Help with DLA form please.

[youarewinning]

Hi all, I've been on here before asking advice about my DS (8.11).

We now have a plan in place with school set up with SENCO as well as his Camhs appointment in September.

DS has many difficulties - mainly social as well as his allergies and bowel issues which add to our day! - and needs far more supervision than his peers.

It's been suggested to me that I apply for DLA for him and having read the form it seems that we qualify.

Has anyone any advice for me about filling out the form? I've been told to fill it out based on our worst day but I'm wondering if it's better to wait until after we've seen Camhs or go ahead with it. I can see there's a section about who DS see's (currently ELSA, SENCO, SA, IEP, LSA support twice a week for IEP and Camhs referral) He's currently segregated at break/lunch due to biting incidents and the plan involves supported and phased inclusion to begin in the new term.

He has also has the DST and not at risk but it was said he has a poor working memory - does this count as a diagnosis? It was just something the school said at the time and gave us exercises to do to improve this.

Also it has a section about someone else filling in about the child. Can this be a family member? My parents have a lot of care of him as I'm a LP but I wonder if a friend would be a better person to complete it?
I could ask his cub leader perhaps? They also recognise the support he needs and he has a member of the team supporting him at all times.

Thanks for reading my essay.

Thankyou - it's things like, DS will knock at someones door and when they answer it cannot communicate why he's there, he cannot start a conversation! Or if someone calls for him he needs support to explain he can't go out, they can't come in etc.

He needs specific instructions as cannot transfer the knowledge to a general common sense! He can't be near main roads alone and only with mature peers as after about 10 minutes he loses concentration, runs across or scooters into road because something takes his notice.
He has no idea of what information he should and shouldn't give to strangers - I've had to literally put my hand over his mouth before when buying paint as he started to tell man in B&Q we were painting the bathroom and then started to say where the bathroom was and give out our address
He cannot process whats happening around him fast enough to the point that eventually he gets frustrated and can lash out, or completely withdraw and become extremely anxious. This then affects his bedtime and he cannot settle.

Also there is all the school stuff - like he needs a timer to complete work in a set time or becomes obsessed with knowing how many lines he must write or how many questions he must answer, he cannot do any task unless he knows exactly whats expected of him. He's very much worried about whats next.

We have tried visual timetables for personal tasks but he just rushes through them to get onto the next thing and get to the end. Got to look at using times for each task. He won't change socks or clothes unless told specifically to put on clean ones, often needs prompting to move on as he gets distracted or puts on one item of clothing and then lays on his back on the floor playing with a car or something.

I've tried rewards as a motivation but rewards only work when he gets to decide what it is.

The "tv is for when your ready" in the mornings didn't work. He'd just wake up earlier, or not leave his room and throw on his uniform over dirty underwear and dirty socks, brush his teeth for 20 seconds and then put on TV - trying to get him to redo these things results in tears because he's done what I said - hence the very specific instructions!

Yes, I agree about it being harrowing. I feel atm I am focusing on all the negative aspects of DS - yet everyone says what a lovely little boy he is.

He is so smart and funny, very knowlegable about his interests but he needs support. I'm hoping the money will allow me to get him into some more of his interests. He loves trains and planning a day out on public transport but it's so expensive. It would be great for him to have a budget and be able to roam the train for a day. It will give him the chance to develop his social skills and practice communicating appropriately as well. (I get this isn't what I write on form!)