Social Security hearing date wait time for disabled adult child (DAC) claim - how to prepare my anxious daughter

I went through this with my son last year. The wait time for an ALJ hearing was about 7 months from when we requested it, but this varies by location. Some hearing offices have longer backlogs than others. Regarding the DAC benefits - if your daughter qualifies for SSDI on her own record AND can prove her disability began before age 22, then yes, she can receive DAC benefits on her father's record instead of her own (which is usually higher). This will all be part of the same disability determination process. For the hearing itself, your attorney should handle most of the talking. The judge will likely ask your daughter some basic questions about her daily activities and limitations, but nothing too complex. Be honest with the attorney about her communication issues so they can request appropriate accommodations. Some judges are very understanding of these situations and will direct most questions to you or the attorney. Make sure your attorney has ALL medical documentation of her chromosomal deletion and how it impacts her functioning. The key is demonstrating how her condition limits her ability to work.

my cousin got denied twice for her autism then got approved at the hearing. took like 9 months to get the hearing date tho. the waiting is the worst part honestly

The ALJ hearing wait times are RIDICULOUS right now!! My daughter's took 11 months to schedule after we requested it. The whole system is broken and they deny almost EVERYONE the first two times. It's like SSA policy to make disabled people jump through hoops. Your attorney should be handling most of the communication. My daughter has severe anxiety too and we told the judge at the beginning that she has difficulty communicating. The judge was actually pretty understanding and directed most questions to me and the attorney. Bring LOTS of documentation to the hearing - especially anything showing how her condition impacts daily functioning. SSA cares more about functional limitations than diagnoses. And yes, DAC benefits should be part of this same case IF she qualifies for disability on her own record first. Good luck - it's a frustrating process but worth fighting!

Just wanted to say I feel for you and your daughter. The waiting and uncertainty is so stressful. My nephew has Down syndrome and went through this whole process last year. Hang in there!

If you're having trouble getting through to SSA to check on your hearing status or ask questions, I found a service called Claimyr that helped me skip the hold times. I was constantly getting disconnected after waiting for hours, which was making my anxiety worse. I used their service at claimyr.com and got through to a real person at SSA in about 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Regarding the hearing, my son has autism and the judge mostly asked him simple questions about his daily routine and what he struggles with. The vocational expert and medical expert did most of the talking. Our hearing was by video conference which actually helped my son feel less anxious than having to go to a formal courtroom setting.

my daughter has a genetic disorder too and we had our hearing last month after waiting 8 months. she got approved! the judge was super nice and understood that she couldn't answer complicated questions. mostly asked about what she does all day and what she finds difficult. our lawyer told her she could say 'i don't know' if she didn't understand something. maybe practice some basic questions with your daughter so she feels more prepared?

Regarding preparing your daughter for the hearing: 1. Request accommodations in advance - your attorney should file this request 2. Practice simple questions about daily activities but don't over-rehearse (judges can tell) 3. If possible, show the judge documentation of her communication difficulties from a psychologist or doctor 4. Consider requesting a video hearing if in-person would be too stressful 5. You can request a female judge, though this may further delay your hearing date Remember that the judge will likely have a medical expert and vocational expert present who will do much of the technical testimony. Your daughter will primarily need to answer questions about her daily life and limitations. One important tip: make sure your attorney emphasizes that your daughter's presentation on her 'best day' is not representative of her typical functioning. People with intellectual disabilities often mask their difficulties in formal settings through learned coping mechanisms.

The national average wait time for an ALJ hearing is currently around 8-10 months, though some offices are faster and others significantly slower. You can check the average processing time for your specific hearing office on SSA's website. Regarding the DAC benefits: This is actually a common misunderstanding. If your daughter meets the criteria for disability under SSA rules, and her disability began before age 22, she may be eligible for DAC benefits on her father's record regardless of whether she qualifies for SSDI on her own record (which would require sufficient work credits). Since her father is already receiving SSDI, she could potentially receive up to 50% of his Primary Insurance Amount as a DAC benefit. For the hearing preparation, your attorney should request specific accommodations based on your daughter's condition. The judge is required to make reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. This might include: 1. Having you present to help explain or rephrase questions 2. Allowing written responses if verbal communication is difficult 3. Scheduling breaks during the hearing if needed 4. Using simple, direct language and questions Make sure all medical records clearly document her communication difficulties so these accommodation requests are supported by evidence.

