Children and Disability

For children to qualify for Social Security disability benefits, they must meet the Social Security Administration's (SSA) strict definition of disability.

This requires a child to have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment (or combination of impairments) that results in "marked and severe functional limitations."

The impairment must also have lasted, or be expected to last, for at least one year or result in death

When evaluating a child's disability claim, the SSA considers their age, the severity of their limitations, and how their condition impacts their ability to function in age-appropriate activities compared to other children.

Marked and Severe Functional Limitations
Child Benefits

Marked and Severe Functional Limitations refer to a level of impairment that significantly interferes with a child's ability to perform age-appropriate activities compared to other children without disabilities.

Marked Limitations: A marked limitation is more severe than a moderate limitation and indicates serious difficulty in a particular domain.

Severe Limitations: A severe limitation is one that very seriously interferes with a child's ability to function in a certain area.

Determining Child SSI Claims

How the SSA determines this:

Functional Domains: The SSA evaluates a child's limitations across six domains:
1. Acquiring and using information
2. Attending and completing tasks
3. Interacting and relating with others
4. Moving about and manipulating objects
5. Caring for yourself
6. Health and physical well-being
Comparison to Other Children: The child's limitations are assessed relative to what would be expected for their age group.
Not Just Diagnosis: A diagnosis alone does not guarantee benefits.
The focus is on how the medical condition impacts daily functioning.

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Children and Disability

Marked and Severe Functional Limitations Child Benefits

Determining Child SSI Claims

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Marked and Severe Functional Limitations
Child Benefits