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SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

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Original poster

Blue badge

20 replies

Crawling · 14/03/2013 11:29

Has anyone got one for a child who isn't on hrm?

Dd 3 has to travel in a pram as she gets so distressed but as she can physically walk was turned down for hrm and I was told to reapply when she is 5.

I have lrm myself and what I really wanted is a blue badge can I still get one?

OP posts:

lougle · 14/03/2013 11:58

When DD1 was 3 I got her a blue badge. We were turned down initially, but I appealed and won.

The criteria for a blue badge is:

"Has a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking.

You do not qualify if you have a psychological disorder, learning or behavioural problems. This will not normally qualify you unless your impairment causes very considerable, and not intermittent, difficulty in walking. "

On that basis, I argued that whilst the effect of DD1's condition was partially behavioural refusal to walk and the physical effects of her condition were not 'very considerable', the origin of her condition was a physical malformation of her brain. Therefore, they should consider the two features (the behavioural refusal to walk and the physical fatigue, stumbling,etc.) together and issue her a badge.

They did.

Remember, ASD is a recognised as an 'organic' condition (ie. physical) now.

lougle · 14/03/2013 12:00

WRT your blue badge application, it would depend why you get LRM and whether there are physical features that could be considered to make you unable to walk or have very considerable difficulty in walking.

What they won't do, is consider you and DD together and issue one because of the combined effect.

Original poster

Crawling · 14/03/2013 12:12

Thanks lougle I get Lrm because of a mental illness so not physical. I will try for dd first.

OP posts:

lougle · 14/03/2013 12:23

You won't get a blue badge for a mental illness, sorry.

Original poster

Crawling · 14/03/2013 12:25

It's okay I'll see if they will give one for dd.

OP posts:

CwtchesAndCuddles · 14/03/2013 12:28

DS is 4 and gets no mobility. We have a discretionary bb for him, he has severe learning dificulties and ASD and attends a special school within the LA. I took him with me and I think it helped!

Icedcakeandflower · 14/03/2013 12:57

Sorry for mini hijack - Lougle, does your dd get mobility? My ds gets lrm and has AS, and I'm thinking of applying.

lougle · 14/03/2013 13:06

She does now, Ice, HRM. When I first got the blue badge she didn't have mobility at all, as she was turned down for HRM and too young for LRM.

EverythingIsTicketyBoo · 14/03/2013 13:12

My DS has just been given one (finally) he gets mrc and lrm, he is 15 now and has Usher Syndrome (means he is deaf/blind) he can walk and has a guide cane for assistance and we have been turned down in the past.

This time I filled in the forms and when it came to the phone assessment I answered based on the worst case scenario (a little like the dla forms). The fella on the phone said we would most likely have to go to appeal as he didn't think we would qualify but would do the assessment first. Turns out we did actually qualify as he falls/trips more than 5 times a year. Just waiting for our BB to arrive. Don't give up, and never say 'well they can but ..........' because all they hear is that they can do something.

Good luck.

lougle · 14/03/2013 13:23

"we did actually qualify as he falls/trips more than 5 times a year."

Is that a typo? Did you get a badge because he falls or trips more than 5 times per year?

There is hope!

bigbluebus · 14/03/2013 13:43

That's interesting everything. In our LA you automatically qualify for a Blue Badge if you are registered blind - at least you did last time i renewed DDs a couple of years ago.

EverythingIsTicketyBoo · 14/03/2013 13:54

Sorry I should say DS is registered sight impaired (not severely or blind so no automatic entitlement) this means that we can say he trips and falls more often than a person who's sight was not an issue.

Always hope!!

bigbluebus · 14/03/2013 14:31

Sorry everything I just assumed wrongly that if he needed a guide cane, then his eye sight would be bad enough for him to be registered blind. DD has limited sight although she has a whole host of other issues too (which actually qualify her for a Blue Badge anyway) but she is registered blind.

EverythingIsTicketyBoo · 14/03/2013 14:45

No problem big teen has complex sight issues. During the day he has lovely sight (with glasses his acruity is 6/6) but his peripheral vision sucks (hence the cane and tripping up, a lot) and he is night blind. His peripheral will eventually start to 'close in' and his tolerance to light will get worse. At the moment he is just sight impaired, but it will change.

SallyBear · 14/03/2013 14:47

The BB is such an emotive thing. DS4 has one now, but I had to jump through a load of hoops to get him hrm. He had been awarded lrm, but I really wanted a BB as he is a nightmare in car parks, he's too heavy to carry, he runs off, has no understanding of danger etc. the relief to get a BB was huge. It's made a big impact on us. We go out now more as a family as we can park somewhere safely. I know it sounds silly....

EverythingIsTicketyBoo · 14/03/2013 14:47

He needs his cane constantly at night or in dim light or busy areas where his sight becomes the main issue. During a lovely well lit day and not in a crowded place his hearing is his main problem. Sorry if I'm not explaining this very well. I know what I mean

zzzzz · 14/03/2013 15:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SallyBear · 14/03/2013 15:40

Zzzzz. That's why I had to go for hrm DLA as LA wouldn't recognise his needs even though his ASD means that he goes to a special school....

NoHaudinMaWheest · 14/03/2013 16:24

zzzzz DLA is an automatic qualifier but there is provision for a badge if pyschological or behavioural difficulties cause severe difficulties in walking all the time. Walking should mean walking with a purpose as opposed to just putting one foot in front of another.
I think it just depends on how you frame it and how the LA or the person you speak to at the LA interprets the rules.
Google blue badge put in your postcode and you can take it from there.

lougle · 14/03/2013 16:45

HRM is an automatic qualifier.

If you don't get HRM then you have to justify it and hope that they understand.

I talked the lady through my argument on the phone, then appealed in writing, addressed to her. I explained that if someone had a bad back, they could still qualify because although their legs were perfectly fine, their back caused them difficulty with walking. In the same way, DD1's legs are ok (well ish) but her brain causes her to use them as they should be used.

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