Qualifying for SSD with Speech Disorders

The Social Security Administration (SSA) considers certain speech disorders as disabling enough to qualify for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. To qualify for SSD with a speech disorder, your condition must render you unable to perform any full-time work.

For disability evaluation purposes, the ability to produce speech includes the use of any mechanical or electronic device that improves voice or articulation. Impairments or impediments of speech may also be evaluated under the body system for the underlying disorder, such as neurological disorders.

Each potential case is evaluated on an individual basis, but the main point that must be proven to the SSA is that your speech impairment is severe enough to prevent you from doing any gainful activity.

Defining Speech Disorders

When someone is unable to produce speech sounds correctly or fluently, or has problems with his or her voice, that person has a speech disorder. There are three types of speech disorders with varying impediment symptoms:

• Articulation Deficiency
  Unintelligible speech by age three, characterized by the child leaving consonants out of the beginning of words by age three, leaving consonants out of the end of words by age four, persistent articulation problems after age seven, and distortion of pronounced sounds.
• Disfluency
  Involves the repetition of sounds, words, or phrases in children past the age of four, frustration when attempting to communicate, and head jerking while talking. Some children suffering from disfluency blink their eyes more often when speaking and are often embarrassed when trying to communicate.
• Voice Disorder
  Voice disorders are usually characterized by uneven voice pitch and changes in the softness or loudness of speech (sometimes called “pitch and volume deviation”).

Our Legal Professionals Can Help You Qualify for SSD Based on a Speech Disorder

Living with a speech disorder or impediment can hinder your chances of advancing in your career or even landing a job in the first place. In addition, children with speech disorders may find it difficult to make friends or progress in their school work. While the SSA considers certain types of speech disorders to be disabling conditions, it’s often difficult for people to qualify for SSD benefits for these conditions.

If you or someone you love has a speech disorder or impairment, contact us today for assistance.