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Thread: Any experiences of children with physical disabilities?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    UK
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    Default Any experiences of children with physical disabilities?

    We are applying for PR with my partner as sponsor, my daughter (15) has a type of Spina Bifida. She walks unaided and to look at her you wouldn't know there are any problems, but she has had a couple of Neurosurgeries, last one 2007, and has to use a catheter to urinate now. She is seen once a year or so by urology and that's about it. She takes desmopressin and movicol every day. I have letters from her Urologist and Neurosurgeon stating that they do not anticipate any further problems. Can anyone tell me what to expect? We are early days yet, but I thought I'd settle in to the anxiety stage early!!

    Thanks in advance for any help!

    Carly

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    Derbyshire........>Taupo
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    Hi Carly, and welcome, I'm sorry, but I don't have any helpful advice, but I know that there will be some along soon who do.
    Having letters from her specialists is good, they do, I believe, take them in to consideration. The more evidence you can get that shows her condition is not going to cost NZ health service a great deal of money to treat, the better. I do believe that they look at whether a persons medical condition will fall in the top 25% cost wise for future treatment, but again, someone will be along to correct me if I'm wrong.

    Cath XX

  3. #3
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    Oct 2009
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    Auckland
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    You should look into whether your daughter would qualify for ORRS funding. That would be considered a negative from INZ standpoint. Info is at http://www.minedu.govt.nz/NZEducatio...emes/ORRS.aspx.

    Good luck

  4. #4
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    Nov 2009
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    Thanks for the link. Katie doesn't need any help in school and is predicted straight A's here in the UK. The likelihood that she'll need further surgeries is very remote and I have letters to that effect. Like I said, if you met her you would never believe there is anything wrong with her. I just hope that these types of diagnoses don't automatically scare people off. I guess they can only work with probability. My OH has two kids in NZ and us here, it's pretty difficult at the moment. He's been working here since Feb and been back to visit the kids, but he needs to go back home to be with them in the next couple of months. Anyone have a crystal ball???!!

    Carly

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
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    Poole, UK to Chch, NZ
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    hi Carly,

    Quote Originally Posted by mbilwev View Post
    We are applying for PR with my partner as sponsor, my daughter (15) has a type of Spina Bifida.
    I van guarantee you that your daughter will be referred to a medical assessor, which will delay your visa from being granted for.. hard to say, depending on how much info they request, tbh. Great that you have letters from specialists though

    I have seen in other threads that for chronic conditions, the calculation of how much someone will cost the NZ health system includes the expected lifetime cost of medication to them. You can search here to find out how much each med is subsidised by, then figure out a total based on how many pills she takes per year and a guesstimate of years.

    What they appear to "dislike" is anything over NZ$25,000 - but even then the visa may not be declined, and if it is you can always apply for a medical waiver. This is your opportunity to point out that this one negative is totally outweighed by the positive contribution that you, your daughter (as an A-grade student) and your returning partner can bring to NZ.

    Quote Originally Posted by mbilwev View Post
    My OH has two kids in NZ and us here, it's pretty difficult at the moment. He's been working here since Feb and been back to visit the kids, but he needs to go back home to be with them in the next couple of months.
    It is very hard to say whether your visas will be granted within 2 months... probably not, to be honest. Medical assessor referrals have sped up a lot recently, but if they ask for more info and you end up going back and forth... each time takes at least a month. Sorry to be gloomy *hug*

    Regards your partner working here since Feb... does that mean he was in NZ until them? You may have difficulty proving a stable, 12-month partnership if he works back and forth from both countries...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    UK
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    Thanks for ALL that information!! You've been on the rollercoaster for a while eh?! I am so full of energy and enthusiasm at the moment, but am wondering how long it will take before I lose that! We will get there though, we just can't give up! My OH is going back without me while I get this started. We were advised to go in on a partnership visa, but if all else fails my degree is in IT, so maybe SM will be the way to go.

    Thanks again, and I hope you get everything you need soon.

    Carly

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
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    UK to USA to Waikato, NZ
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    My son has Speech Apraxia and had to go through a medical assessor referral in London and NZ but we got approved, although it was a lot of paperwork and nail biting!
    Good luck.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
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    Te Puke, Bay of Plenty
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    Hi Carly,

    We've immigrated from Belgium to NZ nearly 6 years ago, one of our children being a (then 7 year old) child with cerebral palsy. We threw ourselves into a big adventure as we decided not to wait for PR. On a 9 month tourist visa we sold house and cars and packed everything in Belgium taking our little 2 boys with us. We looked for jobs and gained work/study permits while waiting for PR. Please keep in mind that it is of course almost 6 years ago so it might well be possible that rules and regulations have changed.

    All I can suggest is do your homework, be positive, don't give up, provide lots of information. Keep a copy of the reports so you can take them with you in case you will need to visit a NZ specialist as well which was in our case requested.

    Our approximate timeframe including all the extra medical issues with our son was:

    August 2004: EOI submitted

    September 2004: EOI selected

    November 2004: Arrived in NZ on tourist visa, had 4 job offers to choose from after 2 weeks of interviews, applied for work permits

    December 2004: Found jobs, applied and gained work permit for myself and husband and student permit for our (healthy) son but only a 6 month interim study permit for our son with special needs. The interim student permit came with a request to visit a NZ paediatrician for an additional medical report. (did lots of nail biting in this month as we thought we were going to have to pack our bags back to Belgium)

    January 2005: submitted the NZ medical report and gained a proper student visum for our son. Phew, we could at least stay in NZ for 1 year!

    February 2005: Received Invitation to Apply for PR, applied with all medical reports, we included all our Belgian reports and reused the report from the NZ paediatrician.

    April 2005: PR approved for the whole family with no additional questions asked!!

    Your daughter's disability seems a lot less significant than our son's (who doesn't qualify for ORRS funding but falls under High Health Needs funding, he receives full time support from a teacher aide at school for his physical disabilities and epilepsy) so I am hopeful for you but of course as I said I haven't followed up any of the new rules and regulations so please do your homework well.

    Wishing all the best of luck to you and your family!

    Lesly

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