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This is meant to help our claim for DLA

26 replies

meea · 10/11/2004 12:50

Have just recieved this letter from our health visitor.This is meant to be supporting evidence.
I am laughing at this as it is so pathetic and inaccurate it's a joke .
I should add that i asked her for this 3 weeks ago.
She has even got his date of birth wrong.
No mention of his communication problems.
I have also never said that he can't walk because of his back.He has trouble walking because of poor muscle tone and balance problems.
His sleeep has been an issue since birth and yes I am stressed because I haven't slept for 2 1/2 years.

I have been asked by to write a supporting letter for the application form with respect of * 06.04.2004.
I have known Matthew for approximately one year as the families Health
Visitor.
Matthew has experienced many problems since his birth; he has visited
Ryegate Children's Centre under the care of Val Harpin Consultant
Community Paediatrician since he was 6 months of age.
He has shown significant sleep problems from around 9 months, different strategies and pharmaceutical drugs have been tried with Kttle result, this problem has been explored by Health Visitors, Medical Staff at Ryegate and the Sleep Clinic held in the North of Sheffield. Matthew's lack of sleep and poor bedtime behaviours cause the family particularly his mother a great deal of stress and concern.
Matthew is also seen by a physiotherapist due to mobility difficulties he has worn special boots Piedro boots in the past but is now able to walk unaided, although his mother reports he can only walk for short distances due to lower back pain which is currently been investigated by staff medical staff.
Matthew also has a Portage worker who visits Matthew on a regular basis to support Matthew and his family.
I hope this information will be useful in helping you to process Matthew's application, do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of any further assistance.

So what should I do ?

OP posts:
JaysMum · 10/11/2004 12:56

As her to write it again correcting her errors!!

Or submitt it with acovering letter clarifying the mistaken information!!!

Good Luck with your DLA - we have been refused so am now just syarting to appeal!!

Always having to fight - not fair.

mumsosad · 10/11/2004 13:30

I've just got a dla form today for my daughter - any advice??

meea · 10/11/2004 13:36

Dont know if I should admit this but I am still on page 3.
So sorry not much help to anyone but loads of other people will have great advice.

OP posts:
luckymum · 10/11/2004 13:46

meea - I wrote down what I wanted my HV to say and she literally copied it out and signed it!

Have a look at this site . It has some useful information.

The main things to remember are to

Think of you worst day and use that in all your examples.

Don't worry about repeating yourself, in fact repeat yourself over and over.

Compare to a child of the same age without special needs.

Say 'we have to do 'X' because of 'Y' and if we don't do this 'Z' will happen. You really need to spell it out.

There are loads of threads on this on MN and loads of people with experience who'll come up with other things.

A good idea is to keep a diary for a few days of everything 'extra' you do and how long it takes.

Good luck

luckymum · 10/11/2004 13:48

Don't think that link is working. The site is www.bhas.org.uk/.

dottee · 10/11/2004 14:01

Hi - will write soon.

About the letter, imo it's not really saying how much additional care M needs, and that's a key point. It only touches on the issue when it talks about the poor sleep conditions.

Luckymum's advise is fantastic.

How well do you know the HV? Has she had experience of this before? I think it's a good idea if you write a draft of how you think her letter should be and discuss it with her, taking into consideration what luckymum says.

Davros · 10/11/2004 17:14

I think I would ask her to write it again or, as suggested, type out what you've told us and get her to sign it....

coppertop · 10/11/2004 18:27

Is there anyone else who could write a supporting letter for you instead of the HV? I didn't even mention the DLA form to our HV because she was about as much use as a [insert name of extremely useless object here].

Could your portage worker write you a supporting letter instead? Or is the HV's letter in addition to that?

mumsosad - What kind of difficulties does your dd have? Maybe we could help you with the wording etc?

Chocol8 · 10/11/2004 18:49

I would just like to say that MNers are fantastic and helped me appeal for my DLA. They have been there, done it and got the teeshirt and hats off to them, they gave me the strength to carry on til I got it.

If you look back to the original thread, there may be things to help you in there, can't do links, sorry, but it is called "Please would someone be kind enough to check my reply to DLA?" from 17th September. HTH x

dottee · 10/11/2004 18:54

Meea - fancy Morrisons on Friday?

(Please note ladies that this is the Northern meet-up - no posh places for us! !)

coppertop · 10/11/2004 19:00

dottee! Where have you been hiding??

(hopefully not in Morrisons )

meea · 10/11/2004 19:07

Dottee would love to just have to twist dh round my little finger to get him to bring me.If I flutter my eyelashes a few times it should be ok.
As for the health visitor she is completely useless i was just trying to get evidence from everyone involved just incase they contacted them.I have left her a message so we will see what she has to say for herself.

( it's definatly no posh place for me as I will have to bring ds2).

OP posts:
dottee · 10/11/2004 19:21

Oh it's a long long story CT! Chocky knows why!

Is there anywhere near you Meea if your dh is not available? I'm happy to go anywhere - even Meadowhell! (Well it's hell this time of year!)

Chocol8 · 10/11/2004 19:29

Hi Dottee - did you get my email reply? How are things at the moment? x

dottee · 10/11/2004 19:31

I did - will try and get back to you soon.

meea · 10/11/2004 19:34

We could have coffee at macdonalds at Tankersley I can walk there.How posh can you get.

OP posts:
jakbrown · 10/11/2004 19:37

meea, everybody has given brilliant advice!!! Definitely get her to mention the constant broken nights and communication problems...
My HV (who is voice of doom, after all) went really over the top.
LOL at meeting in Morrisons. As a northern lass myself I have spent many an hour in there (the Wigan branch)...

meea · 10/11/2004 19:47

The funniest thing about her not mentioning his communication problems is that she refered him for salt after his 2 year check.
Only the best for us northern girls.
I shall point out the problems with her letter starting with his date of birth.
I can just see her sitting there listening to my message thinking oh no it's that woman again.

OP posts:
jakbrown · 10/11/2004 19:49

meea, get her to fill in this patients trust form for the major buggy too, my HV filled mine in. I PROMISE I WILL POST IT TOMORROW!!!!!!!!

Go for it, it's what you DS deserves...

dottee · 10/11/2004 19:51

Sounds great Meea! Let me know what time.

meea · 10/11/2004 19:56

Dottee I can meet anytime from 10am.
Jakbrown hope ds is ok ds2 had measles when he was 11 months and I kept been told off for him not having had his mmr.They soon shut up when i reminded them that he wasn't old enough.

OP posts:
dottee · 10/11/2004 23:06

I'll e-mail you.

meea · 18/11/2004 17:42

Don't know if i should update this hv has been today and we have wrote a new letter between us.She was sat there talking away when she asks me if I go on any of the parenting websites . I'm just hoping that it is just a coincidence . She also came to let me know that she is leaving at the end of the month and that I will be getting my old HV back who is wonderful bought me a christmas present when I had postnatal depression.Made me cups of tea spent hours trying to get ds2 to sleep .

OP posts:
luckymum · 18/11/2004 17:49

All HV should have to visit MN as part of their training

Good luck with the claim meea.

coppertop · 18/11/2004 18:12

I doubt my HV would recognise me on here. I don't think she'd even recognise me if I bumped into her IRL.

Good news that you're getting your old HV back.