Determining if Your PDD is Severe Enough for Disability

Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PPD) disability is also called an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) disability.  Both PPD and ASD disorders are disabilities caused by conditions that involve delayed or impaired communication and social skills, behaviors and cognitive or learning skills.  PPD’s include Asperger syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder and Rett syndrome.  PDD’s are usually diagnosed in infancy, toddlerhood or early childhood and continue on into the adult years.

Determining Social Security Level of Severity of Disability

The Social Security must first evaluate an applicant’s pertinent symptoms, signs, and laboratory findings to determine whether he has a medically determinable mental or developmental impairment(s). If a medically determinable mental or developmental impairment(s) is determined by the Disabilty Determination Service of the Social Security then next step is to specify or isolate the symptoms, signs, and laboratory findings that evidence or document the presence of each of the functional impairment(s) claimed. 

Rating Levels of Function Severity

Social Security will evaluate factors as to the quality and level of an applicant’s overall functional performance.  They have four broad functional criteria by which they will review and rate the degree severity of limitations posed by a disability on an applicant's ability to function.

• Activities of daily living
• Social functioning
• Concentration, persistence, or pace
• Episodes of mental decompensation   

When rating the degree of limitation in the first three function areas they use a five-point scale: none, mild, moderate, marked, and extreme.  The "extreme" rating is a degree of limitation that in an adult will be found incompatible with the ability to do any gainful activity and benefits will be awarded.  If they rate the degree of an applicant’s Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) disability within the first three functional areas as "none" or "mild" they will generally subsequently conclude that the applicant’s Pervasive Developmental Disorder impairment(s) is not severe and deny the claim, unless the medical evidence in the file indicates that there are other more than a minimal limitations on an applicant’s ability to do basic work activities.

Getting Legal Help

If you or a member of your family has had a partial Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PPD) disability claim denied by the Social Security or SSI it may be helpful to discuss the circumstances of the denial of your application for disability benefits with a disability attorney.  An attorney can review the application and related medical evidence of the disability submitted for review along with the Social Security response notices to determine if an appeal of their findings is an option and provide guidance through the reconsideration process.