Adult Onset Huntington’s Disease (HD) is a relatively rare degenerative brain disorder that is inherited. The symptoms of the disease usually appear in adults in their 30s or 40s, and once present, progress rapidly, causing a wide range of ever-worsening symptoms that eventually leads to death. As a highly aggressive, untreatable, and terminal condition, HD is among the conditions that are part of the Social Security Administration’s (SSA’s) Compassionate Allowances (CAL) program, a disability initiative designed to get benefits to those who need them most and in as short of a time as possible.
HD is the most common genetic cause of abnormal involuntary writhing movements called chorea, which is why the disease used to be called Huntington’s chorea. The disease is caused by an autosomal dominant mutation in either of an individual’s two copies of a gene called Huntingtin. Adult onset Huntington’s disease is the most common form of this genetic disorder. It affects one in every two children of a parent that carries the gene and is unfortunately an untreatable condition for which there is no known effective therapy and no cure.
Early symptoms of Huntington’s disease include:
- Behavioral changes
- Moodiness and irritability
- Paranoia, hallucinations and psychosis
- Restlessness, fidgeting and uncontrolled movements
- Imbalance and unsteady gait
- Abnormal facial expressions and movements
- Muscle spasms and jerking
- Rapid or exceptionally slow, uncontrolled muscle movements
As the disease progresses, dementia and other symptoms worsen, and patients slowly lose many, if not all, of their abilities, including voluntary and involuntary functions.
Full-time care is required in the later stages of the disease. Existing pharmaceutical and non-drug treatments can relieve some symptoms, but are still limited in improving quality of life. It is much more common in people of Western European descent than in those of Asian or African ancestry. The disease can affect both men and women.
An application for Social Security Disability based on a diagnosis of HD disease is automatically entered into the CAL program and reviewed for expedited approval.
Though put in the cue for quick review, your application must still meet medical evidence requirements to receive SSD.
HA applications are reviewed by the SSA using the criteria that appears in the Blue
Book under Section 11.17.
This listing states eligibility requirements for HD as presenting with: Disorganized motor function, in which case your application is then evaluated under Section 11.04B;
OR
Chronic brain syndrome, when requires your application to be evaluated under Section 12.02.
As HD typically presents with both of these requirements, the SSA may use both Section 11.04B and Section 12.02 to evaluate the medical evidence in your application.
While most applications for disability benefits must either meet or closely match the criteria in the applicable Blue Book listings, HD is a CAL-approved disease. This means that even if your symptoms have not progressed to the point that you meet the listing in any of the applicable sections, you can still be approved for SSD benefits.
The SSA knows the progressive and aggressive nature of HD. The disease will eventually lead to the symptoms listed in the applicable sections of the Blue Book, even if it has not yet at the time of your disability application.
Though HD is a CAL-approved diagnosis, substantial medical records are still essential to being approved for disability benefits without delay.