Benefits for Children with Disabilities

In addition to adults, children are entitled to receive Social Security Disability benefits. According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), children are considered to be less than 18 years old. Depending on the child’s disablement, they can potentially obtain compensation from the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). There are also other programs that can assist children by providing benefits based on their disabling condition.

Supplemental Security Income provides monthly payments to people with low incomes and limited resources. People who qualify for this program are adults that are 65 years old or older and have a disablement or impairment. Children can also receive SSI if they have a low income, limited resources, and have a disablement that fits the Social Security Administration’s definition of their condition. The incomes and resources of family members will also be taken into consideration if the child lives at home. The SSA directly states that if the child or their family members have an income that surpasses the directed amount, the child’s application for disability benefits will be denied.

Social Security Disability Insurance is offered to people who have worked a specific amount of time and have paid Social Security. The SSA categorizes this program as a benefit program for children because the payment is based on a parent’s Social Security earning record. A disabled child that is older than 18 years old can potentially continue receiving benefits on their parent’s Social Security record if they have been recorded since they were a minor. To apply for this program, people are required to submit the Social Security number of the individual whose record will be used to determine benefits and the child’s Social Security number and birth certificate.

Medicaid and Medicare are two other programs that can help people with impairments obtain benefits. Medicaid helps to provide health coverage to Americans that have a low income or are adults, children, pregnant, elderly, or disabled. Generally, children that get SSI payments are allowed to collect Medicaid benefits. Medicare is a federal health insurance program that applies to disabled people who are over the age of 65. The program can also apply to younger people with impairments who also have End-Stage Renal Disease or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. As defined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) is a medical condition in which a person’s kidney cease functioning on a permanent basis leading to the need for a regular course of long-term dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintain life. Lou Gehrig’s Disease, another term for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), is a disease in the nervous system that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, which ultimately leads to a loss of muscle control. According to the AARP Public Policy Institute, there are currently 44 million people in the United States that are enrolled in the Medicare program.

Children can experience disabling mental and physical conditions. It is important that children receive the necessary benefits from Social Security in order to pay for their medical bills and any expenses that arise from their condition. For more information about child impairments, please visit the Social Security Administration’s website at www.ssa.gov to learn more.