Guide to the List of Recognised Disabilities

About the Guide

This Guide to the List of Recognised Disabilities is based on determinations approved by the Secretary of the Australian Government Department of Social Services. The determinations were approved in 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2014 and 2020.

Part 1 - Recognised disabilities

1. Moderate to severe multiple disability or moderate to severe physical disability (including neurological disability) where the child is, or is likely to be, dependent for mobility indoors and outdoors from the age of 3 onwards.
   Example: A child who has cerebral palsy, lower limb deficiencies or spina bifida and is dependent on a stroller, wheelchair, crutches or walking frame. 
2. Severe multiple or physical disability (including uncontrolled seizures) requiring constant care and attention where the child is less than 6 months of age.
3. Epilepsy (uncontrolled while on medication). 
4. Chromosomal or syndromic conditions that are not specified elsewhere in this Part and where there is moderate or severe intellectual disability and/or multiple, major and permanent physical abnormalities as diagnosed by a paediatrician, paediatric subspecialist or clinical geneticist. Examples of chromosomal or syndromic conditions include:
   • Cri du chat syndrome
   • Rett syndrome
   • Angelman syndrome
   • Prader-Willi syndrome
   • Edwards syndrome (Trisomy 18)
   • Williams syndrome
   • Patau syndrome (Trisomy 13)
   • Coffin-Lowry syndrome
   • Congenital rubella syndrome
   • Cornelia de Lange syndrome
   • Kabuki syndrome
   • Larsen syndrome
   • Opitz G syndrome
   • Pallister-Killian syndrome
   • Seckel syndrome
   • Smith-Magenis syndrome
   • CHARGE association.
5. Neurometabolic degenerative conditions where there is moderate or severe intellectual and/or moderate or severe physical disability and where the condition is diagnosed by a paediatrician, paediatric sub-specialist or clinical geneticist: 
   1. Lysosomal storage disorders - examples include:
      • Metachromatic Leukodystrophy
      • Tay Sach's disease
      • Krabbe disease
      • Pompe disease
      • Mucopolysaccharidoses:
      • Hurler syndrome (MPS 1)
      • Hunter syndrome (MPS 2)
      • San Filippo syndrome (MPS 3)
      • Morquio syndrome (MPS IVA)
      • Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome (MPS VI). 
   2. Neurometabolic conditions - examples include:
      • Lesch Nyhan syndrome
      • Menkes disease
      • Zellweger syndrome and related peroxisomal disorders
      • Some mitochondrial respiratory chain disorders. 
6. Neurodegenerative disorders where there is moderate or severe intellectual and/or moderate or severe physical disability and where the condition is diagnosed by a paediatrician, paediatric sub-specialist or clinical geneticist. Examples include:
   • Ataxia Telangiectasia
   • unclassified Leukodystrophies. 
7. Any of the following neuromuscular conditions:
   • Duchenne (or Becker) muscular dystrophy
   • Autosomal recessive muscular dystrophy
   • Spinal muscular atrophy conditions (e.g. Werdnig-Hoffman)
   • Friedreich's ataxia. 
8. Moderate, severe, or profound intellectual disability where IQ is less than 55, (including a child with a known syndrome). 
9. Autism Spectrum Disorder when diagnosed by a psychiatrist, developmental pediatrician, or a registered psychologist experienced in the assessment of Pervasive Developmental Disorders and using the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5);
   Autistic Disorder or Asperger's Disorder (not including Pervasive Developmental Disorder not otherwise specified) when diagnosed by a psychiatrist, developmental pediatrician, or a registered psychologist experienced in the assessment of Pervasive Developmental Disorders, and using the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). 
10. The following conditions:
    • Child Disintegrative Disorder diagnosed by a psychiatrist using DSM-IV;
    • Major depression of childhood diagnosed by a psychiatrist using DSM-IV or DSM-5;
    • Childhood schizophrenia diagnosed by a psychiatrist using DSM-IV or DSM-5. 
11. Any of the following sensory impairments:
    1. Bilateral blindness where:
       • visual acuity is less than or equal to 6/60 with corrected vision, or
       • visual fields are reduced to a measured arc of less than 10 degrees;
    2. Hearing loss - at 45 decibels or greater hearing impairment in the better ear, based on a frequency pure tone average (using 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000Hz).
    3. Deaf-blindness - diagnosed by a specialist multidisciplinary team, including a professional audiological and opthalmological evaluation.
12. The following dermatological conditions:
    1. Epidermolysis Bullosa Dystrophica.
    2. The following types of Ectodermal Dysplasias:
       • Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (synonym: anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia)
       • Hay Wells syndrome (syn: ankyloblepharon, ectodermal dysplasia and clefting [AEC] syndrome).
         (Note: These are specific terms and do not apply to other ectodermal dysplasia which may have some degree of reduced sweating.)
    3. The following severe congenital ichthyoses:
       • Lamellar ichthyosis
       • Harlequin ichthyosis
       • Sjogren Larsson syndrome
       • Netherton syndrome
       • Severe congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma
       • Generalised bullous ichthyosis (syns: bullous ichthyosiform erythroderma, epidermolytic hyperkeratosis).
13. Phenylketonuria (PKU).
14. Other inborn errors of metabolism not specified elsewhere that are treated by medically prescribed diet to prevent neurological disability and/or severe organ damage. Examples include:
    • organic acidaemias
    • urea cycle defects
    • galactosaemia
    • some fatty acid or oxidation defects. 
15. Cystic Fibrosis. 
16. Moderate to severe Osteogenesis Imperfecta with 2 or more fractures per year and/or significant pain that significantly limits activities of daily living. 
17. Downs syndrome. 
18. Fragile X syndrome.

