Finding out your child has a serious neurological disorder can be difficult to cope with. On top of this realization, you may also be struggling with the medical bills that are involved with the neurological disorder, and certain financial limitations might be preventing you from seeking the best care for your child. If your child was diagnosed with a certain type of neurological disorder, you could have a way out of this. Disability benefits can be used to cover medical expenses and other costs related to your child’s medical condition. Talk with a Philadelphia disability lawyer to learn more. 

Childhood Neurological Disorders Covered by Disability Benefits

There are dozens of childhood neurological disorders covered by the disability insurance programs provided by the Social Security Administration. All of these neurological disorders are listed in the SSA Blue Book, which can be found online. Finding your child’s listing is not the only step that needs to be taken, you also need to figure out whether the severity of your child’s condition matches the SSA definition of a disability.

In general, the SSA covers neurological disorders that cause neuromuscular or bulbar dysfunction, problems with communication, and motor functions that are hindered by the disorder. While Autism can affect many of these areas, this condition is listed under the mental disorders body system listing instead of the neurological disorders listing. Bulbar and neuromuscular dysfunction means weakness in:

• Swallowing
• Speaking
• Breathing

Problems with communication mean your child has been seen by a professional and this professional has demonstrated that your child uses ineffective communication for their age as the direct result of a neurological deficit. Disorganized motor functions mean your child has significant difficulties balancing, walking, standing up, and using fine motor functions with their fingers. 

How Does My Child Qualify?

To qualify for child disability benefits, you will need to make sure your child meets the SSA definition of a disability, you have sufficient medical evidence of the medical condition, and your child meets the qualifications specified by either the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program or the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. 

The SSA definition of disability means your child has a mental or physical disability that prevents your child from performing the same tasks or behaviors that other children of similar age can perform. Applying for SSI means your child must either not have a job or be earning more than $1,260 each month in income. SSDI requires you to have a certain amount of work experience that has paid into social security. 

Acquiring enough medical evidence means working with your doctor to obtain copies of medical tests and records that indicate the way the neurological disorder impairs your child’s abilities. In some cases, your child could qualify for a compassionate allowance. 

Disability Insurance Lawyer in Philadelphia 

Applying for disability insurance programs is not always easy. Feel free to reach out to a Philadelphia individual disability insurance lawyer when you have questions about the process. Contact Edelstein & Nelson at 800-887-4529 for a consultation today. Our disability insurance attorneys will help you collect the evidence you need for a strong disability benefits claim.