DLA for babies

[beccablob]

Hello
I'm just wondering what chance we have of getting dla for our baby. He has microcephaly (small head) avid significant global delay. His paed said he is working at a 5 month old level (he is 12 months).
I found the form hard to fill in as the questions didn't seem best fitted to a baby.
I have sent his reports with the form.
What are our chances do you think?
Does abyone know how long decisions are taking at the mo? Thanks!

Hi, the forms are a nightmare aren't they? And so repetitive.
I'm not sure what your chances are but I think you have to prove that he needs care above and beyond that of a typical child of that age. Physio, medication etc. I would guess that the fact that you have an actual diagnosis may help. Hopefully someone with more experience of the process will come along and give you some info. Good luck

Sadly I think it's very hard to get dla for a baby from what I have read on here

We got it when my DD was a baby. If your DS is operating at 5 months it is likely you are doing more with her than a typical 12 month old. Do you do Physio exercises with him in the home? How is he at night? What other appointments do you have? Extra help with feeding? Etc etc. we had help from a charity to fill in ours. And you do need to fill it out based on a 'bad' day which I found hard as my natural instinct is very much to tell the world all the good things whatever I may be thinking/feeling inside

Thanks for the replies. I should have got help filling it in! Instead, I put it off for weeks and then rushed it at the last minute so it got back in time for the date on the front.
He has physio, speech, is on prescription feeds and has a poor suck. He wakes at night for feeds still. He also has OT and we attend weekly groups for play and physio. He has a portage referral but not heard back yet.
I put things like he needs help to access toys on the form.
Moomummy- can I ask whey your baby's needs are/ were?

My DD is 4 now so the first application was a while ago. Definitely help with feeding was one area, time to do speech/Physio exercises, portage etc. time at appointments. We listed all the professionals she was in contact with. Frequent night waking. Any medicines (prescription feed will count). From what you have written your DS sounds similar to my DD in terms of level of support. If you do get rejected then it would be worth appealing and there are lots of charities that can help with the paperwork. Mine was fab, she saw me and took notes, she wrote it all up and dealt directly with the DLA people. She then comes and helps me whenever it has needed renewing.

Hi, my 7month old ds2 was awarded high level dla for the care component when he was 4 months old. He also has microcephaly, developmental delay as well as other problems (oxygen dependent, tube fed, problems with his heart, sight and severe hearing loss). It took us month to hear from dla. I also found it difficult to fill in the form as it's not aimed at babies, I just wrote a long list of all the extra care needs he has and sent a load of documents to support. All the best with your application.

The cerebra guide is downloadable and very useful. It would be a struggle for a baby but the extra appointments and physio may get you somewhere.

DS2 and DS4 have had middle rate care DLA since they were babies (aged about 4-6 months I think). I wrote about time for appointments, extra time feeding, support with playing.