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Allergies and intolerances

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Original poster

Disability Allowance for excema

32 replies

keresley · 10/07/2005 00:56

Just wanted to tell all mums whose babies have excema about DLA. I applied for it for my son who has bad excema. I had to fill in a long form and my GP had to also write a report. I thought that I may get the lowest level if we were lucky. To my utter surprise, I recieved a letter to say that I had been given DLA and I have been awarded the highest amount (£60 per week) and they backdated this to the day I sent the application form in. I really would urge other mums in the same situation to apply for this. We now can buy all my ds specialist creams, clothes and equipment ( air conditioners, humidifiers, water softners etc) without worrying about the financial implications.

OP posts:
alexsmum · 10/07/2005 00:59

wow- wish i'd known about this 12 months ago when ds2 had a face like a plate of meat.
that's really good. the thing that really helped ds was homeopathy and that was £35 a pop. not cheap.

sparklymieow · 10/07/2005 01:02

I still have the forms here for dd2, I can't find anyone willing to sign the back..... Have had them for 6 months.....

tatt · 10/07/2005 05:53

didn't know about this until I joined mumsnet, too late for anyone I knew. What does the person signing the back have to say?

misdee · 10/07/2005 08:16

ask my HV to sign it.

misdee · 10/07/2005 08:28

i've got to redo dd1 forms. dreading it.

hercules · 10/07/2005 08:32

so how were you supposed to pay for them before? barmy system. Hope the nhs advertise this clearly too.

misdee · 10/07/2005 08:33

they dont hercules, which is why mieow is having problems getting the forms signed by a professional.

Original poster
keresley · 10/07/2005 12:58

The only people that signed my form was myself and my sister. She gave the second account of how my ds excema affects his life. I chose her because she spends time each week looking after him too. The professional person I chose was my GP. The DLA wrote to my GP, I arranged a meeting with my GP and he wrote the form whilst myself and my husband was present. The reason we were classified as the highest rate was beacause my ds needs 'help with bodily functions several times a day as well as more than once a night. This is the times we apply cream to him.

OP posts:
misdee · 10/07/2005 13:07

my dd1+2 get the high rate for eczema, allergies, vomiting, asthma etc.

sparklymieow · 10/07/2005 13:08

Problem I have is my HV has just changed so the new one hasn't known us long enough

jenk1 · 10/07/2005 20:53

is there a minimum age to get dla?

misdee · 10/07/2005 20:56

they have to have a problem for 3months i think, and expected to last longer then 6 months.

ianmdagenham · 19/07/2005 16:40

my daughter is now 4 and has severe excema and a fod allergy against wheat, eggs, and some other diary products. We applied for dla 2 years ago when it first broke out and our gp had to fill in a report. My wife attended his surgery and he said bluntly to her that your daughter ONLY has excema and a fod allergy and you WILL NOT get dla for her !!!. we have tried several times since to claim dla but the gp now puts on the form 'mild excema'. We are fighting a losing battle as he really has convinced us that excema is nothing to claim dla for and that we have 'no hope' of getting it'.I would say he is ignorant, he says he is a professional !!. We can not change doctors as they are all full. Any ideas?????.
ian

ianmdagenham · 19/07/2005 16:41

my daughter is now 4 and has severe excema and a food allergy against wheat, eggs, and some other diary products. We applied for dla 2 years ago when it first broke out and our gp had to fill in a report. My wife attended his surgery and he said bluntly to her that your daughter ONLY has excema and a fod allergy and you WILL NOT get dla for her !!!. we have tried several times since to claim dla but the gp now puts on the form 'mild excema'. We are fighting a losing battle as he really has convinced us that excema is nothing to claim dla for and that we have 'no hope' of getting it'.I would say he is ignorant, he says he is a professional !!. We can not change doctors as they are all full. Any ideas?????.
ian

jenk1 · 20/07/2005 12:16

can u try your health visitor, or hospital dietician if she is under one?

Nixz · 20/07/2005 13:18

my dd has excema, hayfever etc and she needs to use humidifiers etc but as they dont last long i have had to buy 2 in her lifetime and am almost ready to buy another one. The creams and other products which she uses are supplied on prescription which i dont pay for. What else do people use their money for from the dla to buy as: 1) i would like to apply for it and 2) im wondering if there are treatments etc out there which i havent used or tried (not creams as i have tried about 50!, she has had moderate to severec exeama since birth)Thanx

misdee · 20/07/2005 13:21

i buy the kids sleepsuits which are between 30-40quid a time.

