Both children and adults can be found disabled under Social Security, but the rules are different.
Adults have to show that they have a medical condition that prevents them from working full time for 12 months or more. The emphasis is on whether the person is able to work.
Since children are not expected to work, the focus is on the child’s functioning compared to other children of a similar age.
A child can be found disabled because he or she has a condition that fits criteria in Social Security’s “Listings,” a list of common mental and physical conditions.
If they don’t meet criteria under the Listings, children can be found disabled because their medical condition causes problems in following areas of functioning:
acquiring and using information
attending and completing tasks
interacting and relating with others
moving about and manipulating objects
caring for themselves
health and physical well being
It is quite common for children who received disability payments to be cut off disability when they turn 18. From age 18 onward, a person has to show that the medical condition would prevent any full-time work on a regular basis. This is a very hard standard to prove, especially if the person has never worked or tried to work.
Children’s cases can be complex. Give us a call and see how we can help.