DLA questions

[boredandrestless]

Well I had yet another attempt at toilet training DS at the start of the summer holidays, and fingers crossed, we seem to have cracked it!!

He's 8 in October so I'm very pleased. (very proud mum)

Anyway my DLA questions . . . .

Should I inform DLA of this change? He's still needing a lot of help - reminders, accompanying to the toilet, wiping, supervision in bathroom, etc. I don't want to not tell them if it will affect his claim, but don't want all the faff if they don't need to know.

Does anyone know, if this change is something that will affect his claim, will it change the rate he gets to a lower one? I'm very pleased and proud he's no longer in pull ups but he still needs a lot of other help and constant supervision, lots more to work on! He currently gets HRC, LRM. (He has a full time 1:1 at school to give you an idea of his needs.)

I think I will call them on Tuesday to get an official reply but that's a while away so thought I'd ask on here and see if anyone knew so I'm not anxiously wondering what's what all weekend.

please post nd let us know what they say.

I don't think you need to call them at all... if he still needs more care when using the toilet than another 8 year old then I can't see that it is relevant.

I wouldn't call them tbh.

Hmm don't know what to do now.

I'm a bit of a worrier and if I don't call them I'll be anxious about it, that they might say I should have told them - I don't to want to get in trouble or be doing the wrong thing.

On the other hand though I know they are keenly cutting things and he does still need a lot of help and supervision so I am also worried they will try to cut his rate of the care element. If they do this within the criteria for each rate then that's fine but I don't want them doing it for the sake of it and then having to appeal.

Well my ds didn't wear a nappy and in theory he could sit on the loo for a wee and a poo when we claimed DLA (so some would argue he was toilet trained!) and he was awarded HRC.

However he certainly cannot use the toilet independantly as he would... strip off, wee all over the floor, flood the sinks by playing with the water (his obsession), not be aware to wipe his bum or be capable of doing this properly anyway without getting poo everywhere.

HRC (or any rate care for that matter) is not awarded simply on the issue of whether a child is tiolet trained.

DD1 is continent by day (needs supervision in toilet & help with wiping, but can get herself on/off and knows what to do). She gets HRC which was awarded for the second time at 5.

baboos and lougle that's reassuring to know that your dcs are in knickers/undies but still get high rate care. I think that was my main concern - that they would say well he's not in pull ups any more, and reduce his DLA rate without looking at all his other needs. My DS still often wakes during the night and I think the fact that he needs constant supervision and vigilance was a factor in his high rate care as well as his other needs.

Pull ups means less care as you can ignore toilet needs for a bit when everything's contained. 24h supervision for 'Poo now, poo now, poo now' when the dc is in pants might be HRC on that alone .

That's a good point marian I am much more on "high alert" than I was when he was in pull ups.

If its any help I've just had a similar situation with ds2 - he toilet trained eventually at age 5 and I've just had to do his DLA renewal - I was convinced that he would be dropped a band (from middle to lower) but I've just had the letter this morning to say that he will still get middle rate and they are now giving him lower rate mobility as well.

(ds2 has epilepsy, sli and autistic traits)