RE DLA application

mumoffour77

My DD has severe eczema, dermatitis and icthyosis for which she is taking a immuniosupressant, when i was filling out the forms i took pictures as she has good days and bad days(the pics were not that bad!), she has a wheelchair which was supplied by her OT for use as and when is needed, she needs more care than a child her age should do....she has a classroom assistant who helps her write DD at times has to use pipecovering to bulk out her pencil as she has numerous hacks on her hands which open, weep and bleed, I asked for a DLA dr to come out and look at her but apparently it went straight to the decision maker our gp got a letter which he filled out describing DD as unresponsive to treatment and basically not able to cut up food etc............my question is this, why has no dr from DLA come out yet, when I asked them to?? I wanted the people in the DLA office to see what my DD (who is only 7 btw) has to go through each day....every hour!! I would like them to see her bed each morning which is covered in excess skin and needs to be changed daily! I would like them to see how she hobbles when she cant bend her ankles, how she can hardly talk(esp this morning) as her lips and cheeks are cracked and sore, my DD is in pain nearly 24 hours a day she takes sleeping medication im constantly putting lotions and potions on her...She cant do this herself because A) she cant open them and she can cross contaminate creams!

munchings-n-crunchings

It's always up to the Decision Maker looking at your claim to decide who to approach for further information.
Often, it will be the GP, sometimes it will be school, as children spend a large proportion or their time there.

I am sure it's far better for your daughter to have a report from a doctor that has seen her often, rather than a DWP allocated DR, that will see her for ten minutes.
You could almost guarantee, if you did have a DWP Dr, it would be on one of those few a far between days, when your daughter was better than normal.

Try not to stress too much, and let the process take it's course.

Regards
Munchie

mumoffour77

Thanks Munchie:D

I sent everything in with her application.....education statement, OT assessment, All letters from the hospital, A print out of all medications from 2004....educational psychologists report, senior medical officer....all of which were in her favour! Also the hospital report of when she was last admitted (july) to the isolation ward in the childrens ward

It seems quite a long time since i sent it in early september and when I rang they said that the cut of date for the drs report wass the 6th nov.....so im just wondering what happens next? I suppose im just impatient!!

missile

Two months is not very long for them to carry out their assessment. Please bear in mind the decision maker needs to contact your Doctor and others to verify the information which you have supplied. These people may not respond as quickly as you expect.

You need to be patient.

mumoffour77

I know missile:)
(its not one of my virtues)

munchings-n-crunchings

Hello again,

It's always the 'not knowing' that's the worse thing about these applications.

The DWP will disregard medical reports older than about 6 months, so that may be something for you to bear in mind.
What the DWP will also be checking, is that your claim is not over exaggerated.
I'm not suggesting anything, but it happens, else it wouldn't be an issue. Eczema is a condition, that varies in it's severity, so the DWP are only doing their job.

Once the DWP receive the GP's factual report, it will go back to the decision makers to look at all the information.

All the reports may be in your daughter's favour, but remember, the DWP are looking at it from a slightly different angle. It's not just the fact that she has a particular condition, but the levels of care she needs over and above a child without this condition.

Regards
Munchie

kazzah60

please don't be TOO downhearted
it may be that you have supplied enough information for the decision maker to make an award without having to put you and your daughter through the additional stress of being examined by one of their Doctors.
I sent my sons forms for renewal in July and it was September before I had a decision - as you say it is the waiting which gets you down
but i wish you all the luck in the world and hope that your DD has SOME measure of improvement soon
karen

mumoffour77

Thank you both xx!

soon2bjobless

My dd has really bad atopic excema and has been wearing bandages on her arms and legs since she was 2 (shes now 12) I didnt know you could apply for DLA until someone told me and we have been getting the higher rate for personal care since she was 4. She has never been seen by a DLA doctor - obviously when I complete the form the people I put on (ie her consultant etc) must be telling them how bad she is. Perhaps that is why they havent sent out a doctor to see her.

I can totally empathise with your dds pain - I remember when my dd first started to try and write she was the same - big hacks down between each finger made it impossible to hold a pencil at times. We are unable to go on holiday in a hotel as she scratches so badly at night she bleeds through her bandages and stains the sheets. When she was at her worst we had to wet wrap her at night and moisturise her every 20 minutes during the day.

Fingers crossed you get the highest rate - that extra money really helps - even towards the electric we have to use as all her nightclothes, sheets etc have to be washed every day - we have even had to replace the rubber in our washing machine 4 times now as the emollients we use rot it!

mumoffour77

Hi soon2bjobless

wow its amazing how if affects our lives!!
DD is allergic to lanolin so a lot of creams arent suitable for her.....she is on a mix of 75%softwhite parrafin 25% liquid parrafin which needs to be used to wash and moisturise her, she is bathed twice a day and has numerous steriod creams which are applies then she uses viscopaste bandages, then tubifast garments which are soaked in warm water and emollient then another "Dry" set on top of that......its hard work as she needs help to go to the loo!! and then she has confidence issues and insists on wearing dark tights that cover her wraps........which in turn make her sweat and its the whole viscious circle again.....she has reoccuring infections which leave her on a long term antibiotic (small dose for 2 months) I have went through 3 washing machines in as many years....Its so hard for her!!

I suppose i just dont want to be accused of or being made to feel like im lying about her condition and I want to prove that she really and truely has a disability that affects her daily living and mobility!

soon2bjobless

I think we must have twins seperated at birth! When her excema was really wet we used icthapaste bandages and they were horrible - now she just uses tubifast bandages - she can get through a 5 metre roll in one night no problem. We had a standing thing at the docs she had to be seen within 20 mins of my phone call as a small infection would turn into something horrible really quickly.

This has been going on since she was born and although for years the docs kept saying she would grow out it it although she is getting better its still a constant challenge - give your dd a hug from me and tell her shes not alone - theres a wee girl in Scotland who has gone through all the same things!