Listing code
112.10
Children (Part B)
Body system
112.00
Mental disorders (children)
Subsections
0
No lettered criteria
Step in evaluation
3 of 5
Listing match approves the claim
SSA listing text and criteria
Autism spectrum disorder (see 112.00B8 ), for children age 3 to attainment of age 18), satisfied by A and B: Medical documentation of both of the following: Qualitative deficits in verbal communication, nonverbal communication, and social interaction; and Significantly restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. AND Extreme limitation of one, or marked limitation of two, of the following areas of mental functioning (see 112.00F ): Understand, remember, or apply information (see 112.00E1 ). Interact with others (see 112.00E2 ). Concentrate, persist, or maintain pace (see 112.00E3 ). Adapt or manage oneself (see 112.00E4 ).
This listing has no lettered subsections. The diagnosis itself, supported by the medical evidence described in the body-system overview, is what SSA evaluates.
Source: SSA Blue Book listing 112.10. Last synced 2026-05-04.
Where claims under 112.10 usually fail
A common miss is treating a diagnosis alone as enough, even though 112.10 requires specific documented deficits in verbal communication, nonverbal communication, and social interaction plus restricted, repetitive patterns. Another common failure is focusing only on communication or only on behavior, instead of having both parts together. Some claims also fail by not matching the mental functioning limits to the required pattern: extreme in one area or marked in two areas across the areas of mental functioning listed for children. Finally, since this listing applies from age 3 to attainment of age 18, a claim for a child outside that age range can be evaluated under a different listing (112.14 is for ages birth to before 3).
Medical evidence that strengthens this claim
Strong documentation must include medical evidence showing the two required autism feature groups: qualitative deficits in verbal communication, nonverbal communication, and social interaction, and significantly restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. It must also include documentation that supports extreme limitation in one of the four mental functioning areas or marked limitation in two of them: understand, remember, or apply information; interact with others; concentrate, persist, or maintain pace; and adapt or manage oneself. The functional areas for ages 3 to 18 are the areas a child uses to perform age-appropriate activities, so evidence that ties behavior and learning to those specific areas matters.
What happens if your records do not meet this listing
Step 4 and Step 5 are how a claim can still succeed even if 112.10 is not met or equaled. If the exact "extreme in one area or marked in two areas" pattern is not supported, the claim can still be evaluated based on the child's overall functional limits when SSA determines a residual functional capacity (RFC) and then considers whether the child can do work-like activities appropriate to the disability evaluation process. In other words, the listing is a strict set of requirements, but functional limits can still lead to a favorable decision if the overall limitations are serious enough.
Work activity and the SGA gate for this condition
For SSDI, the work-activity rules still matter at the start of a claim, but 112.10 focuses on how autism limits mental functioning in children ages 3 to before 18. This listing requires extreme limitation in one mental functioning area or marked limitation in two areas, across understand, remember, or apply information; interact with others; concentrate, persist, or maintain pace; and adapt or manage oneself. After an approval, trial work period and extended period of eligibility apply based on how work rules operate for people who have been approved; a diagnosis alone does not change the fact that SGA work activity is evaluated under the program rules.
Listing 112.10 FAQ
Questions that come up repeatedly for autism spectrum disorder disability claims.