Part 2 - Medical conditions

1. Chronic or end stage organ failure where the child is receiving organ specific treatment and/or awaiting transplant.
   Note:  This condition applies to those cases where life will not continue without a transplant of the failed organ (or organs).  Example:  Kidney failure, heart failure, heart/lung, liver failure. 
2. HIV/AIDS where the child is symptomatic (in addition to having lymphadenopathy) and requires treatment with a 3 or more drug antiviral regimen. 
3. Immunodeficiency where the child requires regular immunoglobin infusions. 
4. The following Haematological/Oncological conditions:
   • Leukaemia, Haemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis and other childhood malignancies where the child is undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy or palliative care
   • Haemophilia with Factor VIII or Factor IX deficiency (less than 10%)
   • Thalassaemia or Haemoglobinopathy requiring chelation therapy
   • Chronic Transfusion Dependent Anaemia requiring chelation therapy
   • Langerhan Cell Histiocytosis: disseminated (multi-organ) disease requiring chemotherapy for longer than 6 months
   • severe congenital Neutropenia (Kostman's variant, dependent on Filgrastin). 
5. The following Chronic Respiratory conditions:
   • Chronic Respiratory Disease requiring home oxygen
   • a condition where the child is dependent for his or her health on an external apparatus/machine called a ventilator to assist with breathing, either on a continuous or intermittent basis
   • long-term tracheostomy where the child is cared for at home. 
6. Severe atopic dermatitis which involves at least 75% of the body surface and which has required 2 or more hospitalisations of at least 5 days duration in the previous calendar year, and/or the use of immunosuppressive therapy. 
7. Significant burn where more than 30%t of body surface area is affected, or a lesser burn where there is significant impairment of function of the hands or feet or assistance is required with feeding or toileting to a greater degree than is age appropriate for the child. 
8. Gastroenterological condition or other medical condition requiring total parenteral nutrition for an extended period, with medical treatment and medical supervision required for at least 12 months. 
9. Final stage of Ulcerative Colitis where the condition is no longer responding to medical treatment and where a subtotal colectomy and ileo-rectal anastomosis with formation of a J-pouch is required. 
10. Polyarticular course Juvenile Arthritis requiring regular multi-disciplinary therapy, including immunosuppressive medication. 
11. Diabetes Mellitus Type 1.