My beloved ds is autistic and we can now apply for the mobility component. He really is quite bad in this respect and getting worse, plus he is only ever going to get stronger and heavier.
We were awarded higher rate care in February when he was diagnosed and I have now been sent three forms, one about ds, one for mobility and one for care needs, which are just as long if not longer than the original application since the one about mobility needs has more pages. Why I couldn't just fill in a separate mobility one I don't know. Perhaps it's supposed to keep us busy as parents of SN children so that we have less energy for challenging statements
I have been told different things by different people on the helpline. One said I have to write it all out again because it's treated as a new claim and another person said no, just write a covering letter saying there has been no discernible change in the last three months in terms of care needs.
Not that I don't trust them or anything, and probably because of my issues I am indeed filling in everything again but with no crossings out and better grammar / syntax That's my Aspergers problem though.
I know the criteria, no useful intelligence / learning disability and severe behavioural problems, but hard though it is to manage ds most of the time outdoors I can't seem to apply those phrases to my lovely little chap. Do you think these specific behaviours are examples of this general (depressing) statement?
He is an absconder, he uses a Little-Life backpack which will soon be too small for him, a pushchair which will also soon be too small, he is phobic around traffic, won't walk down a high street or most streets with low kerbs, won't walk in car parks, goes off at tangents, refuses to be directed, often won't move at all due to absolute meltdowns.
His sleep is so crap (will change that bit )and his energy levels so high that often he succumbs to complete muscle fatigue which makes it virtually impossible for him to make walking progress. He gets obsessed with things and follows those obsessions regardless of the purpose of where we are walking.
Sensory overload plays a big part in his refusal / inability to move. An ambulance or road works, a crowd of three people coming toward him or a dog makes him freeze.
I do wonder if I am reaching a bit with this but honestly when you have a child with the sleep habit of a colicky newborn for three years it weakens you doesn't it? Physically as well as mentally. I can't carry ds for more than seconds even now, I'm quite the shortarse waif