disability living allowance turned down for 5 year old son

[OLIVE.FAMILY]

Hi mich7k

I have just read your newest post. decided to come over here and take a look. OMG. I can totally relate to this. To the point i have only read half the posts on this thread and just had to say something.

I have three children . ALL are on DLA. My two daughters have severe atopic eczema and acute asthma. One daughter also has allergic rhinitus. My son has type 1 diabetes.

My two daughters have had eczema since birth. In 2005 in got so much worse. My oldest daughter was 4at the time and my youngest was three(now are 7 and 6). My oldest narrowly escaped hospital because she was so infected from head to toe. My youngest woke evry night at least three times a night. I would have to lie there hour after hour rubbing there delicate skin to stop her from clawing herself to ribbons. I still do. We were under an asthma nurse andd dermatologist at the time.

I applied for dla for both of them at the same time. My eldest got it straigt away no problem. My youngest got refused. Like you this was due to what the doctor hadwritten mainly because our GP did not understand her eczema. EWe found out that they had written that it was under control with medication. This was because at her last check up she had been on oral steroids for her asthma which cleared her eczema temporarly. We asked for DLA to send all the info that they had and we worked out where they went wrong and appeled.

We have since learnt that you have to fill the form in about themost common worst day you can have. I hated seeing me children as disabled. Especially when you read them forms and you imagine what children they are talking about. I have some good doctors and friends though and they all appreciated the work we have to do.

Obviously i concentrated on the eczema but at the end of the form when it asked for any further info we basicly wrote a daily routind diary. How long we spent each time applying cream, getting them dressed rubbing there skin changing bed linen everyday as it was covered in blood and skin. All of this adds up to how much extra time you spend looking after your child. Even the school applying cream counted.

In the end after sending this off we got higher rate carers allowance for her and middle for my oldest aughter(the odd thing is she suffers more but in silence and doesnt wake up in the night)

We have just done our three year review which was very worrying incase the refused again but we had no problems.

One huge piece of advice though PHOTOCOPY the frms so you know what you have written next time.

Good luck

Olives
xxxx

[mich7k]

thank you Olive family for your support its in the hands of God now I wish i had claimed for it when he was younger i just got on with it. he almost lost two of his fingers as he used to scratch his fingers on the carpet when he was a baby and his elbows why do they make it so hard to get what they are entitled to? I am close to losing my home as i had to give up my job so im just waiting for a date for the tribunal.

[tiglet]

Well, ive sent off for the forms for my eldest and will be following all of the good advice on here and give the worst day, not the best.

Good luck with your tribunal!

[mich7k]

thanks Tiglet i hope it goes through ok

[emmaf01]

I have been advised to look at claiming DLA for my son who has developmental delay, resulting behavioural problems and eczema. He's four and has a paediatrician, psychologist and speech therapist. We've recently had his assessment for special needs help for when he starts big school in September.

We haven't got a definite diagnosis for his issues, we've been given speculative labels of ASD(possibly) to ADHD(absolutely wrong IMO). Our paediatrician won't commit herself until she can be sure, so will just keep observing for another couple of years.

We've been blamed for his problems, having to deal with social workers questioning every aspect of our lives. It was supposed to be to get us more help but the only thing it got us was an extra wheely bin due to all the nappies!

We have attended parenting classes even though we've read many theories and books on child behaviour and strategies and had the psychologist show we are very thorough and committed to helping our child.

Some days are reasonable, some bad but all are exhausting. Due to not having any extended family available, its all on us.

My big push until September is trying to get him toilet trained for school. We've only been at this for years! But with the help of the child psychologist (since January), we've battled his "toilet phobia" so at least he will now sit on the loo but not do anything(he used to have screaming hysterics and wouldn't got in the bathroom- we think perhaps tiled, echoing room, noise sensitivity). Now just his food phobia, bathing phobia, etc to go!

This thread has been invaluable as after I read the DLA forms I didn't know if we were eligible (even though I get DLA myself). I'll talk to his paediatrician when I see her.

Its nice to hear that other parents have an "interesting" time with their children too. Good luck with your tribunal.

[Billyhunt]

Edited by Billy

[mich7k]

Hi Guys and Gals just wanted to let give you a quick update i have been given a date for the tribunal 8/8/08 so pray for me and my boy, along with some tips! Thank you for your support

[tiglet]

I'm praying honey - no advice, I'm afraid, but you'll be in my prayers x

[emmaf01]

good luck - from my own tribunal experience- I sat, petrified with tears running down my face, and that was just in the waiting room!

We never made it in to the tribunal. The clerk came out and told us they had received a letter THAT DAY from the DWP saying that 2 weeks before they had changed there decision and we'd won. They just hadn't bothered to tell us or the welfare rights officer handling our appeal.

I hope your appeal is as successful (without the shaking and crying)!

[gettingthrough]

Good luck Mich, will be thinking of you on the 8th. Just remember, tell it like it is and then some!

Am off now to hoover my daughters bed and floor again - you know how it is!
xxx

[mich7k]

Thanks getting through its the 6 weeks holidays and im exchasted! He's like a jumping bean from morning till night...........so i feel you

[emmaf01]

Mine also tears the wallpaper off the bedroom walls when he wakes up early- woodchip. And now the cat has brought in fleas.

Roll on September.

[gettingthrough]

Originally Posted by emmaf01

And now the cat has brought in fleas.

Roll on September.

He he Emma, makes a change from mice - having said that I've even had rabbits!

xxx

[PriorityOne]

Originally Posted by gettingthrough

He he Emma, makes a change from mice - having said that I've even had rabbits!

xxx

Yep.. can relate to that totally. Mice, rabbits, birds, moles, voles, a bat.... yet they NEVER go after the fish.

[emmaf01]

I nearly bought a house rabbit yesterday, just because it was bigger (and blacker) than the cat. Then I remembered the chaos caused by just a cat and Michael and went back to buying out every flea product nd natural insect repellant in the pet shop.

He was a big bunny, almost a were-rabbit.

Anyway, how are the nerves and the hoovering!

[gettingthrough]

Good call re: the rabbit!

Mine's never brought in fish either, never thought about that before! I've also had the voles, a HUGE rat (and he thought he was actually going to bring it in - caught him at the window though), but no bats - as yet!

My daughter doesn't seem to be affected by cat fur or most dogs but for some reason spaniels bring on her asthma and aggravate her eczema which is ever present anyway.

Nerves holding out - just. Hoovering, well what can I say, I've knackered that many Dysons - who says they live forever Mustn't forget the constant changing of the bed clothes - been through a few washing machines as well. Strangely my tumble dryer has lasted SIX whole years so far.

See Mich, you are definitely not alone, we'll get you over this hurdle one way or another!

xxx