Ask the Expert – How Your Child With Autism Can Qualify for Social Security Benefits

The Social Security Administration (SSA) oversees two disability programs, one of which is Supplemental Security Income (SSI).  This program provides monthly benefits to individuals with disabilities who exhibit financial need and meet the medical requirements, then he or she might be approved for disability benefits. If a child is on the spectrum and the disorder limits the child enough that he or she meets the medical qualifications, then you might want to help the child apply for disability benefits from the SSA. A child with autism requires special medical care, has special education needs, and requires therapy, all of which affect the family financially. Disability benefits can help with those extra costs.

Meeting the Medical Criteria
The first step in getting approved for Social Security Disability benefits is meeting the medical criteria that the SSA uses to determine disability. Children, who are younger than 18 years of age, have different criteria to meet than the adults do. The SSA uses the Blue Book, which is a medical guide that has separate listings for children. To meet the listing for children with autism, the child must have delayed social and communication skills for their specific age.

The child’s autism listing is found in the Blue Book under Section 112.10. To be approved for SSI benefits, the child must display:
-a symptom of a communication impairment, which might be difficulty responding to speech or producing normal speech.
-a symptom that shows impaired social interaction, which is the inability or difficulty of connecting with others in non-verbal or verbal ways. Examples include the inability to imitate others or respond to others’ emotions.
-a symptom of restricted and/or repetitive behaviors, which include preoccupation with a single activity, rearranging objects, and the need for a highly structured, unchanging environment to function properly.
Continue reading →