DLA for Autism, ADHD and OCD

[Gingerbreadcookiesandcream]

My son (10) has just been diagnosed with Autism and ADHD. This is on top of OCD which he also has. What are the odds of getting DLA? At school he has several interventions. What kinds of things do you specify to show the extra support and care needed? At home he needs constant reminders to do basic tasks, sometimes I have to be brush his teeth as he will avoid it due to sensory sensitivities, homework is scaffolded by myself and my husband and we have to sit with him every evening to read his school book.
Would things like replacement of clothes count where he's had a sensory sensitivity and refused to wear the clothes? Books/textbooks recommended by therapists? Transport costs to appointments? Is this the kind of thing that I should be specifying?
Thank you very much in advance.

His odds are quite high of getting DLA. My son gets it for autism and RAS. I'm currently in the process of updating it with a change of circumstances as he's now been diagnosed with coeliacs disease and PTSD 🥹 it is absolutely worth applying for your son.

Sorry to add - you don't need to explain on the forms why you "need" the money, or what it would be used on for him or your family etc. On the forms describe him on his worst day (that's what I was told to do for my son by citizens advice). You will also have to gather evidence from school or whoever diagnosed the OCD so GP or CAHM's letter etc.

Dla is about extra care needs, so you need to compare your child with a "normal" child of the same age. Would you expect to clean a 10yr olds teeth?

Keep a detailed diary of what you do for your child for a week and use that to fill in the form.

I was going to say this too. On his worst days is important, don't describe his good days at all as it'll dilute what needs he has. It asks more specific questions like medication, how much time you need to do things like get him to sleep - remember on worst days too, not average. Dressing, helping him do every day things. My DD got DLA with ASD, Tourette Syndrome, anxiety and sensory processing disorders, from that I've been able to get counselling, decent headphones, tutoring etc

My son gets DLA for OCD. Everything you do or any other caregiver does for your child that you wouldn't normally expect to be doing for a child of that age counts. Absolutely everything. I have a list that would wrap twice around the globe.

You have to be honest. You can say “3 times a week on average we have to brush his teeth for him” you couldn’t say “we have to brush his teeth for him every day”

the on his worst day advice isn’t accurate because that isn’t giving the true picture of day to day needs.

https://cerebra.org.uk/download/disability-living-allowance-dla-guide/

this is the best guide on how to fill in the forms

There’s a section where you can say if the needs vary or if they are then same all the time so it gives you an opportunity to explain your circumstances. You don’t have to put down just the experience of the worst days you have space to write about how it can fluctuate

Surely you don't need extra money because you have to spend two minutes brushing dcs teeth?

I was using one of the OPs examples of support she gives him.

I agree with you though I wouldn’t class that as a big extra need especially given that dentists advise brushing children’s teeth for them up to about 8 anyway

That was what is known as "an example". You might have come across examples before.

A 10 year old who needs a parent to brush their teeth is probably struggling in other areas of daily self care too, wouldn't you agree?

My DC has ASD and OCD. Mainstream school and no EHCP. I completed the form accurately. Received mid rate DLA and lower rate mobility allowance (on the basis she won't walk anywhere alone).

No, of course not, it's part of a much, much wider picture and it's more complicated. I'm applying to support him for the extra counselling, academic support that he will need- just as an example. Not all of what he needs is available by the local council and due to CAHMS being so stretched, we ended up having to pay for the assessment ourselves and it was quite a financial chunk to pay.

Yes he struggles with many other aspects of self care that we have to support with - his executive function is something we have to support him with on a daily basis. Sometimes it can take him up to 45 mins before he has his pyjamas on at bedtime.

I suspect you are on the wind up. Nobody could be this dim. It’s not very difficult to understand that you have to extrapolate this out to cover all instances of care. For example, my son needs me to put his socks on as he is scared of touching his feet. Not a big deal on its own. But I also set out his clothes in a particular order in a particular place. If something comes in contact with a ‘contaminant’ we have to start again. He needs help going to the toilet, even though he is physically capable. He is 12. 12 years old. Not a toddler. I have to clean what looks like the aftermath of an Ibiza foam party every time he washes his hands. The list of small things goes on and on and on, adding up to something enormous. Does that help you understand?

It's not being dim, that was the eg. given. Its like listing having to tie shoe laces rather than needs a full session of physiotherapy every morning or night.

Yes what everyone else said. There are some good long running DLA threads on here.

When I filled out the form for DS (he is 14 and has autism, adhd, dyspraxia and tourettes) it took literally weeks because I kept crying all the time. It's not until you start writing down what your life is like that you realise how badly he is affected. It's your normal and his normal. But be clear on where he needs help. Mine can't tie shoelaces for example. He also can't identify people by their faces. This seems small, but it adds up to a range of things.

I also finished up by writing down all the extra expenses we have due to his disability. From the big expenses (psych reports etc) to the apparently trivial (the extra fabric conditioner we need to buy because of his sensory issues).

Take your time to collect all the evidence you have. Everything counts. Take your time filling the forms out. Be prepared for it taking a long time for a decision- ours was 23 weeks.

Good luck.

As another poster already explained, the little things like teeth cleaning and shoelace tying are what build a bigger picture.

A 10 year old who needs a parent to brush their teeth, wipe their face (or at least stand there in the bathroom with them and literally point out the food on their face because they can't process what they see in the mirror), lay their clothes out on the floor in the shape of a person, check that they've remembered to actually take their pyjamas off before putting their school uniform on, brush their hair, tie their laces, zip their coat up...that's a whole lot of extra care needed right there, every single morning, and that's without even starting on the rest of the day! That's the level of care you would expect to be giving to a 3 or 4 year old, not a 10 year old.

Mine is 14 and you have described exactly what we need to do!

Every morning I have to make sure he does not have his pyjamas still on under his uniform. It used to distress me but now we laugh about it.

All those things add up. Each takes mere minutes (and the form asks you to estimate long you take for things and you feel silly writing down ' 2 minutes daily' ). But it adds up to a whole world of difficulty.