hole in the heart

[RandJ]

hi i have just found out that my 3y old son has a hole in his heart i was told by a friend i could get DLA for him and they might back date it to when he was born is this right

Hi Ranj

My ds2 has corrected transposition of the main arteries and a hole in the heart and slight narrowing. I must admit I never considered dla (I do get dla for ds1 who has asd) as I wouldnt say that he needed any extra care to a child of his age. But I was interested in your question so looked this up for you, hope this helps.

Disability benefits
Some children with congenital heart disease will qualify for
a Disability Living Allowance (DLA), but most will not. Ask the
specialist nurse or social worker for advice. If your child needs
extra care because of his or her condition, you may be able to
apply for this benefit. There is a mobility and a care component
to the benefit. It can be difficult to get Disability Living
Allowance for a child. You will need to show that your child
needs more attention or supervision than other children of the
same age. To get a claim form for Disability Living Allowance,
call 0800 88 22 00. Or you can get a form from your GP or your
local Jobcentre Plus office, or claim online at www.direct.gov.uk

Hi,my DD has a complex CHD,we have been getting DLA for her since we applied when she was 9 months old.
We had to put lots of information on the form that showed that the care she needs is over and above what is usual for a child without problems.
It is only backdated to the date that you ring up and request the forms.
HTH

Hi - my dd also has complex heart problems along with other issues and gets DLA. We had to fight quite hard to get it initially.

As Bonnycat says (have we spoken before Bonnycat?) they won't backdate it.

How is your little boy RandJ and is he having his heart repaired?