slipping through the net

hello all,

I have a query not regarding myself but my son. Due to a childhood accident he suffered severe brain trauma and a fractured skull - he was not expected to survive. The accident left him partially paralysed on the right-hand-side (his right-hand is only half the size of his left-hand and is very weak and desensitised). This assymetry and weakness applies to the whole of his right-hand-side. He was 'awarded' DLA, lower rate, for "life" in the 1990s. He is now 35 y.o. and lives with me. He failed an ESA medical a few months ago. I am concerned that with the new system for DLA claimants beginning 2013 he will fail the medical and lose his DLA. He has been on JSA for two years. There is something I can do to help him I think which I have been in denial about for many years but will now have to be addressed, namely, the mental effects of the accident which have never been assessed and in this sense he has slipped throught he net. My son's emotional age, in my opinion, is about 14 y.o. He suffers from short term memory loss, his social skills are neglible, his understanding of the world is childkike which makes him very vulnerable, there are also a host of other problems associated with his poor mental and cognitive development, and all of them have their roots in the accident. My question is, is there anything out there , a test or assessment from a medical specialist, which can evaluate his mental development? If there is can he ask his GP for it?. It has pained me to write this letter but given the vicious climate out there my son is going to need all the help he can get in the future. Can anybody advise me?

Chuikov

Hi , If i was you i would raise all your conerns with your GP. He/She should be able to refer your son for proper assessments and treatment. Best Wishes