Supplemental Security Income

There is disability for children.

It is called Supplemental Security Income or SSI.

You must qualify both financially and medically.

The financial aspect applies to the income and assets of the parents or guardians of the child.

In other words, if the family makes too much money then the child is not eligible for SSI no matter how severely disabled she is.

To prove that your child is disabled you must show that they meet a listing. This is a very strict standard. Such as the child is confined to a wheelchair. The other way to prove disability is to show that the child is markedly limited in 2 areas or severely limited in 1 area.

The areas are called domains which include acquiring and using information, interacting and relating with others, attending and completing tasks, moving about and manipulating objects, caring for yourself, and health and physical well-being.

Some of the ways of showing your child’s limitations are doctor’s and counselors records and reports, hospitalization records, and teachers’ statements and questionnaires.

It is not enough that your child is diagnosed with a condition such as attention deficit, or attends special education classes.

You must show that your child suffers problems in functioning in different settings such as at home and school, and that the function is important, and that the function is frequently impaired, and that your child needs assistance in functioning.

Not many lawyers will take children’s SSI cases because they are difficult and differ greatly from a regular adult disability case.

Questions about your child’s SSI case? Feel free to contact Illinois Social Security Disability Attorney Dirk May at 309-827-4371.