DLA Dyspraxia

smithyair

Hi I would appreicate some advice please.

After many years of knowing in my own mind my daughter was 'clumsy' and not the same as other children her age, she has moved up to secondary school and has dyspraxia placed on her file.

I have not been told this by her old juniour school, although I had asked for her to be assessed, as I felt she displayed alot of the symptoms. She attended a trampoling session for 10 weeks in april and will be re-assesed around Christmas time.

I have been told My daughter would be entitled to dla? If this is true what evidence do I need to send off with the forms. I havn't even recieved the forms yet I am just curious wether it would be worth claiming it for her and putting it aside for her future.

Many thanks:j I

BARGAINHUNTER!

Has she been diagnosed this by a specialist/doctor or has someone from school told you that is what they think she has?

smithyair

It was diagnosed by the SEN in junior school, we go back to the hospital in a few months to see the specialist, who did on the initial appointment and assessment say my daughter was appearing to be borderline.

I am so cross that I havn't even been informed by the junior school.

Oldernotwiser

smithyair wrote: »

It was diagnosed by the SEN in junior school, we go back to the hospital in a few months to see the specialist, who did on the initial appointment and assessment say my daughter was appearing to be borderline.

I am so cross that I havn't even been informed by the junior school.

I wouldn't be; it's not necessarily a good thing to label children and your SEN may just be empire building!

If she's borderline (possibly) I'd think it unlikely that she'd be eligible for DLA.

munchings-n-crunchings

Hello,

Like ONW, I think to claim DLA for Dyspraxia or as it's often now referred to as DCD- Developmental Co-Ordination Disorder will be quite difficult. Even if the tern 'borderline' is not used, it may not be enough on it's own.

DLA is not awarded due to the diagnosis, but for the significant extra care that a person needs, over and above that of a person with out the disability.

Even without a diagnosis, a person adapts and develops their own coping mechanisms for the difficulties that this disability causes.

My daughter is diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, and most people with this do suffer with dyspraxia to some extent. When it's over and above what would normally be expected, as in my daughter's case, it is given it's own diagnosis. My daughter's diagnosis was done by a physio and occupational therapist.
Simple tasks are more challenging, but it's important that she keeps trying at these things. It's ok that things are difficult, but not to give to it.

An activity like trampolining will be good, as it exercises the muscle groups, likewise, so is horse riding.

Regards
Munchie

Vicky123

I would like to second what Munchie has said, my oldest son has high functioning autism and Dyspraxia.
The Dyspraxia has been really responsive to trampolining and exercise generally.
Ideally you would want an OT on board to give you exercise routine to do at home as well as school.
Dyspraxia although a nuisance in that he is still pretty clumsy but nothing like where he was is not something in our case that doesn't require much in the way of extra care or is particularly disabling.
Push for OT.
HTH
Vicky