I'm so sorry you and your daughter are going through this stressful process. As someone who has worked with families navigating SSA appeals, I wanted to add a few practical tips for the hearing preparation: Consider creating a "day in the life" document with your attorney that shows your daughter's actual daily functioning - things like needing reminders for basic tasks, difficulty with time management, challenges with social interactions, etc. This can help the judge understand her real limitations beyond what might be observed during a brief hearing. Also, if your daughter has any regular caregivers, teachers, or therapists who work with her, their written statements about her functional limitations can be incredibly valuable evidence. Sometimes these perspectives carry a lot of weight because they see her consistent functioning over time. One thing I've seen help families is practicing not just answering questions, but also helping your daughter understand it's okay to say "I don't understand" or "Can you repeat that?" rather than just agreeing. Many people with intellectual disabilities have learned to mask their confusion by agreeing, which can work against them in these hearings. The chromosomal deletion diagnosis should definitely work in your favor - genetic conditions are generally well-understood by medical experts. Make sure all documentation clearly connects her genetic condition to specific functional limitations. Hang in there - this process is exhausting but you're advocating beautifully for your daughter.

I understand how anxious you must be feeling about this process. My nephew went through a similar situation with his developmental disability case last year, and I wanted to share what helped us. The hearing wait time in our area was about 10 months, which felt like forever but gave us time to prepare thoroughly. One thing that really helped was requesting the hearing be conducted by video conference - it was much less intimidating for my nephew than going to a formal courtroom, and he could be in a familiar environment. For preparation, we worked with his attorney to practice very basic questions like "What did you do yesterday?" and "What's hard for you to do?" But we made sure not to over-rehearse because you want her responses to sound natural. The judge will likely ask simple questions about her daily routine and what activities are difficult for her. Something that worked well for us was having a family member (his mom) present who could help clarify or rephrase questions if needed. The judge was very understanding when we explained upfront about his communication challenges. Also, make sure your attorney has documentation from anyone who regularly works with your daughter - therapists, job coaches, teachers - because their observations of her day-to-day functioning can be really powerful evidence. The good news is that genetic/chromosomal conditions are generally well-documented and understood by the medical experts who participate in these hearings. Stay strong - you're doing everything right for your daughter!

I'm a disability advocate and wanted to share some additional insights that might help. The wait times vary significantly by hearing office - some are as short as 4-6 months while others can stretch to 12+ months. You can actually look up your specific hearing office's average processing time on SSA's website to get a better estimate. One thing I always tell families is to document EVERYTHING during this waiting period. Keep a daily log of your daughter's challenges, meltdowns, assistance she needs, etc. This real-time documentation can be incredibly powerful evidence that shows her consistent limitations rather than just a snapshot from medical appointments. For the hearing itself, I'd strongly recommend requesting accommodations in writing well before the hearing date. This should include having you present to assist with communication, allowing breaks if she becomes overwhelmed, and using simple language. Don't just rely on verbal requests the day of the hearing. Regarding DAC benefits - this is actually a separate application process, but the disability determination from your SSDI hearing can be used for the DAC claim. If approved, DAC benefits are often higher than what someone would get on their own record, especially for someone young with limited work history. Your attorney should be explaining all of this clearly. If they're not, don't hesitate to ask pointed questions or even consider getting a second opinion. You're your daughter's best advocate in this process!

I'm going through a similar situation with my adult son who has autism and intellectual disability. We're about 6 months into our hearing wait after reconsideration denial, and I completely understand your anxiety about the process. A few things that have helped us prepare: First, I started keeping a detailed journal of his daily challenges and needs for assistance - things like needing reminders to eat, getting overwhelmed by changes in routine, difficulty with phone calls or paperwork. This documentation has been invaluable for showing his real-world limitations. For the hearing anxiety, our attorney suggested we could request a "pre-hearing conference" where we briefly meet the judge beforehand so my son can get familiar with them before the actual hearing. This might help your daughter feel less anxious about speaking to a stranger. Also, regarding your comment about her potentially saying what she thinks people want to hear - this is SO common with people who have intellectual disabilities. Make sure your attorney understands this "masking" behavior and can explain it to the judge. We've been practicing with my son that it's okay to say "I don't know" or "I need help with that" rather than just agreeing. One practical tip: bring a comfort item or fidget tool for your daughter if that helps her self-regulate during stressful situations. Most judges are understanding about these accommodations. The waiting is absolutely the hardest part, but you're doing everything right by getting an attorney and preparing thoroughly. Your advocacy for your daughter is clear in every word you've written.