The Social Security Administration's Functional
Equivalence Domains: Self-Care
There are two pathways to obtaining the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits needed to help care for your disabled child. The most direct pathway is to get the SSA to determine that based on the medical evidence, your child's impairment (or combination of impairments) meets or medically equals one of the listings for children. Unfortunately, many children are not able to meet or equal a listing solely on the basis of medical evidence.
The second pathway to obtaining SSI benefits for your child is getting the SSA to agree that your child's impairment (or combination of impairments) functionally equals a listing.
The Domain of 'Caring for Yourself'
Is your child able to get their emotional and physical wants and needs met in appropriate ways? How well is he or she able to cope with stress and changes in their environment? Does your child take care of their own health, possessions, and living area?
These are just a few of the questions the SSA will seek to answer in assessing whether your child's impairment or combination of impairments functionally equals a listing.
The SSA's example limitations for this domain include:
- Consoles self with activities that show developmental regression (for example, an older child who sucks his thumb)
- Has restrictive or stereotyped mannerisms (for example, head banging or body rocking)
- Does not spontaneously pursue enjoyable activities or interests (for example, listening to music or reading a book)
- Engages in self-injurious behavior (for example, refusal to take medication, self-mutilation or suicidal gestures) or ignores safety rules
- Does not feed, dress, bathe or toilet self appropriately for age
- Has disturbance in eating or sleeping patterns
- Places non-nutritive or inedible objects in mouth (for example, dirt or chalk)
The SSA evaluates the severity of any limitations by comparing them to what it considers "normal" for children who do not have disabilities in the same age group. An "extreme deviation" (three steps below the norm) in any single domain is typically enough to qualify your child for SSI benefits. A "marked deviation" (two steps below the norm) in two domains — social interactions and self-care, for example, has the same effect.
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At Shifrin Newman Smith Inc., our 25-year commitment to this work and our passion for helping people obtain disability benefits have won us national recognition, respect and the gratitude of thousands of previous clients. Our lawyers won't turn you away, no matter how difficult your situation seems to be.
If you have other questions about functional equivalence, the self-care domain or the SSA's process for determining whether your child is legally disabled — call 877-230-5500 or contact us online to make arrangements for a free consultation.
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