DLA tribunal advice?

Alice_Holt wrote: »

Get your parents to write a brief note you can hand to the tribunal clerk, that describes this and the consequent care needs.

Spoonie_Turtle wrote: »

I don't know what your son's condition/s are and I'm not presuming to ask, but for autistic children and adults 'masking' is an almost universal phenomenon - basically holding it together in public, and for children especially they then fall apart at home because they just don't have the energy to do it all the time.

It sounds like your son holding it together at school then having to decompress once home because he's used all his energy for behaving at school is a very similar principle, and hopefully it should be recognised. If you can find a relevant term for it in the context of his condition/s that may help.

LocoLoco wrote: »

OP, I'd like to second what Spoonie Turtle has said, 'masking' is incredibly common and I don't think I've ever met a parent whose child is the same at school and home; a lot of kids hold it together during the day and then fall apart when they get home (my own son included). If your child is autistic then it would be worth you contacting the Autistic Society for some information about masking and if they have a different condition then try contacting the relevant organisation for that to see if they can help. The panel would ordinarily be familiar with 'masking' and it isn't unusual to see different behaviours in different environments. You won't be the first person to sit in front of them describing that Try to focus on the extra help you have to give him and describe that. Even if you don't feel hopeful I would try to look at it as a chance to experience the setting and learn more about the process and then at least that way if you aren't successful this time you'll be better prepared for something similar in the future, but as has been said, what you describe is very common so I wouldn't write the situation off just yet

Spoonie_Turtle wrote: »

Oh, there seems to be quite a correlation between hypermobility and sensory regulation difficulties + neurodiverse traits. (I was hoping the HMSA would have some readily-found info about this but a quick look through their site didn't turn up anything. Everything that I've read has been things I've come across on Twitter, but as it's not actually my area I don't have any sources to hand.)

Attempting to function with dyspraxia on top of all that, plus the difficulties that cause you to suspect ADHD, must be absolutely exhausting for your son.

[Btw if there are any accommodations you or any assessing agencies have requested/recommended for school but they are not implementing them, that may add some extra weight to your account of what happens when he comes home. If he's not receiving all the support that would help him cope with school then he'd be using even more energy to keep it together during the day.]

I have zero experience (yet) at fighting for benefit entitlement but having worked in a school, I've heard your kind of account many times with many children, with all sorts of diagnosed - and undiagnosed - difficulties. So go in believing they will take your account seriously, because there is no reason they shouldn't