Most of the people who apply for Social Security Disability benefits are disabled adult workers who are no longer able to maintain employment due to the limitations that their disability places on them. Some applications, however, are filed on the behalf of children who are suffering from severely debilitating and life-threatening diseases. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has recognized the fact that having a child diagnosed with such a disease can put significant financial burden on a family and has allowed such families to qualify for Social Security Disability benefits for the child. Most disability applicants must wait months, if not years, before benefits can begin due to the long and drawn out application and appeal process. Fortunately, the SSA has recognized that some conditions are so severe they warrant expedited processing of disability claims. The Compassionate Allowances program was implemented as a result of this revelation. If a child suffers from a condition that is included in the Compassionate Allowances listings, he or she may qualify for benefits in a matter of weeks rather than waiting months or years for benefits to begin. Type 1 Schindler Disease is one of the conditions that now qualifies an applicant for Compassionate Allowances processing. If your child has been diagnosed with this condition, the following information will help you understand how you can ensure a hassle-free approval of your child’s disability claim.
Schindler Disease Type 1 - Condition and Symptoms
Schindler Disease is a rare metabolic disorder in which there is a deficiency of the alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase enzyme. The lack of this enzyme results in a buildup of glycoproteins in the patient’s body. Type 1 of the disease is the infantile form of the condition and is considered to be the most severe.
The symptoms of Schindler Disease vary from case to case. Common symptoms include loss of previously acquired mental and physical skills, progressive neurological issues, muscle weakness, trouble seeing, seizures, the inability to move voluntarily, severe mental impairment and muscle rigidity. The disease is progressive and symptoms will worsen as time goes on.
Unfortunately there is no cure for Schindler Disease, including the Type 1 form of the disease. Instead, treatment is focused on the symptoms of the disorder and making the patient as comfortable as possible. Even with treatment, patients who are born with this disease usually do not survive beyond three to four years of age.
Type 1 Schindler Disease is an inherited disorder. The condition is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. This means that each parent carries one mutated copy of the gene and passes that mutated copy on to the child, so the child ends up with two mutated copies resulting in the development of the disease.
It is mutations of the NAGA gene that leads to the symptoms caused by the disease. It is this gene that gives the body instructions to make the alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase enzyme. This enzyme breaks down and removes a molecule called alpha-N-acetylgalactosamine from the sugars the body digests. When the NAGA is mutated, the enzyme is not produced properly and the molecule cannot be broken down, leading to a buildup of the substance in the body.
Filing for Social Security Disability with Schindler Disease Type 1
Each and every year the SSA receives millions of disability claims from around the nation. Every year, nearly 70 percent of the initial claims that are filed with the SSA are denied during the initial stage of the application process, usually due to improperly filled out claim forms or a lack of medical evidence. These millions of denied applicants must file a disability appeal if they hope to receive disability benefits in the future. The appeal process usually consists of a request for reconsideration and a hearing before an administrative law judge. Because there is such an enormous backlog of disability appeals that are currently being handled by the SSA, it can take two years or more for a disability applicant to have a hearing scheduled.
Fortunately, the SSA has recognized that not all disability applicants can wait such extensive periods of time for their disability claims to be processed and approved, such as those who are filing due to Type 1 Schindler Disease. As a result, the SSA implemented the Compassionate Allowances program and Type 1 Schindler Disease is now included under this program’s listings. Under this program, an applicant may be approved for Social Security Disability benefits in a matter of weeks rather than having to wait months or even years before benefits can begin.
Even though Type 1 Schindler Disease is now included in the SSA’s Compassionate Allowances guidelines, you must still do your part to prove your case to the SSA. This means filling out all of the claim forms properly and ensuring that there is enough medical evidence to support your claim.
Schindler Disease Type 1 and Your Disability Case
If you are applying for disability benefits for a child who has been diagnosed with Type 1 Schindler Disease you should consider hiring a disability attorney prior to filing your claim for disability benefits. Because many applicants are denied due to improperly completed claim forms or a lack of medical evidence, working with a disability attorney can increase your chances of being approved during the initial stage of the application process and receiving your benefits in a matter of weeks.
