Sorry, another DLA question!

[mymatemax]

DS2 IS 4 & currently receives high rate mobility & mid rate care. This has been awarded until he is 5 so I know those dreaded forms are going to drop through the letter box in the next few months.
I feel certain they will try to drop the mobility to low rate as at 5 he will be eligible, we were only awarded mobility at all on appeal & as there isn't the option for under 5's to receive low rate it was granted.
Our car is on its last legs & If he is re-awarded we will go for a mobility car so trying to decide if we should try to keep our old banger going for a few months or just invest in a new car now. We are doing loads of miles at the moment ds2's weekly OT alone is a 60mile round trip this is without any other appnt.
He has mild CP, GDD & undx anxiety disorder poss OCD with autistic traits.
I was wondering if anyone with dc with similar qualifies for high rate.
Sorry for the long post!

we got high rate for DD at the age of 5, it's till she was 12, but she can walk

she is delayed in everything, can have bad tantrums, no sense of danger and can run off at times

I think we were very lucky and the person that did our forms was having a bad day and was in a hurry to go home as I was really suprised to have got it,

I was expecting lower rate

so you never know

thanks for that Anniebear, ds2 can walk too although not very far & he falls alot. He is too scared of everything to run off but drops to the floor if frightened regardless of danger so he will do it in the middle of the road.
Also lately he has spent most of the day staring up at the clouds, he loves looking at the sky..... The combination of all these really doesn't make walking with him easy so uses a major buggy for even very short trips & there are certain places he will just refuse to walk - he is a creature of habit.

Its how you fill in the forms. Pick his worst walking session and describe that.

As an aside, while I think many kids who can walk a little bit definately should get high rate, I sometimes think thetre should a be a 'super-high rate' for those who can't walk at all. And I think motability should be available for more people with an option to part fund. It still would be cheaper than getting a whole car adapted!

Having said that.....a motability car is an expensive option. £45 a week plus deposit. Thats £170a month. Would you actually spend that mcu money on a car? Or taxi's? DD turned 3 a month ago and has severe CP and is in a wheelchair so gets high rate. I looked into the car and a wheelchair car would be nice (we don't have a car) but financially its just not worth it for us yet. I use the bus, the odd taxi or walk pushing her wheelchair. Rather have the money in my hot little hands! If she wasn't wheelchair bound and I felt we needed a car I would buy an old banger and save the DLA money for soemhting nice!

Thanks bobalinga I agree there should be a super rate of some kind. I do feel it wrong that my ds should qualify for the same rate as his friend at sn preschool who has severe neuro disorder for example & has no functional movement. That said my ds can only walk v short distance on flat even ground & when outside always with someone holding his hand.
Unfortunately a car for us is essential we live in a very rural area, with no bus route to ds1/2 school & an hours drive to the nearest big town where all ds2's appointments are & only a couple of buses a day, the nearest train station is seven miles away & taxis are justa s rare. I have not really looked into the finance pros & cons of motabilitya t the moment, just not sure yet if it will even be an option.

there's a guide online I will go search

I used it to fill mine in and got a good result
hang on

here we go

thanks cappucino, we are off to London now for a couple of days, but the info would be very helpful thanks.

if you click on the link below it's there

Thanks for that cappuccino, I've just had a quick look at the 5min check, & he seems to score quite highly.
After trying to push him up the hill in Greenwich park yesterday my back agrees! I feel like i've climbed Everest.

We currently recieve high rate care an mobility for DT2(3) he has GDD, has difficulty walking, falls over a lot, has sever leg pain at times we are grounded to the house as he is so sore to move bless him- we have this till Jan 2010.

DT1- we currently receive middle rate care for. He has behavioural issues and takes melatonin for sleep, without melatonin he doesnt sleep ans we need to be awake with him. He has almost set house on fire, broke the cooker, threw his twin down the stairs- yes the one with dodgy legs!! i could go on and on and on. He shows signs of ASD however CDC say no not ASD. we are banging our heads against a brick wall with him bless him. We only have his award till January 2008 so I to am expecting these dreaded forms.

I had to go to appeal with both my boys claim and am so hoping not to have to do this again

Good luck hun

X

Thanks jambuttie, how old are your dt's?
DS2 sometimes complains that his legs hurt but I think it is more like an ache associated with fatigue rather than acute pain. He will walk short distances, (although he's unsteady) before he sits down sometimes because something has scared him but more often than not he is just too tired, he wears DAFO'S & they do seem to help a little.
I hope your claim is renewed without any fuss, poor you having to go through it all twice... you'll end up more expert than the DWP.

DD2 got high rate mobility at 3 as she has total body cerebral palsy and can't sit, let alone walk. But she's only been awarded it till she's 5. Then we have to fill in all the stupid forms again. For the 4th time. Its incredible cos its not like CP ever gets better when its that severe. I'm all Grrrr now at the thought of having to do it all again!

4th time bobalinga, ooh... i'd be pi**ed off with that, I didn't claim a penny until he was 3.. no-one told us we were eligible, despite very obvious problems since his very prem brth. I just assumed because dh & I both work we weren't entitled, so this will be our first renewal.
How old is your dd? It would make sense for a life long severe condition like your dd for the award to be the same.... logic & common sense too much to ask for with the DWP, but we can live in hope- good luck

Hiya again

My twins are 3!!!!!

Good luck all with these damn forms I am dreading falling through the door