Can a child with no formal diagnosis qualify for DLA?

[confusedofengland]

DS2 is 4.8. He has SEN, but has no official diagnosis. Speech therapist, OT/physio & paediatrician seem to agree that he has social communication difficulties, query speech disorder & hypermobility. He is at a mainstream school & has been awarded 32 hours support per week (spent on 1:1) until Easter & the school have just put in an application to have this renewed. This process involved a visit from an Educational Psychologist who said that he saw no reason that DS' hours would not be renewed.

My question is, would a child with this profile qualify for DLA or would he need to have a firm diagnosis of e.g. autism in order to qualify for DLA?

Thank you in advance for any opinions or experience on this - and Merry Christmas!

zzzzz I think that because he's always had the same needs but never any extra money for it, ie anything extra just came out of the family pot, it feels like we would be getting extra, as a family, iyswim

DS has been asking & asking for swimming lessons like his brother, but he would probably need 1:1 as he doesn't follow instructions well in groups & we have never been able to afford the extra, so I think that would be the first thing on our list for the DLA money. Physio has said swimming would be great for his core strength, too & they would recommend swimming lessons

Whoknows DS doesn't have any formal diagnosis at all, nor is he in special school. He does, however, have a full-time 1:1 a mainstream school.

That's the sort of thing, if I added up all I'd spent over the years on things recommended by OTs etc it would be a fair amount, not to mention the cost of all his private assessments to get his statement. However I'm not sure if there will be so much in future (he's nearly 12 now). Maybe after this month when I've got two DCs birthdays, an OU assignment, DS's annual statement review and my tax return done I'll give it a go. Good luck with yours Confused.

sorry to derail your thread i was just wondering if someone could tell me if i applied for carers allowance would it go on my DH wages?

Thankyou everything's such a minefield and so confusing

itsbeggining derail away, we can learn together

Thankyou hope your progress is going well?

DH & I are going to fill in the form together this weekend DS has a SLT review at school next week & had a physio/OT review not long before Christmas, so I am hoping that both of these reports will be with us before we have to send the form off.

He does seem to be making progress at school, which is fab.

Whereabouts are you in the process?

Oh wow, this is tough Spent 45 minutes so far filling in the form & I haven't even for to the tick boxes for difficulties! Had to find & write down details & dates of professionals seen in last year, which is 5 (well, 6 but put OT/physio as 1 as we see them together). Ditto school. Now onto the list of illnesses/disabilities.

It's time-consuming & a lot of writing, but it's also very hard listing all DS2's bad points - we usually try to focus on the good stuff!

I know I have to do this for my boy, though, so I think I'll finish this section, then have lunch & take DS3 to toddler group, then carry on tonight.

My DS sounds similar to yours, but he is a year younger.

We started receiving middle rate DLA for DS when he was 3.2yo, which was about 8 months ago. He had no diagnosis at that age (though he has since been diagnosed with ASD), but he had been seen by SaLT, paed and our local portage had also seen him. I must stress that some of these people had only seen him once. He was also having private SaLT. I used whatever reports (they were basically one page summaries) we had from these people and appended them to our application.

The application form was tough. It took hours and hours. It really made us confront everything that DS was having trouble with. We found the Celebra guide (google it) very useful in helping us to fill in the form. I also googled MN for previous threads on claiming DLA which were very beneficial. I also started keeping a log of DS' behavior and basically how long it was taking us to do everyday things. For example, getting dressed, going circuitous routes to avoid meltdowns, waiting etc. The form only asks for details on what the child cannot do, which is really upsetting and depressing.

I fully expected that we would not get DLA for DS. But we did, backdated to the date of the call I made asking for the form. We also got a £10 bonus at Christmas.

We use the DLA to part fund ABA.

Hi confused how you feeling? did you manage to complete the forms?. Sorry for the late reply we have been having issues since the return to pre school it's not gone down well at all. I haven't even applied for the forms yet because to be fair i didn't think you could claim without a diagnosis.
We see SALT regularly, we also see a OT, we have had our MPACT and are now waiting on our ASMPACT, we also see the pediatricians, we also have regular hearing tests and see the ENT. It is such a mine field isn't it and also so upsetting along the way.

DS has been awarded some DLA! The money came today & I calculate it to be 7 weeks of middle rate care, no mobility, which is what I thought. We haven't had a letter yet, but I expect that will be on its way to us.

I feel so relieved & happy for DS. All of a sudden he can have 1:1 swimming lessons, he can have a birthday party for the whole class, and so much more! Plus I feel validated iyswim. Like somebody officially 'gets it'.

He has had a really tough time going back to school after half term - been sobbing for the whole morning every day - but today he was better, so the first thing we're going to do is buy him a Happy Meal (he loves them!) to say well done

Pleased to hear it. When he turns 5, reapply for mobility if you think he needs it.

That's great news!!

And I have re read some of the older posts - don't get too hung up on it being his money. I know some people think it should be kept separate but just sticking it in the family pot is fine. A lot of the extra costs for our kids is not just the big things but things like extra heating costs, extra laundry etc which do mount up.

Thank you, I knew you lot would understand! Think I've found my new home here

I still wish we didn't have to do any of this, but getting the right help & support is making it that bit easier.

I guess my next step now is to look at Carer's Allowance, once we get the letter through. Gotta love all these forms

if he gets middle rate care (you cannot get Carer's on low rate care), then CA is really only a formality and a very quick form. nothing like the DLA form.

And let tax credits know as well. you are now entitled to the disability element and tax credits should go up (if you qualify that is).

Congratulations!!! I'm so pleased for you. It will make such a difference.

We got the letter through yesterday - middle rate care, no mobility, until April 2017.

I don't work, so I have applied online for Carer's Allowance. It reckoned I'd hear within 4 weeks, so that's good. The form was a lot less gruelling than the DLA form! Then once that is through, it looks like I can apply for a reduction in council tax, too?

DS has been struggling a lot these last couple of weeks Last week, on all but Friday, he sobbed the entire morning after being dropped at school And then has been waking in the night worried about. He is never like this, loves school & is a 7-7 boy, so it is rather worrying. One thing was that DH was working at home, which is not usual, and I think that unsettled DS as he loves routine. So DH has been leaving at the usual time the last few days & going round my parents house! DS has been better since then, still crying when going on but for 30/45 mins rather than a whole morning. School are being really supportive, ringing me once he's settled so I'm not worrying all day & suggesting various things to try.

Tell tax credits as well. both about the dla (will push it up) and the carers allowance. it counts as income for tax credits purposes.

Thanks coffeemachine. We don't receive tax credits atm, although DH's income has been dreadful this tax year (under 20k), so maybe I should start a claim.

DS seemed to go in better today - didn't cry until he reached the classroom . Really hoping he is settling back in now.

if it is under 20k and you get dla then you will most probably qualify esp as you will get the disability element. I would ring them Asap.