| The Listing of Impairments describes, for each | | | | age 18. Certain criteria in Part A do not give |
| major body system, impairments that are | | | | appropriate consideration to the particular effects |
| considered severe enough to prevent a person | | | | of the disease processes in childhood, i.e., when |
| from doing any gainful activity (or in the case of | | | | the disease process is generally found only in |
| children under age 18 applying for SSI, cause | | | | children or when the disease process differs in its |
| marked and severe functional limitations). Most of | | | | effect on children and adults. |
| the listed impairments are permanent or expected | | | | Additional criteria are included in Part B (Child |
| to result in death, or a specific statement of | | | | Listings) and the impairment categories are, to the |
| duration is made. For all others, the evidence must | | | | extent possible, numbered to maintain a |
| show that the impairment has lasted or is | | | | relationship with their counterparts in Part A. In |
| expected to last for a continuous period of at | | | | evaluating disability for a person under age 18, |
| least 12 months. The criteria in the Listing of | | | | Part B will be used first. If the medical criteria in |
| Impairments are applicable to evaluation of claims | | | | Part B do not apply, then the medical criteria in |
| for disability benefits or payments under both the | | | | Part A will be used. |
| Social Security disability insurance and SSI | | | | The criteria in the Listing of Impairments apply |
| programs. | | | | only to one step of the multi-step sequential |
| Part A | | | | evaluation process. At that step, the presence of |
| This section of the Listing of Impairments | | | | an impairment that meets the criteria in the |
| contains medical criteria that apply to adults age | | | | Listing of Impairments (or that is of equal |
| 18 and over. The medical criteria in Part A (Adult | | | | severity) is usually sufficient to establish that an |
| Listings) may also be applied in evaluating | | | | individual who is not working is disabled. |
| impairments in persons under age 18 if the | | | | However, the absence of a listing-level impairment |
| disease processes have a similar effect on adults | | | | does not mean the individual is not disabled. |
| and younger persons. | | | | Rather, it merely requires the adjudicator to |
| Part B | | | | move on to the next step of the process and |
| This section of the Listing of Impairments | | | | apply other rules in order to resolve the issue of |
| contains additional medical criteria that apply only | | | | disability. |
| to the evaluation of impairments of persons under | | | | |