Listing code
114.05
Children (Part B)
Body system
114.00
Immune system disorders (children)
Subsections
4
Lettered criteria paths
Step in evaluation
3 of 5
Listing match approves the claim
SSA listing text and criteria
Polymyositis and dermatomyositis. As described in 114.00D4 . With:
Subsection A
Proximal limb-girdle (pelvic or shoulder) muscle weakness 114.00C6 and 114.00C7 --> and medical documentation of at least one of the following: A documented medical need (see 114.00C6 ) for a walker, bilateral canes, or bilateral crutches (see 101.00C6d ) or a wheeled and seated mobility device involving the use of both hands (see 101.00C6e(i) ); or An inability to use one upper extremity to independently initiate, sustain, and complete age-appropriate activities involving fine and gross movements (see 114.00C7 ), and a documented medical need (see 114.00C6 ) for a one-handed, hand-held assistive device (see 101.00C6d ) that requires the use of the other upper extremity or a wheeled and seated mobility device involving the use of one hand (see 101.00C6e(ii) ); or An inability to use both upper extremities to the extent that neither can be used to independently initiate, sustain, and complete age-appropriate activities involving fine and gross movements (see 114.00C7 ); or OR
Subsection B
Impaired swallowing (dysphagia) with aspiration due to muscle weakness. OR
Subsection C
Impaired respiration due to intercostal and diaphragmatic muscle weakness. OR
Subsection D
Diffuse calcinosis with limitation of joint mobility or intestinal motility. Back to Top
Source: SSA Blue Book listing 114.05. Last synced 2026-05-04.
Where claims under 114.05 usually fail
Many claims fail Subsection A because they describe muscle weakness but do not match the specific limb and functional pattern (proximal limb-girdle weakness, upper-extremity initiation/sustain/complete limitations, or inability for both upper extremities) and do not include the required medical documentation of the correct assistive device type (walker, bilateral canes, bilateral crutches, one-handed hand-held device, or a wheeled and seated mobility device). Another pitfall is using an assistive device but not matching the listing's hand-use requirement (both hands versus one hand) that ties to 114.00C6 and 101.00C6d/101.00C6e(i)-(ii). Claims can also miss because they do not tie swallowing problems to aspiration due to muscle weakness for Subsection B, or they do not document impaired respiration due to intercostal and diaphragmatic muscle weakness for Subsection C. For Subsection D, failing to show diffuse calcinosis that limits joint mobility or intestinal motility is a frequent miss.
Medical evidence that strengthens this claim
Medical documentation needs to support proximal limb-girdle muscle weakness and then include at least one of the required outcomes. For the walker/canes/crutches or mobility device path, documentation should support a documented medical need for a walker, bilateral canes, or bilateral crutches, or a wheeled and seated mobility device involving the use of both hands (the listing ties these to 114.00C6 and 101.00C6d/101.00C6e(i)). For the upper-extremity functional path, documentation should support inability to use one upper extremity to independently initiate, sustain, and complete age-appropriate fine and gross movement activities, paired with a documented medical need for a one-handed hand-held assistive device that requires the other upper extremity (or a wheeled and seated mobility device involving the use of one hand per 101.00C6e(ii)), or documentation of inability to use both upper extremities such that neither can independently initiate, sustain, and complete those activities (114.00C7). For Subsections B and C, documentation needs to connect the symptom (swallowing or a lung
What happens if your records do not meet this listing
If Subsection A, B, C, or D is not met, SSA moves to step 4 and then step 5 in evaluating what the child can do despite limitations, using the residual functional capacity (RFC) concept for functional effects. The key idea is that even when a specific listing pattern is missed, the child's actual limits (for example, limits in initiating, sustaining, or completing age-appropriate fine and gross movements, swallowing function with aspiration, or breathing-related weakness) still get evaluated for how they affect ability to function. For some children, the medical-vocational style evaluation at step 5 can still lead to a favorable decision even without meeting a specific listing, depending on the overall functional picture.
Work activity and the SGA gate for this condition
For an SSDI claim, work activity can affect eligibility at the start of the case, regardless of whether 114.05 is ultimately met. After an approval, work rules apply through the trial work period and then through the extended period of eligibility. The criteria for 114.05 itself focus on the medical-functional patterns in Subsections A through D, such as proximal limb-girdle muscle weakness with required assistive-device needs, swallowing impairment with aspiration due to muscle weakness, impaired respiration due to intercostal and diaphragmatic muscle weakness, or diffuse calcinosis limiting joint mobility or intestinal motility.
Listing 114.05 FAQ
Questions that come up repeatedly for polymyositis and dermatomyositis disability claims.