Social Security Disability for Children

Under certain circumstances, Social Security disability for children and young adults who become disabled before their 22nd birthdays can be available.

Disability Benefit Eligibility Children

The qualification or eligibility process for children is somewhat different than for adults, although there are definite similarities.

• A strict definition of disability is applied to children in order to be declared disabled.
• The child's mental or physical condition has to cause "marked and severe functional limitations" to their daily activities.
• As with adults, the child cannot participate in substantial work.
• The child's condition has to have already lasted for at least a year, or must be expected to last at least one year, or be expected to result in death.

When doctors and other experts hired by Social Security review claim submissions, they have criteria that must be used for all different types of mental and physical conditions. There are separate lists of criteria for children and adults, as children will vary widely in their expected developmental stage depending on their age. The abilities of a healthy 2-year-old cannot be compared to those of a healthy 7-year-old or adult, so different criteria have been adopted for evaluating children.

Disabled children under the age of 18 do not receive benefits under the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. Only "children" who are over 18 can receive these benefits if:

• Their disability began before their 22nd birthday.
• They have a parent who currently receives Social Security retirement or disability benefits or who has died but contributed to the program with enough work history to qualify.

These benefits are referred to as a child's benefit, because the young adult qualifies on the work history record of their parent. SSDI benefits can continue as long as the adult child remains disabled. Even if the adult child received disability benefits before they turned 18, they will be evaluated again after they turn 18 using the criteria for adult disability.

Social Security Income for Children

When a child under the age of 18 is disabled and receives a cash benefit from Social Security, they are receiving it under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

• In order to receive SSI, a child has to meet the disability definition that was described above, but also has to meet strict financial criteria.
• SSI is reserved for elderly, blind and disabled people with limited income and resources.
• The income and resources of a family can be too high for a disabled child to qualify for SSI.
• The income limits vary by state, and often by county, so check with the local Social Security office for eligibility requirements.

An attorney who is familiar with Social Security can help you apply for benefits for a child under age 22. These benefits often include Medicaid or Medicare, so they can be extremely valuable to your child and family.

Next Steps

7. Working and Getting Benefits
8. Social Security and Types of Impairments
9. Benefits Denied: Request for Reconsideration

Trying to Get Disability Benefits?