SSA Listing 10.00

Congenital Disorders That Affect Multiple Body Systems: Social Security Disability Listings

How Does Social Security Evaluate Down Syndrome and Other Congenital Disorders?

For congenital disorders that affect multiple body systems, disability is decided under section 10.00, which has one adult listing: 10.06, for non-mosaic Down syndrome. Once non-mosaic Down syndrome is documented the way SSA describes, SSA considers the person disabled from birth. Mosaic Down syndrome and other congenital disorders, such as fragile X syndrome or fetal alcohol syndrome, are judged under the body systems they affect. Children also have listing 110.08 for catastrophic congenital disorders. See SSI and SSDI for the money side.

Reviewed by Michael Rupe ·October 1, 2026

A smiling young man with Down syndrome in a white shirt and red tie typing on a laptop — Photo: MART PRODUCTION / Pexels

What Section 10.00 Covers

Section 10.00 of Social Security’s Listing of Impairments (the Blue Book) is titled Congenital Disorders that Affect Multiple Body Systems. “Congenital” means present at birth. These are conditions, often genetic, that touch several parts of the body at once.

The adult section is short. SSA evaluates only one disorder under it: non-mosaic Down syndrome, listing 10.06. Every other congenital disorder, including mosaic Down syndrome, is judged by its effects under the body systems it harms.

How Congenital Disorders That Affect Multiple Body Systems Disability Claims Work

Non-mosaic Down syndrome means the extra chromosome 21 material is in all of a person’s cells. SSA’s 10.00 page explains that most people with it have three copies of chromosome 21 (trisomy 21), and some have an extra copy attached to another chromosome (translocation). Virtually all have characteristic physical features, delayed physical development and intellectual disability. Many also have heart disease, vision or hearing problems.

Listing 10.06 is unusual. It has no functional test. If the diagnosis is documented one of three ways, SSA considers you disabled from birth. That is a medical finding. You still need to meet the program rules of SSDI (work credits) or SSI (limited income and resources).

The Three Ways to Document Non-Mosaic Down Syndrome

Route	What SSA needs	Key catch
10.06A	A karyotype lab report signed by a physician, or an unsigned report plus a physician’s statement that you have Down syndrome	SSA won’t buy the karyotype test and won’t accept a FISH test
10.06B	A physician’s report stating trisomy 21 or translocation consistent with a prior karyotype, plus the distinctive facial or other physical features	No detailed description of features is required
10.06C	A physician’s report that you have Down syndrome with the distinctive features, plus evidence your functioning is consistent with non-mosaic Down syndrome	Functioning evidence can come from school, work or psychological testing

A karyotype is a lab picture of all your chromosomes. It is the definitive test because it shows whether the extra chromosome is in every cell. A FISH test can’t tell mosaic from non-mosaic, which is why SSA rejects it.

Under 10.06B and 10.06C, SSA won’t find the listing met if other evidence, such as functioning inconsistent with the diagnosis, suggests you don’t have the non-mosaic form.

Mosaic Down Syndrome and Other Congenital Disorders

SSA estimates that about 2 percent of people with Down syndrome have the mosaic form, where only some cells carry the extra chromosome. Its effects range from barely noticeable to profound.

SSA lists other congenital disorders as examples: juvenile and late-onset Tay-Sachs disease, trisomy X syndrome, fragile X syndrome, phenylketonuria (PKU), caudal regression syndrome and fetal alcohol syndrome. Their effects vary widely from person to person.

For all of these, SSA checks the affected body system first:

intellectual or behavioral effects under mental disorders (12.00);
seizures or motor problems under neurological disorders (11.00);
vision or hearing loss under special senses and speech (2.00);
bone and joint problems under musculoskeletal disorders (1.00).

SSA's Congenital Disorders That Affect Multiple Body Systems Listings (10.00)

SSA listings in section 10.00
Listing	Name
10.06	Non-mosaic Down syndrome (chromosome 21 trisomy or chromosome 21 translocation)

For children, SSA uses section 110.00 (Congenital Disorders that Affect Multiple Body Systems), with 2 listings. See childhood conditions.

From SSA's Listing of Impairments (ssa.gov), checked October 2, 2026.

