Disability Medical Condition: Infantile Neuroaxonal Dystrophy
Infantile Neuroaxonal Dystrophy is a rare developmental disorder that affects the nervous system in children. It was previously known as Seitelberger disease. According to the National Institute of Health, the disorder affects axons that sends signals from the brain to other parts of the body, causing psychomotor delay and a delay in when the child starts walking. Any skills acquired, such as speaking or walking, is eventually lost. Symptoms usually appear in a child before age 2 and progressively get worse as the child grows older. Children with the disorder usually die between the ages of 5 and 10. There is currently no cure for the condition and it is currently unknown how many individuals it affects.
The disease is listed as one of the medical conditions in the Compassionate Allowances Program. The program expedites the application process so that individuals with severe medical conditions can apply for disability benefits quickly.
Under the Compassionate Allowances program, those suffering from certain medical conditions and impairments will have their application processed quickly through the “fast track” program which helps administrators rapidly identify and process medical conditions on the program’s list of medical impairments.