my grandchild has down syndrome what help & financial benefits are available for him & parents?

Answer 1

Becky24c you may be wrong on the mobility advice because they are making it fairly redundant except for people who have amputation of one or both legs.
C. L.granny if you are English then you are intitled to carers allowance for looking after a child (or an adult) my grandson Dylan is autistic and is not commutative he is 4yrs my daughter gets living disability for him and this is a big AND family funding have helped her out no end they are fantastic they paid for a new fridge freezer to cut back on Natalie's shopping times Dylan has to have a special diet they bought a new washing machine because the other one was literally worn out from over use he is in nappies etc she asked for a family holiday they awarded her £800 towards one of her choice (or wise where would she get any resite from? he is a very big hand full) they have not means tested her in other words her husbands wages have not been taken into consideration (thank goodness because they are on the lower end of the income bracket) and next year she is having a new bed for him if the other is pee; d all over and new toys like a bouncing castle and trampoline (his energy is endless)

all of the above is amazing fantastic help i know both you and i would love to have everything "Rosie in the garden" but its not so I'm sure like me you knuckle down get on with it mine is adorable and delicious i really could eat him i have him once in a blue moon but by God do i know about it Natalie is very protective of him he goes to ANYONE i am making autism sound like a nightmare but im sure parents or sibling have a very very differant tale to tell thank goodness we are all so very different

Answer 2

Congratulations on your grandchild, I'm sure he will be the light of your life!!

I have a son with Down syndrome and I can tell you that there are a lot of resources available to your grandchild. Federal law mandates that children with Down syndrome be provided with therapy in the "least restrictive environment" which typically means at home, but in some states, center-based therapy is the norm.

From ages 0-3, the therapy is provided by your local regional center (sometimes called other things depending on where you live). They can provide physical, occupational and speech therapy. Early intervention is very IMPORTANT! As you may know, children with Down syndrome tend to have low muscle tone which can affect their ability to crawl, sit up, walk, feed properly and speak. Getting the child therapy at an early age is so beneficial!! You will get a team of people, including a coordinator to work out a therpy plan that best suits your child. You will have regular (usually every 6 months) evaluations and at that time you may wich to increase the amount of therapy your child receives. This therapy should be provided at little or no cost to the family, but if the family has insurance, you may have to use that first. However, the child CANNOT be denied services based on ability to pay. For example, my child's insurance pays for $1500 annually for therapy (this is about a month's worth). After that, he is scholarshipped through his therapy center and we don't pay anything other than our usual insurance co-pay.

After age 3, the child will be under the jurisdiction of the local school district and wll receive an IEP (individual Education Plan). The school district must then provide the essential therapies, an assitant for the classroom (if needed), etc. Your child will have the opportunity to be in a fully inclusive classroom, a special needs classroom, or a combination of both depending on what you and your team feel is best for the child.

Here are some places where you can get information: The National Down Syndrome Society has a page showing you some of the resources in your particular state:

http://www.ndss.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=244

The ARC (Association for Retarded Citizens) have chapters all across the USA. To find your local chapter, go to

http://thearc.org/#

Your state should have a Department of Developmental Disabilities, they have state resources for you and can help you find your local regional center.

Finally, for some good advice and support from parents who have all been there, I invite you to the forum at http://www.downsyn.com/

Good luck! While the intial shock of a Down syndrome dignosis can be hard, I can guarantee you that this child will amaze you and fill your lives with joy!! People with Down syndrome go to school (even some colleges), have jobs, some drive, some get married!

Answer 3

Hello there,

The best thing you and your daughter can do is to contact your hospital and ask them fot the Down Syndrome counsellor to contact your daughter, he or she will give you all the details of benefits that you can have, yhey are the best people to ask. No disrespect meant to anyone on this site, but you will only be more confused as you will get lots of different answers. One thing you can do however is to type in down syndrome on the address bar above, hopefully you will find benefits etc somewhere in that site. Regarding down syndrome children, you will find them very loving towards you, When I was able bodied I use to work with disabled/ handicapped and down syndrome children I myself felt them veryloving and very intelligent, look after your grand child as ther will be the odd occassion where people will or may stare or be rude, just walk away from that person because your grandchild will grow up to be a million times better than that person, down syndrome children are special children as you will soon find out, god bless you all. Jimmy Scottish gentleman from Essex England

Answer 4

You really need specialist help with this one as it all depends on his or hers problems/challenges. Until they are 2 years old not a lot but after that Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance may apply. Have a look at www.dwp.gov.uk or speak to the CAB or a Down Syndrome charity. Just having a supportive parent/grandparent is an enormous help.

Answer 5

I consider Malice above me. those exams are blindly faulty. My sister have been given a excellent with the two her pregnancies saying her babies could have Downs. they're the two the main classic childrens interior the international. Its a raffle. It unearths this little hint of something floating around and is going DING DING Downs syndrome. and then they do the amniocentesis and the infant is fantastic. this is the reason I by no skill had the AFP finished. My mom is a expert in genetic problems including Downs Syndrome and she or he advised me that the AFP does no longer something yet freak women people out. And the only reason its even presented that early is to grant women people the prospect to abort legally in the event that they % to. the 2d I advised my checklist I wouldnt abort if there replaced right into a difficulty, he threw the blood attempt orders out. 80 5% of problems may well be clinically determined with Ultrasound. Downs is one among them. i may well be keen to guess money that her infant is in basic terms fantastic. you recognize, i myself dont comprehend the Thumbs down. Im offering this grandmother some encouragement and attempting to allay her fears. I by no skill mentioned that Downs could no longer ensue to a youthful couple, it could. yet opportunities are high, its no longer, and regardless of if this is, any qualified ultrasound technician is going to be waiting to tell by skill of an hassle-free ultrasound. And regardless of if this is, its no longer the top of the international. I in basic terms dont think of she ought to panic on a raffle. because of the fact opportunities are high, the infant is in basic terms fantastic!

Answer 6

Hi, They are entitled to high rate disability allowance and once he is 3yrs old plus they are entitled to a car through the motability scheme so they can get him to hosp appts etc. xx

Answer 7

you can claim disability living allowance, and maybe the severe disability element too. You can claim this whether the parents are working or not.

Answer 8

depends on the state. if they live in washington, there are abbundent resources.