What Medical Conditions Qualify for Childhood SSI?
Social Security has a special list of medical impairments for children, which is different from the list for adults needing disability benefits.
Some diseases affect children differently than adults. Some diseases only happen to children, such as developmental and growth disorders.
And unlike disability benefits for adults, which evaluate how someone’s health problems limit their ability to work, Social Security doesn’t expect children to be trying to work.
So Social Security has other standards for deciding if a child’s health conditions limit their functioning in a way that qualifies for childhood SSI disability benefits.
First, they’ll look for a diagnosable impairment.
It could be one of the many impairments mentioned under 15 categories on Social Security’s official list—from low birth weight to sensory and speech problems, musculoskeletal conditions, heart problems, breathing disorders, immune system disorders, mental health conditions, neurological conditions and more.
Your child could also qualify with a condition that’s not on the list if it equally limits their functioning.
The SSI disability program will then want medical professionals—including doctors, psychologists, nurses, nurse practitioners, speech pathologists and any other health care providers relevant to your child’s case—to provide reports on factors like these:
- Your child’s ability to move their body from one place to another
- Their ability to move and use objects
- How well your child learns and uses new information
- How well they can focus their attention
- Whether they can stick with and finish an activity
- How they relate to other people
- If they’re able to follow rules
- How they respond to criticism
- How much your child can manage their physical and emotional needs
- How they take care of their things
In deciding whether to award benefits, the government will also want to know from your child’s health care providers how your child’s medical treatments and therapies are going.
And a highly important non-medical source of information about your child—records from school showing how they do academically—will also be crucial to your child’s disability claim.
It can feel overwhelming to coordinate getting all this information to Social Security. This is a major area where a childhood SSI disability lawyer can help.
At Nash Disability Law in Chicago, our experienced disability attorneys know what information you need to provide, what you don’t need to provide, and how to tell your child’s story to Social Security so you can get financial assistance to help them thrive.
If you have any questions about whether your child’s health qualifies him or her for SSI benefits, it costs you nothing to talk to us to learn more.
Call Us At Nash Disability Law Today »
Call Us At Nash Disability Law Today »
What financial requirements does your family have to meet?
Childhood SSI takes into account the financial situation of the family. But something a lot of parents don’t understand is that you can be working a regular job and your family may still be eligible for childhood SSI benefits. Here are the family financial factors that SSA may assess:
- Your family is receiving state assistance, food stamps or Medicaid.
- Your household income is under certain limits determined on a scale set by Social Security. Generally, you can earn up to $36,000 a year as a single parent.
- In a two-parent household, both parents can earn together up to $44,000.
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Nash Disability Law helps you and your child through all four levels of appeal for childhood SSI benefits.
How does Nash Disability Law help your child?
Winning disability benefits for children requires gathering and submitting certain kinds of evidence. A lot of law firms simply won’t handle childhood SSI cases. But the lawyers at Nash Disability Law have a particular passion for helping children and families. Important evidence in your child’s case may include:
- Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for special education services from your child’s school.
- Section 504 plans from your child’s school, which outline special accommodations the school makes for your
child’s disability.
- Medical records on your child’s health condition.
- Observations from people who see or work with your child daily.
You may want to consider SSI for your child if he or she is struggling in school. If your child is having a hard time keeping up academically or socially with other children, childhood SSI could well make a big difference for your family.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT SSI OR WANT TO FIND OUT IF YOUR CHILD QUALIFIES, DON’T HESITATE TO CALL US AT NASH DISABILITY LAW.
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