Nixz · 20/07/2005 13:25

Missdee, What are the sleepsuits, what do they do etc? I have never heard of these.

cori · 20/07/2005 13:29

ianmdagenham
Maybe your Gp doesnt understand your DD conditon well enough.
Any medical professional will do. A Dermetologist or heath visitor. Or any other professional who knows your daughter well. Doesnt have to be a GP.

misdee · 20/07/2005 13:50

i get the kdis sleepsuits from cotton comfort here . they really do help at nights, and dd1 now wears the poplin ones with feet enclosed and she face isnt bad anymore. i used to get the full all in one,s with enclosed hands and feet with button tapes as well to stop them escaping. when dd1 got her 1st one (was given to me via an eczema group, its full of holes in the feet now on one layer but still usuable) she actually slept through the night. they can also be used as a dry layer when wet wrapping. they have made dd1 school dress for next year (my faulkt as i ordered the wrong size) so hopefully next summer wont be as harsh on her legs with the school dresses (currently man made fibres which are causing havoc with her skin).

i like the 2 peice sets as well, as they are easier for potty training at night than the all in ones.

Nixz · 20/07/2005 14:30

Wow thanks misdee, i didnt know things like that were available!
How severe is your childrens excema? My dd is not too bad in the summer, its is managable but in the winter she is on steroids much of the time (which i tried to put a stop to last year but there was no alternative).
What needs do you need to qualify for dla?
sorry for all the questions!

misdee · 20/07/2005 16:13

DD1 eczema is pretty bad atm, she has an infection as well, so we are treating her with some strong creams and anti histimines to stop the itching. I can be up several times a night re-applying creams, giving inhalors, bathing them when they have managed to scratch themselves to bits. dd2 is more under control right now, but she has other problems as well as eczema/allergies.

Original poster
keresley · 25/07/2005 23:22

If your GP won't support your claim then you can ask for one of the DLA's doctors to come and visit you at home. They, then will assess whether they feel your child is eligible. As for what to buy with the weekly allowance, some of the things I have brought for my baby are as follows: air conditioners, fans (including ones that attach to cot and to buggy), humidifiers, water softners (for bathing), organic foods, video baby monitors- 1 infa red attached to cot so can see if ds is itching at night plus a portable one, little video screen attaches to your belt so I can watch my baby if I pop out of room, cotton bed linen for my bed (as ds often comes into my bed if he is very itchy, replacement flooring for living room (he was allergic to our carpet), allergy matress covers for cot, (very expensive but effective specialist excema clothing (cotton comfort), and most importantly- his creams - SOS cream from Barefoot Botanicals (£15 per 100ml tub). Ds goes through at least 2 per week. we are also looking into private allergy testing and seeing a consultant dermatologist privately as the NHS waiting list is so long. So, although £60 per week seems a lot, we are spending it on our ds care. I would say to all of you trying to apply- keep persevering - your babies deserve the DLA and it does help to make life a little more bearable for them.

OP posts:
Original poster
keresley · 25/07/2005 23:25

Nixz, to be eligible for the highest amount of DLA your baby must need "help with bodily functions several times a day and more than once a night". Basically this is the amount of times you apply creams, bathe your baby etc.

OP posts:
shell78 · 06/08/2006 12:10

Can anyone help me.
I have 2 children both with ezcema. My oldest daughter is not the problem, the youngest who is 22 months however is a different story.
Since 5 weeks she has suffered sereve ezcema. After referrals to dermatologists, peadiatrics, allergists and dieticians it turned out she has allergies to soya, cows milk, peanuts, fish and eggs. Her airbourne allergies are grass, housedustmites, dogs and cats.
My neighbour said I should claim dla for her as the amount of care I gave to her was constant day and night, creams, inhalers, meds, wet wrapping etc.
We were refused at first although I went into great detail on the form and supplied copies of allergy reports, prescriptions,consultant letters. I asked them to look at the claim again and sent a 7 day diary of my routine with her, they also asked the gp for a report (which I did not see), we have now been awarded lower rate as they say I give her help for one hour in total during the day, which has made me angry as I am up most of the night with her reapplying creams and re dressing her limbs, I would love to beable to just give her one hour of care in total, but believe me it's not. I am very mentally and physically exhausted from my daughters regime and don't know whether I have enough strenght to fight against the dla for a higher rate.
Does anybody with more experience of server ezcema and dla have any advice I would really appreciate it!!!???? Any advice on making my daughters life a little bit more comfortable would be brilliant to.