If a Listing Isn’t Met

SSA next asks whether your condition medically equals a listing, meaning it is at least as severe and lasts as long as one. If not, it assesses your residual functional capacity (RFC): the most you can still do, physically and mentally, based on all the evidence.

Then come the final steps of the five-step process. At step four SSA asks whether you can still do past work. At step five it considers your RFC with your age, education and work experience to see whether you can adjust to other work. Step one applies throughout: earning more than $1,690 a month in 2026, the non-blind substantial gainful activity level, ends the claim. The disability requirements guide explains each step.

If you work with a job coach, extra supervision or other special arrangements, describe them when you apply. SSA’s mental disorders rules say it considers the type and degree of support you receive in order to work.

Compassionate Allowances for Congenital Conditions

Compassionate Allowances (CAL) are conditions that by definition meet SSA’s disability standards, so SSA can decide quickly. SSA says these mainly include certain cancers, adult brain disorders and a number of rare disorders that affect children. Entries on SSA’s list include Edwards Syndrome (Trisomy 18), Patau Syndrome (Trisomy 13), Cri du Chat Syndrome, Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome, 1p36 Deletion Syndrome, Trisomy 9, Tetrasomy 18p, Pallister-Killian Syndrome, Caudal Regression Syndrome - Types III and IV, Tay Sachs Disease - Infantile Type and Zellweger Syndrome.

SSA uses the same CAL rules for SSDI and SSI. You file a normal application; the how to apply guide shows how.

Children: Listings 110.06 and 110.08

The childhood section, 110.00, has two listings. Listing 110.06 covers non-mosaic Down syndrome, and a child with it documented is considered disabled from birth. Listing 110.08 covers catastrophic congenital disorders. For anyone under 18, SSA uses the childhood listings first.

A child’s claim goes through SSI, which also counts the parents’ income and resources. See SSI for children and the childhood conditions guide. Families planning for the long term can also look at ABLE accounts: the disability must have begun before age 46 (the rule effective January 1, 2026), and SSI disregards the first $100,000 in the account.

Work Supports for Adults With Down Syndrome

Many adults with Down syndrome work, and the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) lists accommodations for intellectual disability that often fit:

checklists, calendars, planners and written instructions;
job coaches and additional training time or refreshers;
reminders, timers and visual schedulers;
talking calculators, screen reading software and modified written materials;
task separation and job restructuring.

The workplace accommodations guide explains how to request them, and vocational rehabilitation can help with job training and placement.

Where to Go From Here

Use the free disability eligibility screener to see which program fits. If SSA denies a claim, you have 60 days from receiving the notice to appeal; the appeals guide explains each level. Browse every body system on the conditions page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Down Syndrome an Automatic Qualification for Disability?

For non-mosaic Down syndrome, nearly. SSA's 10.00 rules say that once it is documented as 10.00C describes, SSA considers you disabled from birth, without the functional tests most listings use. You still have to meet the non-medical rules of SSDI or SSI, such as work credits or SSI's income and resource limits.

Does SSA Accept a FISH Test for Down Syndrome?

No. SSA will not accept a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) test because it does not tell the mosaic and non-mosaic forms apart. It needs a karyotype report, a doctor's report referring to a prior karyotype result, or the doctor's report plus functioning evidence described in 10.06C.

What if There Was Never Any Karyotype Testing?

SSA won't buy the test, but listing 10.06C lets SSA find the listing met with a doctor's report that you have the distinctive facial or other physical features of Down syndrome plus evidence that your functioning is consistent with non-mosaic Down syndrome, such as school records, work history or psychological testing.

Can an Adult With Down Syndrome Open an ABLE Account?

Yes, if the disability began before age 46, which is the onset rule effective January 1, 2026. SSI disregards the first $100,000 in an ABLE account. See the ABLE accounts guide.

How Is Fragile X Syndrome Evaluated?

SSA names fragile X syndrome as an example of another congenital disorder. When its effects are severe enough, SSA evaluates them under the affected body system, such as mental disorders (12.00) or neurological disorders (11.00). Otherwise it assesses your specific functional limits at steps four and five.

Other Body Systems in SSA's Listings

This page explains SSA's published rules. It isn't medical or legal advice; SSA decides each claim from your records.