DLA for 2 year old son - Can we claim? — Scope | Disability forum
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DLA for 2 year old son - Can we claim?

Keelyt90
Keelyt90 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
edited January 2019 in PIP, DLA, and AA
Hi there,
New to SCOPE. I have a little boy who was diagnosed with Cystic Periventricular Leukomalacia at 22 months (now 26 Months). This brain injury was caused by a collapsed lung at 3 weeks old due to Bronchiolitis & Pneumonia 
As a result of his brain damage he has hypotonia in his legs, walks with a gait (ankles pronate inwards so he walks on the insides of his feet) he can't wear certain shoes as they cause blisters. He has hypermobility in the majority of his joints, mild hip dysplasia (shallow socket in right hip), constipation where he has to take Paediatric Movicol every day, he is on ranitidine for his gastric problems also, and suffers with a sleep disorder. He is unable to stay asleep and can be up on average 9 times per night. He is on Circadin slow release melatonin 6mg and 10ml of promethezine to sedate him but neither is much use for him.
He sometimes struggles with his social abilities. If in a strange environment or around unfamiliar faces and crowds he closes his eyes to shut them out and will cry inconsolably until we remove him from the situation. He is unable to walk outside at a pace that his peers would do and tires very quickly. He sometimes suffers with irritable hip where he cannot bare weight at all (this has only happened twice but Physio said uncommon for a child of his age.
He has regular physio every 6 weeks and paediatric reviews every 12 weeks. He is under a neurologist to annual conduct an MRI to monitor any changes.

As I have to leave work regularly to take him to his appointments this results in a deduction of salary. We have had to move to a larger property to give my youngest his own bedroom as he wakes up his older brother with his screaming episodes throughout the night and we are struggling financial with the increase in bills and my wage getting docked.
Along with this both us parents work full time and get little to no sleep most nights. We get one night off a week where my MIL will have him over night to give us a rest.

I was wondering whether we would be entitled to claim DLA for DS? I have printed the forms but they look very complex and worded as though they would be aimed for a child older than 2.
If I did claim, what would be the chances we would be successful?

TIA x

Comments

  • Sam_Alumni
    Sam_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,671 Disability Gamechanger
    Welcome to the community @Keelyt90

    DLA isn’t just for children who are physically disabled. It can be given for a wide range of medical conditions including behavioural and mental health conditions as well as learning disabilities and developmental delay. You might be able to claim even if you wouldn’t describe your child as ‘disabled’.

    You can get DLA if your child:

    • needs more care, attention or supervision than a child of the same age who isn't disabled, or
    • has difficulty walking or getting around outdoors in unfamiliar places

    Your child must have been disabled or had the condition for at least 3 months, and you must expect it to last for 6 more. You don’t need a formal diagnosis from a doctor to apply, but this can usually help.

    If your child's under 3

    It can be difficult to get DLA for a baby or an infant because all children of that age need a lot of care. But, you should still apply if your child needs more care, attention or supervision than a child of the same age who isn't disabled or doesn't have a health condition.

    For example, most babies would be expected to wake during the night. But if you have to get up to give them a treatment such as an inhaler 2 or 3 times a night, then this means your child needs more care and attention than a baby who doesn’t need an inhaler.

    If your child is under 3, you won't be eligible for the 'mobility component' of DLA.

    You can talk to your nearest Citizens Advice for help understanding if you can claim DLA. You can also talk to a specialist at the ‘Contact a family’ charity - they're experts in DLA for children.

    Contact a Family helpline
    Telephone: 0808 808 3555
    Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 5pm
    Calls are free from all phones in the UK.

    I hope this helps :)

    Scope
    Senior online community officer
  • Keelyt90
    Keelyt90 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    Thank you, I have read that on the website and know we could potentially claim it but I have seen so many people be rejected for it. I just wanted to know what our chances would be, would be worth my time completing the 70 questions, gathering all copies of medical evidence, finding a health worker to witness statement it just to be knocked back.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,359 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi,

    No one can tell you what your chances would be of a successful award, unfortunately. You just need to show he needs more care and attention than a child the same age with no disabilities. The worst that can happen is he'd be refused, if he is then i'd advise a Mandatory reconsideration then Tribunal if that fails.

    Contact your local advice centre for help filling in the form. Good luck.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • Keelyt90
    Keelyt90 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    Thank you, I will get in touch with them and make an appointment
  • wilko
    wilko Community member Posts: 2,458 Disability Gamechanger
    Yes you can claim what your award will be depends on how much care or disability needs or has compared to a normal able bodied child of the same age 
  • Keelyt90
    Keelyt90 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    Thank you, fingers crossed he will be successful

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