Disability Living Allowance.

[belledechocchipcookie]

My 12 year old can not walk more then a few yards before either falling over or needing to stop because he's in pain. He finds walking up stairs painful, he finds PE a nightmare because it's so painful and he can't fasten/undo buttons because his fingers become painful so he has to have help so that he can go to the toilet. According to the DWP he's not entitled to DLA because he can actually walk. AIBU to be pissed off with them for this? How disabled does a child have to be to get this??

And did I say go to CAB?

I couldn't get an appointment.

You have to appeal, and when you write about him you have to write in the worse case scenario.

Not how he is on a good day.

I find it ludicrous that they won't even consider the mobility for him, he fell into the road (again) yesterday (twice) within the space of 3 minutes. (bashes head against the wall).

Do I wait for them to tell me to piss off again before appealing?

Just call then explain that you want his claim reconsidered over the phone they will say yes or no - easy. Then if no - appeal.

I did that this morning & gave her some more details. She didn't give me a decision, just said that someone would look at it again.

Where are you Belle? Sorry to bang on, but I know at our CAB you can turn up for a short session where they find out the basics of your problem, then arrange an appointment as appropriate.
Did you explain what the problem was? I can't imagine anyone in your position would be fobbed off like that. Don't let yourself be; believe me, much less pressing cases than yours are dealt with every day. They exist to advise people like yourself and you shouldn't have to fight to be seen.

I didnt know about the reconsider thing. Thanks for that information. I have a feeling it will come in very handy soon.

I hope you get your son's DLA belle. I always assumed they turned the majority down hoping they wouldnt appeal. It does seem to be that abitary (sp).

I'm in Derbyshire. It's a drop in here, people have to wait outside from 08:30 to get an appointment for the day. You can get one for another day if you have childcare but they are always booked up. I'll try them again, it's half term next week so I can drag ds along. Oh joy!

I wish you more luck then me MrdDeVere. I'm so annoyed, it appears irrelevant that he can only walk a few metres before falling into the road/needing to stop because he's in pain. It's just not right!

what a load of shit,my son gets DLA for his dyspraxia,he gets lower rate mob,they are lying to you,appeal if you have been turned down.

Oh bloody hell! It's very similar to dysprxia, he walks into things and has no co-ordination because his ligments are too loose. I wish they would be consistent. I have a friend with 2 profoundly deaf grandchildren, one gets it, the other doesn't!

theres a book you can buy that helps you fill in the form,you need to put things down that you wouldnt normally think of,do you have a HV that could help?
my mate had a really helpful person in the dla office that she always spoke to and was told they have to turn down a certain % because of gov targets but to appeal appeal appeal,so dont give up 1st time.
i had someone from amaze help me with my sons here in brighton and she put in things i wouldnt have thought of because to me its normal,i live with it everyday but to an outsider its not normal.

He's not seen his HV since his 6 month check, he's now 12.

You do tend to just get on with it and not notice, I'd forgotten that he doesn't have hot drinks because he spills them until I'd put the phone down. I've put a lot down (I think), needs help cutting up food/going to the toilet (bloody buttons)/dressing/undressing/in the shower (slips over)/shoelaces (can't do). On the form I said that he struggles to climb stairs/struggles with handwriting/needs supervision outdoors. I can't think of anything else.

you need to see gp and get him tested,his school & school nurse can help,its like banging your head against a brick wall getting the help tho,all that^above is not normal and put all that in the form,ingore what dwp said,call DLA and get a form,once if you get it dont forget to ring child tax credits too and let them know.

Gp wasn't interested and referred him to an orthopedic surgeon (don't ask), surgeon sent him to a NHS physio, NHS physio told me to take him back to the GP, GP sent him to a paediatrician who also didn't have a clue. ('Oh, he's very bendy') I've been paying for him to see a private physio for the past 2 years, she teaches him pilates to help him strengthen his muscles. School have made allowances for him, his tutor noticed that he was struggling on his first week there. The Physio gave them a list of what he should/shouldn't be doing and they have used that. He is allowed to use the lift rather then the stairs/excused from contact sports in PE etc. I've already filled the form in, the next step is a appeal (I think) as they turned him down.

I guarantee you that you are missing stuff off the the form because it is normal to you, and you forget that it is not how most families live. try to spend some time with a child of the same age and gender, and you will see what I mean. I'm 'lucky' - my boyfriend has an NT child the same age as DS1 - the differences in concentration, comprehension, organisation, physical dexterity and environment-awareness are made all the more apparent by the lack of difference in intelligence.

DS1 has ASD and ADHD, both of which carry the stigma of being "made up" but his lavck of concentration and short term memory are disabling him! When I compare him to DSS (which as they are the same age and academic ability, with a v similar upbringing, I feel entitled to do) the 'gaps' are clear .... but if I didn't know DSS I wouldn't be able to 'see' them. they would have remained invisible.

You need to get some 'buzz phrases' into that form.

"Unlike other children his age" and "Because of his condition" and "this affects him because..."

You will repeat yourself endlessly, don't expect them to treat the form as one thing wo be read as a whole, ythey treat it as columns in a newspaper, not necessarily related. Write it as though the reader has an IQ of 75. And, when they ask you how long it takes him to do things, make sure you put how long it would take if you weren't helping him, because NT 12 year olds do not need help for anything at all.

Don't forget 'because'.

you need to tell them why he needs help, why he needs that supervision.

"Ds1 needs to be reminded to wipe his bottom and wash his hands after using the toilet, every single day, because if I did not do this, he would leave faeces on his skin and become very sore. He would forget because of his diagnosed ADHD and ASD which cause organisaitonal and memory problems"

"Ds1 needs to have his hand or wrist held near a road because he would forget to look where he is going or he would stumble into the road, and will dash away without warning. His behavior is because of his diagnosed ADHD and ASD which cause impulse control issues and extreme clumsiness, as identified by X, his occupational therapist."

I didn't write 'unlike other children his age' because I was stupid enough to think that they had some sense. I used a lot of 'ds needs support cutting up his food because the laxity of the muscles and ligaments in his hands mean that he's unable to control the knife and cause pain in his hands from the effort.'

I really do understand why so many people who are entitled just don't bother. They didn't contact his physio, apparantly they don't do this.

yes as colditz has said you need to word it in a way that states clearly if you dont help or remind him he would put himself in danger(to himself or others)that he falls over,you need to replace shoes more often than a normalchild as they wear out much faster,include anything you have from gp,phisio etc,that you have to cut up his food as he cant do it and would choke etc

I've just remembered that he can't open jars or bottles, doh!

www.disabilityuk.com/dla/dla1a.htm

Thank you

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this is the book i was on about xxxx