When most people think about Social Security Disability benefits, they conjure images of adult workers who have become disabled and are no longer able to work due to the limitations their disability places on them. While it is true that most disability applications are filed by disabled adult workers, some are filed on behalf of children who suffer from severely debilitating conditions. In such situations, the child’s disability can cause significant financial strain on a family. Fortunately, a monthly disability payment from the Social Security Administration may be able to help. While it takes some parents months or even years to obtain disability benefits for their children, parents of children who suffer from Fucosidosis Type 1 may qualify for benefits more quickly. The condition has recently been added to the SSA’s Compassionate Allowances listings, which allow a disability applicant to be approved for benefits in a matter of weeks rather than waiting months or years before benefits can begin.
Fucosidosis (Type 1) - Condition and Symptoms
Fucosidosis is a rare lysosomal storage disease. Children who are born with the disorder are unable to properly use the enzyme fucosidase to break down fucose, which is a type of sugar. As a result, the fucose builds up in the blood of a person who is diagnosed with fucosidosis. As the sugar accumulates over time, the symptoms of the disease worsen and progress.
There are two types of fucosidosis including Type 1 and Type 2. With Type 1 fucosidosis, symptoms usually appear during the first three to eighteen months of life. These symptoms may include coarsening facial features, an enlarged liver, spleen and/or heart and deformities of the bones. Those who suffer from severe forms of the disorder also may suffer from mental impairment and seizures. The disease will normally progress rapidly with neurological symptoms and is often fatal before the sixth year of life.
Causes of Fucosidosis (Type 1)
Fucosidosis is an inherited disorder. The disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. This means that each of the child’s parents carry one copy of the mutated gene associated with the disorder. Because each parent only carries one copy, he or she will likely show no symptoms of the condition. However, when a child inherits each of the parents’ recessive genes, they end up with two copies of the mutated gene, resulting in fucosidosis.
Filing for Social Security Disability with Fucosidosis (Type 1)
If your child is suffering from fucosidosis Type 1 and you want to obtain disability benefits from the Social Security Administration, you will need to file out the necessary Social Security Disability claim forms. When filling out these forms, it is important to understand that you need to be very thorough in your answers. The more details you provide, the more likely your claim is to be approved during the initial stage of the application process.
In addition to the necessary application forms, you will also need to provide the SSA with sufficient medical evidence to support your case. When applying for benefits based on a diagnosis of fucosidosis Type 1 you will need to provide lab results including a genetics report, lab results, treatment histories and written statements from your child’s treating physicians.
Fucosidosis (Type 1) and Your Social Security Disability Case
When applying for disability benefits, the claim process can be complex and overwhelming. It may be hard to understand the information that you need to provide to the SSA and you may not know what medical evidence you need to furnish. In many cases, the help of a disability attorney can help.
Your attorney will work with you to ensure that your forms are filled out properly and that you have enough medical evidence to support your case for disability benefits. He or she will also be able to ensure that your case is presented in such a way that the SSA understands how it qualifies under the Compassionate Allowances guidelines. This will ensure expedite processing of your child’s disability claim.
Disability attorneys work on a contingency basis, meaning they do not get paid unless you are awarded back pay from the Social Security Administration. If your child is awarded back pay, your lawyer will collect 25 percent of the amount that is awarded (up to a limit of $6,000). If you do not win your case, your attorney does not get paid.
