What are the criteria for the mobility component of DLA at age 3?

[CaptainPlump]

Can anyone advise on this one? DS is 3 next week so I need to decide whether to bother applying. He's autistic and has no physical disabilities and is capable of walking fairly long distances so I'm not sure.

Basically he's obsessed with automatic doors, gates, letterboxes and stairs and has to stop and explore all of them. If he decides he wants to go in a certain direction and we don't agree he'll have a tantrum. He never looks where he's going - he's always looking for gates, letterboxes etc - and has no sense of danger. He will hold my hand and he will (usually) wait to cross the road, but he doesn't understand why, he's just been well trained.

We would never take him out without the buggy to achieve anything useful - it's only ever to "practice walking", and a short walk takes a very long time. Any ideas?

The DLA site says:

You can claim for mobility needs from:

age three, if your child is unable, or virtually unable, to walk
age three, if your child is both 100% blind and 80% deaf
age three, if your child is severely mentally impaired with severe behavioural problems and qualifies for the highest rate of care component
age five, if your child needs guidance or supervision when walking out of doors

but I would wait for replies from other people in similar circumstances before deciding - maybe they got it even though they didn't appear to meet the criteria.

Have you asked your social worker if they think it's worth applying?

apply, we did and got top rate, was so shocked as I don't think she qualifies for higher rate at all

The system is so so ridiculas

The system does seem silly according to the DLA rules (thanks TeeJaye, don't know why I didn't think of looking there!). From what I understand a lot of children qualify for the higher rate for care because of sleep problems - what does that have to do with mobility?

Does anyone else have any experiences to share?

Broadly speaking, if there is no physical disability, they seem to put you in one of 2 camps:

• severely mentally impaired with severe behavoural problems (crudely, low IQ/brain development disorder, no communication, limited social interaction and needs physical restraint) => higher rate mobility
• needs guidance/supervision => lower rate mobility

With a claim for a child, you have to show how the guidance/supervision is not just different in kind but more arduous than for another child of the same age.

Example from the DLA assessors' handbook:

"Ellen is ten years old, autistic and has no sense of danger and displays behavioural problems. She frequently runs off without warning. Her mother needs to be extremeely vigilant and keep a tight hold of her hand when they are walking near busy roads. Ellen may therefore require agreater physical restraint and more mental alterness from the person accompanying her in order to keep her safe".

Note that Ellen in that example is ten and needing restraint. Your issue will be that your main argument is the time taken to walk anywhere - they will say that no 3 year old walks very fast. If you could get a friend with an NT toddler to do the same route and time it, that might be the way forward,

I'd say you need to quantify it. But I think it's worth applying.

We hve just applied for the mobility part of DLA for dd, she is 2.5 and we receive high rate care for her.

the best advice that i got was from the cerebra website, they will send you a book free of charge on applying for DLA, they break everything down and tell you what the DLA asessors are looking for.
Their website is cerebra.org.uk

HTH

I think the sleeps problems come into it with the care side of things, you are meant have to care for your child through the night to get high rate carers dla

Also stupid, as my friends little girl sleeps through and she has always got high rate. She used to ahve to wake her at 8.30/9 in the morning

My DD doesn't sleep well and we get middle rate

Most unfair system ever

CaptainPlump - DS2 was the same age as your son when we applied for DLA and they sound very similar as far as mobility is concerned. DS2 didn't have the obsessions with letterboxes etc. but had the additional problem of not being willing to walk more than a few feet without asking to be carried. We were awarded lower rate, to be reviewed when he's 5.

Sorry to hijack but Teejay i get higher care for ds2 and he fits the behavioural ppart and is nearly 4. Can I reapply for the mobility without it affecting his care award?

thanx

I don't know sorry aaronsmummy, maybe someone else who's re-applied can help.

Thanks for the advice everyone - I talked to someone yesterday whos little boy gets the middle rate and can walk but often won't and still gets the mobility component, so it sounds like the rules on the DLA site aren't strictly what they go by. I shall call my "special" HV and local SEN charity and see if I can get more advice, but it sounds as if it's worth applying despite all the stress!