Social Security admits my son has ADD, but they still deny him

A mother called me recently. She was upset that Social Security had denied her son, even though the denial admitted that he has ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder).
How can Social Security deny him, if they admit he has ADD?
I explained that the diagnosis is only the first step in the Social Security evaluation process. While Social Security requires a medically determinable impairment, basically a diagnosed condition to explain the individual’s symptoms, the diagnosis itself is usually not enough to get a person approved for Social Security benefits.

The reason for this is, except for certain conditions, a diagnosis does not describe the severity of that condition. The child …

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