Social Security Supplemental Security Income makes monthly payments to people with low income and limited resources who are ages 65 or older, blind, or disabled. A child younger than age 18 can qualify if he or she meets Social Security’s definition of disability, and if his or her income and resources fall within the eligibility requirements. Social Security considers the income and resources of family members living in the child’s household. When applying for benefits for a child, Social Security needs detailed information about the child’s medical condition and how it affects his or her ability to function on a daily basis. Social Security will also obtain records from doctors, teachers, therapists and other professionals who have information about the child’s condition. In almost all child disability claims it is very important to obtain records from the child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). School records and the opinions of appropriate educational staff are two of the best sources of evidence about how a child is functioning. In general disability examiners who medically review the claim are looking for the following information:
- Academic performance, psychological evaluation, attendance and behavior;
- Standardized and other specialized testing;
- School-based therapeutic interventions (e.g., speech and language therapy) and the use of other special services, including placement in special education classes or other specially adapted settings;
- Individualized education programs (IEP); and
- Other periodic assessments of the child; e.g., comprehensive triennial assessments.
- Assessments by teachers and other qualified personnel about the child’s activities and functioning; that is: what the child can and cannot do, or is limited in doing.
There are five domains of functioning that Social Security considers: acquiring and using information, attending and completing tasks, interacting and relating with others, moving about and manipulating objects, caring for yourself, and health and physical well-being. The various topics are outlined on the Child disability portion of Social Security’s website.
It can take three to four months for Social Security to determine if a child is disabled. However, Social Security does have the ability to start automatic payment while you wait for that decision to be made. A child would need to meet the following requirements to qualify for this exception: HIV infection; total blindness; total deafness; cerebral palsy; down syndrome; muscular dystrophy; severe intellectual disorder (child age 7 or older); and birth weight below 2 pounds, 10 ounces.
