Starting Your Childs Ssi Application
All SSI applications must be completed in person at your closest Social Security office. There are more than 1,300 SSA offices located across the country, so youll likely have more than one option when scheduling an appointment. Before applying in person, be sure to review the SSAs Child Disability Starter Kit. This online resource outlines exactly what paperwork youll need to have on hand to successfully apply for SSI on behalf of a child.
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Communication And Social Interaction For Autistic People
Autistic people often have difficulty with communication. They may have difficulty expressing their needs. Some autistic people never develop language, while others might have good verbal language skills.For those who do develop language, they may have difficulties using appropriate grammar and vocabulary, and constructing meaningful sentences. They may misunderstand words, interpret them literally or not understand them at all. Other peoples feelings and emotions can be difficult to understand.
Autistic people can find social skills and social communication very difficult.
This may mean that they appear disinterested in others, aloof or unsure of how to engage in social interactions. They may have difficulty using or interpreting non-verbal communication such as eye contact, gestures and facial expressions, or appear disinterested in the experiences and emotions of others. Establishing and maintaining friendships can be challenging for some autistic people. Some autistic people appear to be withdrawn and can become isolated others try very hard to be sociable, but may not seem to get it right. There is a range of help available, including assessment, education programs and family support.
What Is The Prognosis For Children And Adults With Autism
Persons with autism seem to have a higher mortality rate at younger ages compared to average individuals. This is particularly true for mortality that is related to seizures or infection. It is, therefore, important for the autistic population to receive good medical care from health care professionals who have knowledge and experience in addressing their unique medical needs.
Due to a number of potential factors, autistic persons tend to be vulnerable to nutritional problems. Specifically, factors like variations in appetite, refusal of many foods, food allergies, and side effects to some medications can disproportionately impact the food intake, and therefore, the nutritional status of this population. Individuals with autism have been found to be vulnerable to respiratory problems as well, which results in this population having more doctors’ visits than people who do not have autism. As people with autism also are vulnerable to emotional struggles like anxiety, depression, and attention problems, the help of mental health professionals should be sought when appropriate.
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When Do You Notice The Signs Of Autism
While you might notice some of the signs of autism in the first few years of your child’s life, it may only be when they are at school, or even when they are an adult, that a diagnosis is made.
Sometimes an autism diagnosis is delayed because health professionals want to be certain before they make a diagnosis. In other cases, a delayed diagnosis might be because the signs of autism go undetected, especially if they present in a more subtle way .
More boys than girls are diagnosed with autism, and there is an ongoing debate about whether this is for genetic reasons or because the process of diagnosis tends to pick up autistic traits more common in boys, and the possibility that this is leaving some girls undiagnosed.
Finding Help And Support
Each autistic person is different, and the impact their condition has on their life will depend on many factors. These will include the severity of their condition, any additional diagnoses, such as a learning disability or a mental health problem, and whether they display any challenging behaviours.
While some autistic people will need very little extra support, others will need more specialist, even 24 hour, help. Each autistic person is also an individual in their own right, and will have their own likes, dislikes and characteristics just like everyone else, which will also affect the kind of support they want and need. Support and coping strategies need to be tailored to each individual.
For some parents, planning ahead for the future is key, while other families prefer to take life a day at a time. There is no right or wrong way of doing things, the key is to work out what works for your son or daughter, and to help them achieve the things they want from life.
Once your son or daughter has received a diagnosis, the next step is to think about the services and support your family will need for the future.
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Can Developmental Disability Be Called Something Else
Developmental disabilities that may also include an intellectual disability are briefly described below. Intellectual disabilities can also be caused by a head injury, stroke or illness. For some no cause is found. Intellectual disabilities will vary in degree and effect from person to person, just as individual capabilities vary considerably among people who do not have an intellectual disability. People should not make generalizations about the needs of persons with intellectual disabilities. In some instances an intellectual disability will not be obvious from a persons appearance, nor will it be accompanied by a physical disability. Persons with intellectual disabilities successfully perform a wide range of jobs, and can be dependable workers.
Autism And Your Ability To Perform Sedentary Work
In some cases, it is simpler to prove that autistic adults are incapable of performing sedentary work, as this kind of work typically involves concentration or interaction with other people. By definition, an autistic adult has great difficulty being able to perform this kind of work.
Autistic adults will nearly always require assistance in applying for Social Security Disability benefits, especially if their initial claim is denied and the appeals process becomes necessary. Seek a Social Security Disability lawyer who has experience winning Social Security Disability claims for autistic adults.
