How Does the Social Security Administration Determine Whether Someone With Autism is Disabled?

Autism is a severe developmental disorder affectingcommunication and in imaginative activity. There is a
both social interaction and communication and usuallywide range of deficits that can occur under this
begins at birth or within the first two and a half yearsrequirement, but the main focus is on whether the
of life. In its early stages, autism shares many of thechild's disorder makes it difficult to express themselves.
same behaviors as Pervasive Developmental DisorderThe third requirement under Part A is that the child
(PDD) and Asperger's Syndrome and can be difficultexhibits a markedly restricted repertoire of activities
to diagnose since the majority of children with autismand interests. Once again, all three of these
appear to be physically normal. In fact, when the babyrequirements must be met.
boomer generation were still teenagers, autismSection 112.10(B) must also be met to be disabled and
occurred in approximately five children per 10,000 livethe rules are dependent on the age of the individual.
births. Today, numerous studies have reported thatPart B holds "For older infants and toddlers (age 1 to
number closer to one in 150 children diagnosed withattainment of age 3), resulting in at least one of the
autism. With autism steadily on the rise, it is importantappropriate age-group criteria in paragraph B1 of 112.02;
to know how the Social Security Administration (SSA)or, for children (age 3 to attainment of age 18), resulting
determines whether your child is disabled by autism.in at least two of the appropriate age-group criteria in
SSA has a Listing of Impairments that must be metparagraphs B2 of 112.02." SSA Listing of Impairments.
for someone to be considered disabled. AlthoughUnder Part B, children between the ages of 1-3 must
meeting a listing can improve your disability claim, itsshow records of at least one of the following: (1)
worth noting that failing to meet the criteria under theGross or fine motor development at a level generally
listing does not necessarily result in the denial of youracquired by children no more than one-half the child's
autism disability claim. The Listing of Impairmentschronological age, (2) Cognitive/communicative function
contains different criteria for various diseases andat a level generally acquired by children no more than
disorders and can be very different depending onone-half the child's chronological age, (3) Social function
whether you are a child or adult.at a level generally acquired by children no more than
Under SSA's Listing of Impairments, autism falls withinone-half the child's chronological age, and (4)
Mental Disorders, section 112.10. Requirements specifiedAttainment of development or function generally
in both part A and part B of Section 112.10 must beacquired by children no more than two-thirds of the
satisfied before the child can be deemed as autisticchild's chronological age in two or more areas covered
under SSA law. Part A has three different requisites,by 1, 2, or 3.
all of which must be met for the autistic child to qualifyAlso under Part B, children between the ages of 3-18
for disability. The first requirement is that there aremust show records of at least two of the following: (1)
qualitative deficits in the development of reciprocalMarked impairment in age-appropriate cognitive
social interaction. In other words, the child must have acommunicative function, (2) Marked impairment in
deficiency or lack of desire to interact with peers. Theage-appropriate social functioning, (3) Marked
focus here is on both the ability and the desire toimpairment in age-appropriate personal functioning, and
interact. The second requirement is that there are(4) Marked difficulties in maintaining concentration,
qualitative deficits in verbal and nonverbalpersistence, or pace.