts of any of these products to set off a reaction, which makes Jamie uncomfortable due to the hives and feel quite poorly with gastrointestinal upsets due to the wheat. If Jamie's diet is not closely monitored and he eats wheat products, he gets mucousy diarrhoea, up to 6 dirty nappies a day, horrendous, rectal bleeding & weeping nappy rash and looses weight very quickly, weight he doesn't have to spare due to his heart condition. I need to be around to administer meds at the appropriate times. His eczema must also be checked throughout the day. On hot days, sweat and sun cream irritates his skin and on cold days, the central heating dries his skin out and makes his condition worse

A good way to think of it is to imagine that you have to leave your dd for 24hrs with someone else who doesn't know about her eczema. Write a set of instructions for them detailing exactly what they need to do to keep your dd as comfortable/healthy as possible. Take out the bits that would apply to everyone and use the rest as a starting-point for your form.