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Is Autism A Learning Disability
Yes, although autism is mostly defined by its behavioral characteristics, it is fundamentally a learning disability. Even the behavioral aspects can be tied to impaired learning. For example, it appears that the communicative limitations in autism are largely due to impaired learning of communication skills.
The learning disability in many autistic individuals is somewhat paradoxical. Some may be unable to learn in a classroom environment, yet they can successfully memorize a phone book on their own.
Disabled learning has many effects on an autistic individuals ability to function in life. Traditional educational activities are often nearly useless for autistic people. They tend to resist formal teaching, and their behaviors can be disruptive in classrooms. They also have difficulty learning from experiences and may be unable to predict things that are important, such as when a bus will come to pick them up.
Learning to do meaningful tasks, such as those required by a job, may be impossible for individuals with autism. Although many people with autism have learning impairments that are relatively mild, autism is a learning disability with far-reaching consequences for many affected people.
What Are The Different Types Of Autism
The group of disorders that formerly included autism, pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified , Asperger’s syndrome, and sometimes Rett disorder and childhood integrative disorder are now referred to as autism spectrum disorders. The range of these disorders varies from severely impaired individuals that were formerly described as suffering from autism to other, more high-functioning individuals who have abnormalities of social interaction but normal intelligence, who were described as having Asperger’s syndrome. The ways in which autism spectrum disorders are exhibited can differ greatly. Additionally, autism can be found in association with other disorders such as mental retardation and certain medical conditions. The degree of autism can range from mild to severe. Mildly affected individuals may appear very close to normal. Severely afflicted individuals may have an extreme intellectual disability and be unable to function in almost any setting.
- tuberous sclerosis and the fragile X syndrome
- cerebral dysgenesis
- Rett syndrome and
- some of the inborn errors of metabolism .
Other treatments ranging from common anticonvulsant therapy to surgery have been proposed and are being tried for Landau-Kleffner syndrome. It is difficult to evaluate the true effects of any treatment for Landau-Kleffner syndrome due to the high rate of spontaneous resolution of symptoms .
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My School And Neighborhood
Look around your school and neighborhood to see how many barriers need to be changed to help kids with autism to have the same opportunities to be friends and participate in activities just like kids without disabilities.
Causes And Risk Factors
We do not know all of the causes of ASD. However, we have learned that there are likely many causes for multiple types of ASD. There may be many different factors that make a child more likely to have an ASD, including environmental, biologic and genetic factors.
- Most scientists agree that genes are one of the risk factors that can make a person more likely to develop ASD.4, 19
- Children who have a sibling with ASD are at a higher risk of also having ASD. 5-10
- Individuals with certain genetic or chromosomal conditions, such as fragile X syndrome or tuberous sclerosis, can have a greater chance of having ASD. 11-14, 20
- When taken during pregnancy, the prescription drugs valproic acid and thalidomide have been linked with a higher risk of ASD.15-16
- There is some evidence that the critical period for developing ASD occurs before, during, and immediately after birth. 17
- Children born to older parents are at greater risk for having ASD. 18
ASD continues to be an important public health concern. Like the many families living with ASD, CDC wants to find out what causes the disorder. Understanding the factors that make a person more likely to develop ASD will help us learn more about the causes. We are currently working on one of the largest U.S. studies to date, called Study to Explore Early Development . SEED is looking at many possible risk factors for ASD, including genetic, environmental, pregnancy, and behavioral factors.
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Communication Styles For People With Autism
The impairment includes both spoken language and non-verbal skills. People with autism may have no speech , or may have difficulty with speech production and/or conversation skills. There may be a total lack of development of speech which is also not compensated by the development of non-verbal modes of communication . In individuals who have speech, there may be a repetitive and stereotypic use of language, abnormal prosody , immature grammatical structures. There may be use of metaphorical language and/or neologisms which is understood only by those familiar with individuals communication style. There are also impairments in ones ability to initiate or sustain conversation with others.
Can Diet And Supplements Play A Role In The Treatment Of Autism
A number of dietary supplements are often given to persons with autism. Examples of such interventions include omega-3 fatty acids. While a significant percentage of people with autism are given dietary supplements as part of treatment, there is insufficient research to determine whether or not such interventions are helpful or harmful.
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Disability Benefits For Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder , is a group of related brain disorders that are characterized by impairments in the ability to communicate, behave and interact. Several individuals who are diagnosed with autism may have symptoms severe enough to prevent them from engaging in activities of daily living as well as prevent them from working and maintaining employment in the work force. These individuals who are struggling may qualify for Social Security Disability benefits from the Social Security Administration .
