Okay So What Is Executive Functioning
Executive Functioning is a critical mental skill set that enables individuals to think and plan ahead, start, organize and finish tasks, and prioritize the input from the world around them- including regulation of our emotional responses.
The processes of Executive Function are developed and reinforced as we age, and become a crucial part of our functioning as we enter adulthood.
Our brains are highly adaptable and with support and training, the EF processes of a person with ADHD can improve. Yet these factors can appear insurmountably difficult for school-age children.
Children must adapt to an educational environment where almost every moment is governed by a curriculum focused on tasks that require the use of their Executive Functioning skills.
For lack of a better metaphor, a minor with ADHD lacks the processing power to execute the thinking required to excel in a traditional academic setting.
The result is a minor who will struggle to cope with the demands of an academic environment due to a condition that makes focusing their attention more difficult. Add this situation to the list of emotional and social hurdles that accompany youth, and the stress becomes compounded. The combined pressures mounted onto a child that is naturally developing their EF processes more slowly than their peers, and suddenly it becomes clear why ADHD can have devastating effects on those who suffer from it.
What Accommodations Are Not Available To Me
Every job has essential and marginal functions, which are decided by the employer. These functions are usually in your job description.
You are required to perform essential functions but can ask for accommodations for the marginal functions.
Each job will have different essential functions. For example, if you are a teacher, an essential function might be to arrive at school by 7 a.m. every day to ensure you are on time for your first class. However, if you are a computer programmer, arriving at work by 7 a.m. every day might be a marginal function.
If your arrival time is a marginal function and time management in the morning is a struggle for you, it might help to ask if you can start at 8 a.m. and make up the time at the end of the day when you have more focus.
If your ADHD causes you to struggle with an essential function at work, you can still take steps to meet the job’s requirements. For example, you might ask your doctor if there is a more effective way to treat your ADHD.
You can also work on developing practical coping strategies. JAN offers advice and suggestions that might help you get started.
Adhd And The Congress Disability Act
Is ADHD a disability under the Congress Disability Act ? You will receive different answers based on who you ask. So it is important to learn as much as you can so you can be prepared and find the right people to talk to. An attorney that is knowledgeable in the Disability Act will be the best to talk to since they study the law instead of someone that doesn’t and takes guesses.
The congress disability act changed in 2008 and went into effect in 2009. This update made it easier to be classified as disabled. For some people, this needed to happen. You can read an update on this at the bottom of the page. There will be a link to click on.
Years ago , I wondered if I could have some kind of classification under the ADA. I have had problems at my job where I get spacey and have a hard time sitting at a desk and working behind a computer. My psychologist said I wouldn’t qualify.
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You May Be Able To Qualify For Disability Based On Add If You Can Prove It Severely Limits Your Functioning
By David A. Morton III, M.D.
While Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD , is a mental health condition that is most often associated with children, adults can suffer from ADHD, and it can interfere with their ability to work. Although approximately 4% of adults are believed to have ADHD, some of them have not been diagnosed with the condition. Up to a third of those diagnosed as children with ADHD continue to have ADHD symptoms in adulthood. Adults with disabling symptoms of ADHD may be eligible to receive Social Security disability benefits.
Can I Get Disability For Add Or Adhd
Many children who have a limited attention span have been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder , and if their disorder includes impulsiveness or hyperactivity, they may be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder . Both ADD and ADHD can have severe impacts on a child’s ability to learn, as well as an adult’s ability to work.
Disability insurance is designed to compensate someone if they are disabled and unable to work. But does ADD or ADHD qualify as a disability?
ADD, ADHD, and the SSA
ADD and ADHD are listed as qualifying mental disorders for social security disability benefits for children. For adults, the Social Security Administration doesn’t list specific disorders that are eligible for disability. Instead, eligibility for disability benefits is determined by their specific level of impairment and whether the impairment substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as obtaining and keeping a job.
For both children and adults, it may be difficult to get disability for ADD or ADHD — only the most severe cases of attention deficit disorders are approved for disability.
If you have disability insurance, you should file a claim with your disability insurer. If you don’t already have a disability policy, you can check to see if you are eligible for Social Security Disability.
Disability Insurance and SSDI
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Is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder A Disability
ADHD/ADD is one of the most common behavioral issues in the US, and the SSA is strict in evaluating disability claims based on this condition. Applying for disability benefits can be even more challenging for adults with ADHD, since the evaluation will heavily rely on how severely this condition affects the ability to earn.
