Autism

Published on: April 26, 2019

ARE YOU ELIGIBLE FOR SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS FOR AUTISM?

The term “autism” refers to a broad range of conditions that can result in challenges in verbal and non-verbal communication, social skills, and speech and language skills. Symptoms can vary depending on the severity of the condition. This latter fact is also what makes recovering disability benefits for autism extra challenging for persons who suffer from the condition.

If your child suffers from autism, and your income and asset levels are not above the limits set by the Social Security Administration, you may qualify to receive SSI benefits. The eligibility criteria is different for adults with autism, however. If your income and asset levels are below limits set by the federal agency, then you may qualify for and receive benefits under the SSI program.

Adults with autism may also qualify for disability benefits under the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Program. For this, however, you must have paid into the SSDI program, which means that you must have a work history and have paid into the system during this work tenure. You must also prove that your condition makes it impossible for you to work at your job and earn a sustainable income. The agency will determine whether your disability prevents you from working at your old job. If the agency finds that you can meet the demands of the job, then you might not qualify for benefits.

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Published on: April 20, 2017

Disabled Children at Higher Risk of Abuse and Neglect

By Lisa Siegel

Children who suffer from a mental or physical disability may be at a much higher risk of suffering from abuse or neglect.

Those are the results of a new study that yielded disturbing findings. According to the study, children who suffer from mental or behavioral disorders have a heightened risk of abuse, and those risks differ depending on the type of disorder from which the child suffers.

Researchers found that children who suffer from autism, spina bifida, and Down syndrome, are not at a high risk of abuse, but those who suffer from intellectual disabilities or mental/behavioral disorders such as depression and developmental delays are much more likely to experience abuse or neglect. Moreover, children whose parents lack support to deal with their child’s disability, or are overwhelmed by the responsibility of caring for a disabled child, are much more likely to suffer from neglect.

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Published on: March 30, 2017

Can Adults with Autism Qualify for Social Security Disability Benefits?

By Lisa Siegel

Autism is a disorder that is usually present from birth, and affects a person’s communication abilities as well as their personal skills.

Typically, the disorder is diagnosed by the time a child is three years old. An adult who suffers from autism may qualify for both Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits as well as Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) benefits. However, for adults to qualify for SSDI, they must have paid into the system. That means that they must have a work history, and must have worked in jobs in which they paid taxes into the Social Security system.

When an adult above the age of 18 files a claim for disability benefits for autism, the Social Security Administration will determine whether the person meets the criteria in Listing 12.10 Autistic Disorder. Under this section, a person must be able to show that they suffer from impairment in social interactions, communication skills, and restrictions in interests and activities. These impairments must be clearly measurable. They must also restrict the ability to function in a work environment, limit social and personal relations with others, or must pose severe challenges in concentration.

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Published on: November 14, 2016

Why Vaccines Matter

By Lisa Siegel

Yes. Vaccines matter. This is a scientific fact, not a matter of opinion. Vaccines prevent 6 million deaths every year worldwide. They have fundamentally changed modern medicine.

In 1950 The World Health Assembly undertook to rid the world of smallpox through systemic vaccinations. The smallpox disease killed millions of people in the 20^th century. By 1980 the disease had been completely eradicated. Routine vaccinations are no longer necessary.

The whooping cough vaccine was introduced in 1948. That year 150,000 people were treated for whooping cough. By 1956, that number was zero. In 1955, 40,000 people contracted polio. Ten years after Jonas Salk invented the polio vaccine, there were only 61 cases.

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Published on: December 18, 2015

Social Security Disability Benefits for Autism

By Lisa Siegel

In order to receive Social Security disability benefits for a child suffering from autism, your child must suffer from a number of cognitive impairments and impairments in social and personal functioning.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) will look for signs that a child suffers from multiple types of impairments when evaluating eligibility for benefits on the basis of his autism. For instance, the child must have deficits in social interaction, communication and imagination, and must be limited by his or her activities and interests. These limitations must impact the child’s cognitive, personal, social and social functioning.

Proving these types of impairments is frequently done through the results of standardized tests. For instance, you can establish the extent of cognitive and communicative impairment by using standardized tests as well as special tests for language development. In the case of social functioning impairment, your claim may depend on evaluations by a doctor and observations of the child’s capacity to form relationships, interact with others, including parents, adults, and peers. Personal functioning refers to the child’s ability to look after himself, perform self-grooming tasks and dressing, eating, and visiting the toilet on his own.

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