How Does Autism Impact The Family
Having a family member with autism presents emotional, social, and financial challenges. The stress placed on parents and other family members of people with autism can be influenced by a number of factors. Examples of such factors include how well the person with autism functions, how much social support the family receives, and sometimes the ethnicity of the person’s parents. Siblings of children and teens with autism seem to fare better in their understanding and acceptance of the family member with autism when provided with education about their loved one’s condition.
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What Causes Intellectual Or Cognitive Impairments
Intellectual or cognitive impairments can start any time before a child reaches the age of 18 years. Persons who have intellectual disabilities may have other impairments as well. Examples of coexisting conditions may include: cerebral palsy, seizure disorders, vision impairment, hearing loss, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder . Persons with severe intellectual disabilities are more likely to have additional limitations than persons with milder intellectual disabilities .
Social Security Disability Insurance
Social Security Disability Insurance is another financial benefit through Social Security. This payment is available for adults who have a disability that began prior to age 22. SSDI can be considered a childs benefit because it is paid on a parents Social Security earnings record.
For a disabled adult to become entitled to this child benefit, one of his or her parents:
- Must be receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits or
- Must have died and have worked enough to qualify for Social Security.
These benefits also are payable to an adult if he or she is disabled at age 18, and if they received dependents benefits on a parents Social Security earnings record prior to age 18. We make the disability determination using the disability rules for adults. SSDI disabled adult child benefits continue as long as the individual remains disabled. Your child doesnt need to have worked to get these benefits.
For more information on SSI and SSDI, see this booklet called Benefits for Children with Disabilities.
You can find many more SSDI resources and information here.
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Social Security Disability Income
Social security for adults with autism includes both the SSI and SSDI programs. Social security disability benefits for autism may carry over from childhood to adulthood for people who were receiving social security disability for autism on their parents social security record.
The SSDI program is for adults who are disabled from working. It is usually based on the recipients income before they became disabled. If the disability began before age 22, however, it can be based on the recipients parental income.
Once a child reaches age 18, the blue book adult criteria for disability determination takes effect, and these differ from the childhood criteria.
How Can You Help Yourself
Many books have been written by people who have an autism spectrum disorder. You might want to read one or have someone read one with you.
Jeff, you can be successful at home, school, or work. You can use schedules, rule books, social stories, relaxation strategies, exercise programs, medication, or other strategies to help yourself cope or learn better. Many people care about you. They will be glad to help you be a happy and successful person who just happens to have an autism spectrum disorder called autism.
Vicker, B. . Disability information for someone who has an autism spectrum disorder. Bloomington, IN: Indiana Resource Center for Autism.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Autism Spectrum Disorder
ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects how people process certain types of information. The main symptoms are:
- difficulty with social interactions
- engaging in repetitive or ritualistic behaviors
- obsessions with certain topics of interest
Individuals with ASD may share some symptoms in common, such as difficulty in social interactions and repetitive behaviors. But because it is a spectrum disorder, these symptoms can range from mild to severe. Everyone experiences ASD differently. Some children with autism have speech or intellectual delays some do not. Some may have average or above-average IQs. Some may be high-functioning and others may have a severe disability.
Are Adults Eligible For Disability Benefits
It’s harder for adults to get benefits, experts say. It’s not impossible, but be prepared to demonstrate that the condition is so severe that it limits the person from getting meaningful work that allows for financial independence.
According to the SSA, adults must have:
- Medical documentation. Just like children, adults must have proof of communication deficits, social interaction limitations, and restricted behavior patterns.
- Extreme limits in one, or marked limits in two, mental functioning areas. These areas include understanding or applying information, social interactions, concentration, and adaptation.
If your loved one doesn’t qualify based on these rules, options are available. Experts say the SSA can evaluate the persons ability to perform in a work setting. Skills to evaluate might include the ability to:
- Sit still.
- Complete work at a competitive pace.
To qualify, the person must be unable to tackle these tasks in a work setting.
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Autism And Your Ability To Perform Physical Work
Autism does not directly affect your ability to perform physical tasks, but it does generally affect your ability to concentrate on those tasks or to receive the instructions needed to learn new tasks in the first place. While this is sometimes overcome for those with milder autistic spectrum disorders in workplaces where supervisors are trained to deal with employees with autistic disorders, many adults with autism are unable to perform any kind of substantial gainful activity. To be considered completely disabled by autism for Social Security Disability purposes, you must meet the following criteria:
- Obvious and significant impairment in social function.
- Obvious and significant impairment in concentrating.
- Obvious and significant impairment in comprehending communication or communicating.
- Obvious and significant impairment in cognitive functioning.