Do disabled children qualify for benefits?

Yes, they can. Minor age children may apply for disability benefits in the SSI (supplemental security income) program. Is the process of applying for disability benefits on behalf of a disabled child different than the process used by an adult to apply for disability? No, the application process is the same. A parent or guardian would need to contact the social security administration (either online, by phone, or by visiting a local field office), state the desire to initiate a child disability claim, and then set up an appointment to have a disability application interview conducted.

Is the disability approval criteria different for children versus adults? Yes. For adults, the evaluation process focuses on 1. determining the applicant's current level of functionality (both physical and mental), 2. determining the requirements of the applicant's past work, 3. determining whether or not the applicant can return to their past work, and 4. determining whether or not the applicant is capable of performing some type of other work.

Obviously, of course, work issues will not apply to minor-age children. The disability standard for children, by contrast, is measured in terms of a child's ability to adequately engage in age-appropriate activities. And for this reason an SSI disability claim for a child will require not only the gathering of medical records, but also the gathering of school-related records, such as IEPs, grade reports, the results of IQ and achievement testing, and completed questionaires from teachers.





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Do disabled children qualify for benefits?
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