Got sent some DLA forms this morning.

[misdee]

and i was utterly confused as to who they were for. there was nop letter enclosed or anything. so i had to call up and ask why i had been sent these forms. apparently its because dd2 is coming up to 3yrs old and we may want to apply for mobility for her. she does have walking issues, but i dont think she will qualify for high rate so think i should just bin the forms, what do you think?

her care is until next may tho, and they may reduce it if i dont fil lthe forms in correctly. HV is coming round monday, so may ask them for advice.

It's a tough one, isn't it? Ds1 will be 5 in a few months so we could be entitled to the mobility component. Not only am I not looking forward to going through the forms again but I also worry that we might somehow lose the middle-rate care that we're already getting.

dd2 problems are with her balence. she is very wobbly when walking, but can run and klick a ball, so they dont think her problems are her legs IYKWIM, but maybe a balence problem or a case of her not realising how to stop. she will run into doors, fall over nothing, bangs into things, trips over her own feet. she is generally very clumsy. a lot more than other 2.5year olds.

misdee, I have had dd's forms for ages now, she was 3 in October. I still haven't got around to completing the mobility aspect forms, but more than likely I will. Her care component runs out this October when dd is 4.

I believe that you only need to fill in the mobility part, not the care component again so ,what you already get,shouldn't be affected.

Give them a ring and check.

i think they want me to fill in all forms again. they said just to bin them if i dont want to apply for mobility.

I have heard that they review the care component claim again if you try to claim for mobility, which is worrying as you could lose out!!

It is so confusing, when I asked about this last year they told me to only complete the mobility section!

It will only be May and I'll probably be getting the complete lot again anyway, seeing as dd's care runs out in October anyway!! Oh the joys of having that to look forward to!

yes , they do review the whole lot. I put into DS' for mobility and he was awarded high rate care and high rate mobility, he had previous been on middle rate care

Go for it Misdee, you've got nothing to lose.
My ds gets high care component, and as hes soon to be 5, I will automatically be sent forms for disability. On my original DLA forms I emphasized that he still needs to be in pushachair because of issue with his lack of understanding of road safety. This still is the case, but I really can't be bothered to go through all this form filling again. But if I don't complete the new disablity forms, which I assume they're expecting, will they review my previous care component forms and perhaps award me less?

you should have applied for mobility when he was 3.

mieow, do u think dd2 would qualify? i honestly dont think she would.

no idea, its hard without a diagnosis for her. You are due to see Dr Raffles soon ain't you? Though I have to say, she has got better over the last couple of months.....

she is due to see him end of summer if no signicant improvement, she hasnt been discharged from his care.

I would go and see him anyway, just to check. If you don't fill those forms in can I have them, I need to reapply for DS mobility and need forms

1. They can review the whole lot. I take it you have been sent forms for both care and mobility (or a combined form with both on) ? If so, they could use any info on the care part to reduce her award. It does happen all the time, although they tend to be (slightly) less bloody minded with young kids IME.

2. TBH, if she can run, jump, etc, she is VERY unlikely to get high rate mobility. I would say as a rule of thumb if she can walk more than around 70-100 metres at a reasonable pace given her age then she will probably not get the benefit, unless there is some other factor (eg falls literally every few steps) to indicate that it is not reasonable or safe for her to walk.

If you have a CAB or other advice centre with benefits caseworkers (preferably with experience of DLA up to tribunal level) then get proper advice from them.

3. Here is a link for more info. The guide is very good here

on bad days she can fall 10 times walking 100 mtres or less. on good days she may only fall once. i cant let her walk outside without reins as she can fall into thr road.

will speak to HV monday.

base what you describe on the worst day- when she falls alot- use phrases like

"if i don't do this she falls"

"frequently she........"

" most days....."

It's important to be honest ofcourse but they will twist what u say to avoid agreeing the claim...they cannot give you the benefit of the doubt...so...

if describing going upstairs u said "sometimes" or "usually" ..."she can climb the stairs unassisted.... THEY will see that as "ok...she can get upstairs unassisted- she's fine... no money needed there."

whereas..... "when she tries to climb the stairs unassisted she fequently loses her footing and if i were not there to catch her and get her balanced again then she would fall down the stairs. A typical attempt to go upstairs will take her at least 7 minutes to get from the bottome to the top"

Ofcourse i am guessing here her ability...she may not be able at all to get up stairs

so you say "she is completely unable to get upstairs. I have to carry her up and down'
rather than "she can get up 3 stairs then i do the rest"

It's depressing to focuss on the negative....but u have to descibe what she CANNOT do.... don't overdo what she can do

i dont have stairs!!

she can climb stairs ok (crawls up them) but cant walk down. she tends to try and leap down them, or chuck herself down them. fortunatly she has learnt to fall safely. does that seem odd?

trust me to pick stairs!!!!! !!!

Misdee - DLA forms are notoriously hard to fill in and I know loads of people who don't bother because they are so difficulty. I can't offer advice on DLA forms specifically but I regularly have to complete Incapapacity Benefit forms for myself and it is VERY important to be specific on all sections. As Mrs F said, don't give straight yes/no answers. If your dd's condition is variable answer for how she is on the worst days. IME of IB they tend to expect claimants to exaggerate so they probably knock off a few points to make up for it, so it's important that you gain those points back in some way.

I'm not sure if they have medical assessments for young children in the same way they do for adults, but be prepared to be asked to one. I know teenagers who have to, not sure where they draw the line.

I hope you're successful.

i can do the care ones blindfolded. took a few hrs last time from when i got them to posting them back as HV came round that day. just dont know if dd2 will qualify at 3yrs for mobility.

i have decided to leave the forms for now, and see if dd2 makes any improvement over the next 6months. if she doesnt then i will go back to the paed and ask for some tests to be done. dd2 doesnt 'bend' as well as her older sister, but then dd1 is double jointed and extremely supple. but i have to tell dd2 to bend her legs when i'm trying to change her nappy, whereas other kids tend to bend when small pressure is put on, dd2 legs will be stiff. as she can walk, i'd feel a bit of fraud trying to get mobility for her at age 3. if she still has problems at 5, or even better a proper diagnosis rather than 'its because she is big for her age'. if she is still doing her 'clown rolls' down small flights of steps at 5, then not only will it be harder to lift her up, it'll look very odd.