dla for child with conduct disorder

[minx32]

could i claim dla for child who has a conduct disorder.

what is conduct disorder?

you can try. get advice on how to fill in the form

With child DLA you aren't judged by a diagnosis but by the amount of additional care the child needs above what would be expected as normal for a similar age peer. Look at the guide on Cerebra's website here:

www.cerebra.org.uk/
(sorry, rubbish at links) for advice on the sort of differences you'd need to report.

And yes, you should try, even if you get knocked back at the first hurdle. The majority of DLA claims don't get accepted first time so you'll probably have to request a reconsideration, but don't let this put you off with thoughts of not qualifying, it's just that at first glance claims are viewed by clerical pen-pushers without medical knowledge and you didn't fit their target for that month. Keep trying.

And good luck.

I used the guide from BHAS for applying for DLA under mental health grounds for under 16 and it really helped. Its 52 pages long and it was quite heavy going but by following their advice we got middle rate dla the first time we applied. Ds doesn't have a dx but the paed has said he thinks its AS. One thing that I think really helped our application was supporting evidence from the school. Have a look\link{http://www.bhas.org.uk/freeguides/dla_guides.shtml\ here}

Can I suggest you consider getting help with this? Eg CAB?

You specifically cannot get dla for behavioural disorders. This means kids with adhd (for eg) often get turned down.

I don't know what a conduct disorder is but it sounds like this might affect you.

Go to eg a CAB, explain the problem and your concerns and ask for a referral to a benefits specialist. Or get some kind of assurance that your advisor knows what they are doing-get them to discuss the case with their manager, stress that it may be considered by decision makers to be behavioual and so must be handled carefully.

It might be a hassle but honestly its easier than going to appeal.

I'd have to disagree with you on that Filyjonk. My DS has an emotional and social development disorder which specifically presents with behavioural difficulties and this is the main area of concern and the basis for my DLA claim. At present he is undiagnosed but may or may not have Asperger's Syndrome. He gets middle rate care and low rate mobility.

I'd still say it's worth a try. Conduct disorder is a diagnosis of a genuine condition and therefore not the result of inadequate parenting. There's a difference between a disorder and a difficulty - the former is developmental (and therefore technically a disability) whereas the latter could be circumstantial.

Karenthirl - thanks for your post, I was confused by that, my DS2 is ASD and currently gets DLA care and mobility, because his condition gives rise to all sorts of difficulties, some of which could be termed "Behavioural".

Minx32, I don't fully know what conduct disorder is, either, but would like to. If I'm guessing right that it overlaps with ASD/ADHD types of difficulties, then I would say follow up the DLA. Can a paediatrician who knows your child give you any advice on this?

nonono karen, absolutely give it a try but it can be hard to get for the reasons i said below. adhd shouls be seen as mental health but sometimes decision makers argue that it is behavioural and you cannot get it for bahvioural, honeslty, its in the regulations.

So all I'm saying is get helo to do it, not that you're not entiled.

I'm doing a parenting course through CAMHS. The chap who runs the course told us that children with adhd can get DLA, and that their consultants would sign the form.

I don't know what's in the regulations but I do know you don't need a dx to get DLA because ds gets middle rate care component and he doesn't have a dx. The paed thinks it might be AS but he isn't sure at this stage and ds won't actually be assessed until he is 7. Ds got his statement based entirely on his behavioural difficulties in the classroom. I don't know if they even contacted the paed to ask for his opinion - they may have gone on the evidence I included in the form plus the report from the school and his statement. There is nothing in his statement or in the school's report about him possibly having AS. Definately apply - the worst that can happen is that they turn you down. Check out the link I posted earlier in the thread.

Ok, sorry, seem to have generated confusion and didn't mean to. You can definately get DLA if you have ADHD, sorry for any confusion, no question at all-

BUT for any DLA decision they will look not just at whether there is a disability but how it affects your life, specifically if you need care/help to get around.

When deciding whether and how much to award, they will not take into account anything which they see as soly a behavioural problems.

Now this sometimes affects ADHD cases and mean either no award is given or that it is low. For example, a boy who was running around setting fire to the big dustbins in town, had an ADHD dx. No DLA awarded because decision maker saw it as behavioural.

I think this is crap btw because IME behavioural problems are often evidence of an undiagnosed mental health problem anyway, but this is honestly what the law says.

Now I'm not saying it always happens and actually I don't know what conduct disorder is, but just from the name, I think its just the sort of thing which might encounter this problem. The appeals process can take 4 or 5 months to go through, plus its not a nice experience, really, and I wanted to advise the op to take steps to avoid having to go to appeal. Its just a case really of phrasing the form to stress the mental health side rather than the behavioral side, really.

But deffo apply, even if you can't get help. The worst they can do is turn you down.