Having a child born with disabilities or a child who later in development shows signs of a disabling condition can be very disheartening to a parent. You may wonder what benefits are even available to a child.
Children ages birth until age 18 may be eligible for disability benefits under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. The rules for evaluating whether a child is disabled differ from deciding if an adult is disabled. Social Security has specific Listings for children with disabling conditions. Social Security also looks at the functioning of the Whole Child under six areas (domains) to evaluate the severity of the child’s impairment and how it affects their ability to function.
These six areas of functioning change from different age ranges according to what would be expected of a child without any disabling conditions. These areas are the child’s ability to acquire and use information, attend and complete tasks, interact and relate with others, move about and manipulate objects, care for themselves, and their overall health and physical well-being.
A child is rated in each area as having either no limitation, a mild limitation, a moderate limitation, a marked limitation, or an extreme limitation. To meet the standard of disability for a child, the child would need to have a marked limitation in at least two areas or have an extreme limitation in one.
Additionally, children are paid under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program with the income of the parents and the household determining if they are eligible to receive a monthly payment. The resources coming into the home can unfortunately make a child ineligible for SSI benefits even if the child is physically or mentally disabled.
If you believe your child has limitations in their ability to function compared to other children their age, the best thing to do is to discuss your child’s limitations with their physician, pediatrician, and/or therapist. Any limitation that the child may have needs to be determined by their providers. If a child has functional limitations in school, this can sometimes be determined by the teacher. In order to know if your child meets a specific listing, it is important that you reach out to our firm so we can look at the diagnosis and evaluate your child’s case thoroughly.
We here at Gardberg and Kemmerly specialize in disability claims and can help you or your child with an application for disability. If you have a claim for disability and need assistance, please call our office at 251-343-1111 for a free consultation on your VA and/or SSA claim. Gardberg & Kemmerly specializes in helping the injured and disabled in Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, and Louisiana.