Medical Documentation Of Adhd
Because ADHD is a subjective diagnosis with no single test to identify the condition, the SSA will require strong evidence supporting your claim. This could include:
- Records from a psychologist or psychiatrist with your diagnosis and detailed descriptions of your condition, including doctor’s notes and questionnaires
- Documentation of the treatments you have undergone and how they affected your condition
- Information from a former employer detailing how the symptoms of your condition prevented you from being able to perform the duties required of your job
- Academic records from when you were a child showing poor performance in school as a result of your condition
When submitting your application, you should include as much documentation as possible about your condition and the effects it has on your life.
It is not uncommon for adults with ADHD to suffer from additional psychological conditions, such as anxiety disorder, depression and bipolar disorder. It may be possible for you to obtain disability benefits if you meet the requirements for any of these listings in the SSA’s Blue Book.
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Contact A Kentucky Adhd Disability Lawyer
The experienced Kentucky disability lawyers at Paul Baker Law Office can guide you through the process of applying for ADHD disability benefits for yourself or your child. Allow our highly skilled and compassionate attorneys to take the burden off your familys shoulders.
We have extensive experience with ADHD disability cases. We are ready to pursue your case aggressively. We will also be sure to keep you updated every step of the way. Call us today at so we can help get your child the ADHD disability benefits they need.
Is Adhd Considered A Disability In Canada
As we mentioned earlier- yes! ADHD does qualify as a disability, provided that the impairment is severe enough. Many cases of ADHD are mild or moderate in nature. With multi-modal treatment, the majority of those affected can live happy and fulfilling lives.
Yet, when we think about the impacts that ADHD can have on an individuals life and the treatment required in managing the condition, it is fortunate that it qualifies for the Disability Tax Credit.
Now we must note that the diagnosis of ADHD is not the sole qualifier for The Disability Tax Credit. The severity of the condition and its effects on the daily life of the sufferer are the major deciding factors.
Whether or not your ADHD qualifies as disabling will depend on how it affects your life and the advice of medical professionals. A practicing medical professional will be required to fill out a section of the DTC application, providing detailed information about the way the individuals life is severely affected.
ADHD does not just cause stress to an individual and their family.
There is an economic cost-shared systemically and socially when those with ADHD are not supplied with support. We broke those costs down with this handy graphic.
But treatment for ADHD may come at an additional cost to those affected. Thats why it qualifies for Governmental Tax Credits.
ADHD is best managed with multi-modal treatment, meaning varied strategies that holistically approach the condition, tailored to the individual.
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What Is The Disability Tax Credit
The disability tax credit is a non-refundable tax credit that helps persons with disabilities or their supporting persons reduce the amount of income tax they may have to pay. An individual may claim the disability amount once they are eligible for the DTC. This amount includes a supplement for persons under 18 years of age at the end of the year.
The purpose of the DTC is to provide for greater tax equity by allowing some relief for disability costs, since these are unavoidable additional expenses that other taxpayers dont have to face.
Being eligible for the DTC can open the door to other federal, provincial, or territorial programs such as the registered disability savings plan, the Canada workers benefit, and the child disability benefit.
Who Decides If Adhd Is A Disability
Its not enough for a physician or psychologist to give you a formal diagnosis of ADHD. He or she must indicate that your ADHD symptoms are severe enough to be considered disabling. If you meet these conditions, your employer is obligated by the ADA to talk with you about how the condition affects your ability to work, and to consider providing accommodations that will enable you to do your job.
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Is Specific Learning Disorder A Disability
Specific learning disorder is a medical term used for diagnosis, but the term learning disability is more often used by both the educational and administration systems. Although someone diagnosed as having a specific learning disorder does not necessarily have a mental disability, they may qualify as having the legal status of a federally recognized disability. In that case, they qualify for special programs and services at school.
Learning difficulties that qualify for such services cannot be due to other physical or psychological conditions, such as intellectual impairment, vision or hearing problems, neurological conditions resulting from strokes or brain damage, or other such difficulties.
Under federal law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act , students with learning disorders are eligible for special educational services. The law requires that the school provide an evaluation if a child is suspected of having a specific learning disability. A team, including school personnel and parents, will develop an Individualized Education Plan for the student. Parents should specifically ask for an evaluation if they are concerned. Educational advocates may be helpful to families in the IEP process.
What Is A Specific Learning Disorder
Specific learning disorders are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by an impairment in reading, written expression, or number handling. They are typically diagnosed in early school-aged children, but may also only be diagnosed later in adulthood.
The most frequent learning disorder sufferers have dyslexia, which is some degree of impairment in reading in particular. Dyslexia affects boys and girls equally. Often it is associated with other neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD.
Other less prevalent learning disorders are:
- dysgraphia which describes difficulties with writing down thoughts on paper as well as difficulties with spelling, grammar, punctuation, and handwriting
- dyscalculia which describes difficulties performing math calculations with symbols and functions, and learning number-related concepts
For all three, degrees of the disorder are categorized as mild, moderate and severe.
