DLA Higher rate mobility question

[BeauticianNotMagician]

Hi ds1 has had his letter through from dla awarded middle rate care and low rate mobility cant believe it only took five weeks is that a dla miracle.I just wondered if children any parents on here with children with asd have ever been awarded high rate mobility as to be honest that is what i was hoping for.

Ds1 outside is my main concern he either runs off with absolutely no road safety awareness or he stops completely and if i try to move him he just goes mad.In shops esp our local supermarket which we visit regulary he runs off out into the car park every time i get to the till.I have tried reins(he just wont move at all)and a pushchair he screams and thrashes about saying its for babies.So it has got to the stage now where my dad has to drive him everywhere or i have to get taxis.I stupidly tried walking him from school a few times this week and put us all in danger as ds1 ran off so much into the road that a few times i had to leave ds2 to get to ds1 fast enough.

So should i appeal against dla decision or do you think not.If i do appeal will middle rate care be taken away as well or is it treated seperately?

Hope that makes sense ds2 is off school with a sprained ankle and sitting on my lap as i type.

although the two components are seperate any time they look at your claim again they can theoretically change either component if that makes sense. How old is your ds?? we get higher care and higher mobility, my ds is 4 and autistic. As i understand it from what i was told when we were applying etc, if youre ds doesnt have any mobility issues alone - other than the danger etc of the autism then you would need to be applying for the higher mobility under the criteria of either severe mental impairment, or severe behavioural problems, the welfare rights lady who was going to support us in appealing until the dla people changed their mind as they knew we were entitled said to me that the severe behavioural problems is extremely hard to get for a young child its more likely for adults so the way you would qualify would be severe mental impairment rules. To qualify for high rate mobility under the severe mental impairment rules you need to be getting higher rate care. personally i think this is stupid as regardless as to whether your child has problems throughout the night they can still be just as "mentally impaired" surely, but hey thats their rules!! Anyway, back to what i was saying, we get higher rate mobility and higher rate care if i can help at all let me know

jenny

You have to have severe behavioural problems and severe mental impairment for HRM, not either/ or. My J gets higher for both too but it was a battle, though the appeal itself was OK. Agree with meerkats that it's only worth doing if hes entitled to high rate care too i.e. needs help regularly at night.

hi my son is 6 and has ASD we have just been awarded HRC and LRM.Just before our claim was dealt with i received a phone regarding mobility and they asked if my son was physically able to walk which he is then they asked about his tantrums/refusal to walk/and anxiety with new places he was then award.
B.N.Magician it only took 4 weeks for us too.

Thank you for all your replies thats made it much clearer for me.Ds1 is five he needs care during the night as he wakes frequently for no apparent reason and will call me to him but im never able to settle him he just wants my presence in his room,he goes to bed at 7.30 but doesnt usually fall asleep until 10.30-11.00,he still wears a nappy at night so i have to change him as he will not call out will just wet through to his bedclothes on occasion if i havent changed him in time and wakes at five every day.Im quite happy with middle rate care i dont want more than what i feel he is entitled to.

With regards to mobility am i right in thinking that lower rate is right then as he isnt severely mentally impaired and he has behavioural problems but i wouldnt say severe but what is classed as severe.He punches and kicks me if i try to move him and shouts abuse at me but then i guess lots of five year olds could do the same.

Its so hard as you get so used to a way of life i just want to make sure i can sleep easy at night knowing i have done the best for ds1 that i can.I am still getting my head round his diagnosis and sometimes i think the fact that i work in a nursery is a bad thing sometimes as i have so much info thrown at me.

i would try to gte your ds up to higher rate care as youre certsinly entitled to that by the sounds of it and then maybe try for the higher mobility after that, though be prepared for a battle for higher mobility as they seem hit and miss as to whether to award it!!

Ds1 has hrc and hrm. But he does easily fulfil the severe mental impairment and challenging behaviour criteria.

Dla have changed award to high rate care got another letter after they recieved a letter from consultant cant phone untill monday to confirm everything and still lrm.I have to reapply in december 2011 so i might just see how he goes untill then as the extra hrc money will certainly help with all the taxis and hopefully ill have learnt to drive by then anyway.Its quite upsetting as i really didnt see hrc coming i thought nothing or lrc.