Does a Child's Anxiety Qualify for Disability Benefits?

While many “grown-ups” might reminisce fondly on childhood as a carefree time, children can struggle with symptoms of anxiety just as adults do. Excessive worrying—that which goes beyond normal, short-lived fears—can cause significant limitations in your child’s ability to socialize with others, perform well in school, or hit developmental milestones.

Treatment for childhood anxiety often involves different types of age-appropriate therapy and, in some cases, medication. If your child’s anxiety doesn’t respond well to treatment and is beginning to hinder their emotional or cognitive growth, your family may qualify for SSI disability benefits. Before you submit an application on your child’s behalf, it’s a good idea to get familiar with some of Social Security’s rules and regulations surrounding disability benefits for children.

How Your Child Can Qualify for SSI Disability Based on Anxiety

The first step in getting your child disability benefits is for your family to meet the low income and asset requirements for the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. (Children under 18 don’t qualify for SSDI, the other disability benefits program administered by Social Security, because eligibility for that benefit is based on having worked as an adult.)

Once Social Security has determined that your family meets the financial requirements for SSI, the agency will (with your permission) start gathering medical information about your child’s anxiety disorder. The agency will then use that information to determine whether your child either meets or functionally equals a listing in the Blue Book, Social Security’s manual for evaluating certain medical conditions.

Getting SSI by Meeting the Childhood Listing for Anxiety

Social Security evaluates SSI applications based on childhood anxiety according to the criteria of Listing 112.06. In order to meet the listing requirements, your child’s medical records will need to contain evidence of both a particular set of symptoms (the “A” criteria) as well as very significant functional limitations (the “B” or “C” criteria). The “A” criteria symptoms will depend on the exact kind of anxiety disorder your child has been diagnosed with.

• Generalized anxiety disorder requires evidence of at least one of the following symptoms: restlessness; fatigue; difficulty concentrating; irritability; muscle tension, or sleep disturbance.
• Panic disorder or agoraphobia requires evidence of panic attacks, followed by a persistent worry about additional panic attacks, or disproportionate fear or anxiety about at least two different situations (such as using public transportation, being at school, or crowded spaces).
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder requires evidence of involuntary, time-consuming preoccupation with intrusive thoughts or repetitive behaviors intended to reduce anxiety.
• Separation anxiety requires evidence of excessive fear about being apart from people who the child is attached to, such as parents, siblings, or friends.

In addition to having medical documentation of the “A” criteria, your child will also need to meet either the “B” or “C” criteria in order to meet listing 112.06. For your child to meet the “B” criteria, they’ll need to have an “extreme” limitation in one, or “marked” limitations in two, of the following mental functions:

• understanding, remembering, or using information (learning and language development)
• interacting with others (making friends and maintaining relationships)
• concentrating, persisting, and maintaining pace (like doing chores and finishing homework), and
• adapting and managing oneself (including maintaining hygiene and avoiding danger).

“Marked” limitations are in areas where your child needs a great deal of help functioning independently. For example, your child might delay putting off chores while they engage in repetitive behaviors, but they’ll eventually get them done. “Extreme” limitations are in areas where your child can rarely function independently, if at all. if your child is too frightened to leave the house even with a chaperone, Social Security will likely consider that to be an extreme limitation.

Some children don’t have marked or extreme limitations in mental functioning, but only because they have a very intensive level of support. As long as they’ve been treated for anxiety for at least two years, they can still qualify for SSI under listing 112.06 with evidence of the “C” criteria demonstrating “marginal adjustment.” Social Security considers children to be “marginally adjusted” when they perform well in a highly structured or sheltered environment, but deteriorate quickly when taken out of that environment. That could include getting good grades when homeschooled with private tutors but failing tests when placed in public school, for example.

Getting SSI by Functionally Equaling the Listings

Not all children with anxiety are going to be able to meet the requirements of the listing. But they can still get disability benefits if they can show that their symptoms are functionally equivalent to the listings. “Functional equivalence” means that your child is just as disabled as a child who meets the listing requirements exactly, but that disability manifests itself in a different way.

You’ll still need to show that your child has an extreme limitation in one, or marked limitations in two, functional areas. However, Social Security uses slightly different functional areas—also called domains—in order to determine if your child’s condition is functionally equivalent to the listings.The six domains encompass a broader range of behaviors, both mental and physical:

• acquiring and using information
• attending and completing tasks
• interacting and relating to others
• moving about and manipulating objects
• caring for self, and
• health and physical well-being.

Children whose anxiety centers around cleanliness might bathe themselves excessively, for example, causing skin irritations. Social Security is likely to consider them to have a marked or extreme (depending on the severity of the irritation) limitation in the “caring for self” or “health and physical well-being” domain. Or, children who feel compelled to stack everything they touch into piles of three are likely limited in the “moving about and manipulating objects” domain.

Evidence You’ll Need to Document Your Child’s Anxiety

Make sure to provide Social Security with progress notes from pediatricians, psychologists, or psychiatrists that contain their observations about your child’s mood and behavior. Any treatment that your child has received for their anxiety (from any source), such as art and play therapy, family or group therapy, or cognitive-behavioral therapy should also be submitted to Social Security. If your child is on medication for their anxiety, let the agency know how effective the medication is and whether or not it causes any side effects.

Social Security will also consider evidence from your child’s teachers or guidance counselors. They’re usually in a good position to provide assessments on how your child’s anxiety is affecting their performance at school and with peers. When possible, you should include the following evidence in your child’s SSI application:

• academic performance records (like report cards) and other teacher assessments
• attendance records
• standardized test scores and other specialized testing
• school-based therapeutic interventions (such as speech or language therapy), and
• any other special services your child receives.

If your child has an individualized education program (IEP) or 504 plan to help them manage their anxiety, submit those as well. These academic roadmaps can help Social Security identify the areas in which your child is struggling and apply that knowledge to make an informed disability determination.

How Much SSI Will My Child Get for Anxiety?

Social Security doesn’t make payments based on the type of disabling condition, and children who qualify for SSI can receive the same maximum amount (in 2026, $994 per month) as adults. Calculating the exact amount of a child’s SSI benefit can be complicated, however, since the payment is reduced if the child’s family has any countable income. For more details, see our article on how parents’ income affects their children’s SSI benefits.

Applying for Disability Benefits

You have a couple of options to apply for SSI disability benefits for your child. You can call Social Security at 800-772-1213 (TTY 800-325-0778) to make an appointment to apply. At your appointment, a Social Security representative will help you with the paperwork.

You can also get your child’s disability application started online. Applying online is a two-step process. You must:

• complete an online child disability report (which should take about an hour), and
• accept a phone call from a Social Security representative to discuss the claim and complete the application for SSI (generally three to five business days after you submit the online report)

Social Security offers a starter kit with checklists and worksheets you can use to get ready to file your child’s SSI application.

What If My Child’s SSI Application Is Denied?

If your child’s application is denied, Social Security will send you a denial letter explaining why they made their decision. If your child doesn’t meet the financial eligibility requirements for SSI (which can happen if your family is “overresourced” or makes too much money), there’s unfortunately not much you can do. But if your child’s application was denied because Social Security didn’t think there was enough medical evidence to support a finding of disability, you can appeal the decision and try for a better outcome.

You can also hire a disability lawyer or advocate to help build your child’s SSI case. Social Security applicants often have more success when they work with an attorney than when they file a claim on their own. (Learn more about how a disability lawyer can help get SSI benefits for your child.)