Diagnosis of a learning disorder can qualify students for special programs and school services.
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Are Individuals With Adhd Legally Protected At Work
For adults, the basic protection is the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA. This federal law, enacted in 1990, forbids companies with more than 15 employees from discriminating against disabled workers and requires these companies to make accommodations for these workers. These provisions may apply to some people with ADHD.
Is Adhd Included In The Ada
Yes. The ADA provides for mental conditions or mental illnesses, but as with physical impairments, the diagnosis of a mental illness or mental impairment is not sufficient to qualify an employee for protection under the law.
The following conditions must be met for ADHD to qualify for coverage:
- It must cause significant impact or limitation in a major life activity or function
- The individual must be regarded as having a disability
- The individual must have a record of having been viewed as being disabled.
- The applicant must also be able to perform the essential job functions with or without accommodations to qualify as an individual with a disability under the meaning of the Act.
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Adhd And Cognitive Disability
Another type of disability that is commonly associated with ADHD is known as a cognitive disability. Cognitive disabilities are defined as a limiting condition where an individual has slower mental aptitude and functioning. People with cognitive disabilities may have difficulty learning and take longer to develop than their normal counterparts. These individuals may require assistance to function in society for the entirety of their lives. So, is ADHD a cognitive disability? Currently, many features of ADHD echo mild cognitive impairment. However, the answer to this question depends on the medical practitioner who diagnoses these conditions. Some medical professionals think that yes, ADHD can be considered a cognitive disability, while others distinguish the two conditions as separate.
Are Employees With Adhd Protected At Work
It depends. The ADA only applies to companies with more than 15 employees, so companies with fewer than 15 employees are exempt from the law. Some states have anti-discrimination laws that protect employees at businesses as small as 4 employees. When it comes to ADHD, a persons case must be quite severe to qualify for protection under the ADA or these state laws. Mild cases and cases that are well managed using medication or other methods will not provide any protection for the employee.
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Can You Get Disability Benefits If You Have Adhd
Technically, you *can* get disability benefits in the U.S. if you have ADHD but there are super strict rules about which people with ADHD qualify for them.
In order to apply for social security disability for ADHD in the first place, you have to:
- have been diagnosed with the condition since childhood
- prove that your ability to participate in work or school is severely hindered by your ADHD
- have ADHD diagnosis documentation from a medical professional that confirms symptoms including inattentiveness, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity
- have documentation that at least 2 out of 3 of the following are a direct result of ADHD: problems communicating, functioning in social settings, or functioning in ones personal life relative to people of the same age
A government official will scope out your school, work, and life by looking for patterns of severe functional impairments. They may delve into your grades, test scores, life history, medical docs, and more.
ADHD treatment options vary widely for children and adults with ADHD. They can also be different from person to person depending on how ADHD personally affects you.
Some treatment and ADHD management tools include:
Child Disability Tax Credit For Adhd
Generally speaking, kids with ADHD Inattentive are at a greater risk of a delayed diagnosis the lack of hyperactivity symptoms make it difficult to identify the typical attention deficit symptoms. Therefore, undiagnosed children are more likely to do poorly in school, as they may struggle to focus in class which both parents and teachers alike may write off as inefficiency on the childs part.
These kids may become the target of misdirected, negative feedback from their peers so much so, that children suffering from ADHD are known to have very low self-esteem. This may result in the development of an anxiety disorder or other mental hurdle later on in life.
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Is Adhd A Learning Disability
Learning disabilities are defined as a subtype of developmental disabilities. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a person with a learning disability has difficulty understanding either written or spoken word, and performing calculations and other tasks.
According to the Learning Disabilities Association of America, ADHD is not considered a learning disability. However, research suggests that up to half of all children with ADHD also have a concurrent learning disability that can make learning particularly challenging for those individuals.
Requirements For Adhd To Qualify Under The Neurodevelopmental Listing
In 2017, Social Security changed listing 112.11 from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder to Neurodevelopmental Disorders, to encompass more medical conditions. It also changed the requirements in the listing significantly. The new listing requires that your child’s condition is characterized by one of the following:
- hyperactive and impulsive behavior
- frequent distractibility
- recurrent motor movement or vocalization, or
- significant difficulties learning and using academic skills.
You also need to show that your child’s ADHD or ADD causes them to have severe limitations in certain areas of functioning. Your child must have either an extreme limitation in one of the following areas or a “marked” limitation in two of the following areas:
- concentrating on tasks
- interacting with others
- adapting or managing oneself
- learning, understanding and remembering information .
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