Does my child’s illness qualify for SSI?

Every expectant parent hopes and may pray for an easy labor and delivery, as well as a healthy newborn to add to their family. While many Charlotte residents are able to leave the hospitals with their infants shortly after birth, some parents learn soon after their children are born that they suffer from illnesses and disorders that require ongoing medical treatment. Some illnesses that manifest in early childhood are so severe that they may impact the children for the rest of their lives.

When a child suffers from a disabling illness that child may qualify for Supplemental Security Income. While some present-at-childhood illnesses may require parents to wait to find out if their children will receive SSI, some illnesses allow kids to receive immediate payments of financial help while their applications are reviewed.

Some of the illnesses that may automatically qualify children for SSI payments are as follows: complete blindness or complete deafness; cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy; down syndrome and some intellectual disabilities in kids over the age of 4; low birth weight; and HIV infection. Despite the immediate nature of payments for children with these and other conditions, parents and caregivers must still apply for SSI for their kids and wait to find out if the ongoing payment of benefits will be approved.

If a child who receives automatic and immediate SSI benefits for a qualifying illness is found to not qualify for the benefits they are receiving, they do not need to reimburse the Social Security Administration for the financial help they have received. Readers with more questions about childhood illnesses, SSI and other disability benefits issues are asked to consult with their legal advisors for case-specific guidance.