DD has been visually impaired for 9 weeks now - are there benefits we can claim?

[Katymac]

Not that I am being grasping, you understand; but it is costing us a fortune

Can we claim any benefits?

You could try Disability Living Allowance. Especially if you're having to help with her every day care. If you get that, then your tax credits will increase as well.

Thanks

Thanks - I am assuming there are time limits, so she must have been VI for x weeks/months?

Answers are that she has a 'conversion disorder' or 'inversion syndrome' - the first is googleable but very negative & I've not found the second

Will the fact that it is psychological make any different to the benefits?

Can I be nosey and ask what is costing you money?

(wonder if I can help with items as can't manage money)

That's a very kind offer
So far:

A different way of getting to school
A replacement iPod for the one she borrowed of a friend & lost
A newer computer (as her old one didn't support the screen reader)
A screen reader (not bought yet but I think it's going to be Lunar or Lunar plus)
For 2 children to join the sailing school so she can still attend but 'with a friend'
Petty but DD cooks on a Saturday for all of us & instead of buying her ingredients we are having to buy her ready meals (until she catches her confidence again)
Time off work for me to attend hospital appointments/CAMHS (this is costing more than anything else, I'm expensive )

It doesn't sound much but we aren't very well off generally (sound silly, as we manage fine) but extras need to be found from somewhere

you can probably claim lower rate mobility component but care component is hard to come by.

Tbh if you're listing additional expenses then I wouldn't include an ipod in that as most children her age have them so they're unlikely to consider that.

Sorry, I was just listing what it had cost us

The school run thing is hard, she hates being 'led around' but she isn't safe

So 3 months before I could claim anything?

OK

OK - I find out where to ring up & at least I can look at it

We may not get anything but I think I'd like to try at least

I can't promise but I will try and help.

is an ipod shuffle any good? I know nothing about ipods.

Fab

tbh I think the big problems are me not being at work & escorting DD everywhere

We are getting there with 'stuff' iyswim & most of it is unlikely to be bought more than once

The Shuffle (which we nearly bought) randomises tracks so she wouldn't be able to hear a story in sequence

OKay. I wish I could help.

The RNIB can help with the DLA form.

There is a waiting list for help but someone comes round makes notes and then fills the form in on your behalf. They know all the right things to say. Be warned though, it?s a depressing process. Its hard to focus on all the problems that your dd has and put down in black and white just how far from normal she is.

Also, I have to say the visual impairment team from our local authority have been fantastic. They have loaned us special equipment in the past which would have cost a fortune to buy and that we needed for a short length of time. I?m not sure how it works for long term loans. I guess we will find out eventually...

and you can turn the random bit off on an Ipod Shuffle so it plays tracks in order. there is no display to tell you what you are listening to. you just toggle through til you find the right track but as I'm blind I dont miss the display too much.... (also lost my ipod recently and couldn't afford to replace it)

second contacting the RNIB. rnib.org.k

I was contacted by the Visual imparemtn service (social servives) a couple of months after dd's registration was done by her consultant. They put me on the waiting list fo talk to the RNIB lady. BUT I don't know if this service is avaiable throught the country so you might be better contacting the RNIB directly.

Bit OT from this KM (all good advice) but is she getting treatment? I went to a talk which mentioned conversion disorder, sort of in passing, but they were talking about treatments and said the most successful treatment is psychotherapy- has she been offered any?

Good luck with getting DLA, and accesssing the medical support. Are you still working full time? If you earn under a certain amount/work fewer than a certain number of hours a week you may be able to claim carers allowance depending on the DLA award you get.

Lots of good advice

The other things I would mentiona re that CAB can help with DLA, (and if she gets MR care you can get carer's if unable to work), and that once she hits the 3 month amrk if that still stands as a qualifier thenc all for form immediately as it is dated from when you ask for form rather than when you get it in

Thanks for all this

I am working what I consider part-time about 40 hrs a week

Umm treatment

Well she has had 4 sessions with a psychologist

You can claim before the 3 month thing, but the award will only start 3 months after the date you say symptoms started, IYSWIM.

I wonder is that the date it started (Feb26th), the date we sought medical advise (Feb28th)or the date we got an actual diagnosis (today)?