Canada Disability Tax Credit

[newfietroll]

Hello all,

I was wondering if there were others out there like me? I went to get a educational assessment conducted several months ago, as my life long problem (aka fog in my head) which I had been hiding was finally creating issues for me at my work and in my family life. Prior to the assessment I researched Dyslexia and found I had a match of 95% on every symptom. Memory being the biggest issue followed by jumpy/blurred/spelling words ; then maybe pronunciations/speaking.

The assessment resulted in a Learning Disability and ADHD. The latter was a huge surprise…..as I don’t really jump around…I can actual stay in bed all day if need be. My physiologist, stated that Dyslexia DOES NOT EXIST, and that while I have a learning disability….its my ADHD that is the problem. Cough excuse me? Dyslexia is accepted in ever western country with enormous studies, diagnoses and treatments! However in Canada its a Learning disability brought on by ADHD. I fired my physiologist.

But before terminating treatment, I applied for the Canada Disability Tax Credit. I figured the 15 hour days at work to keep up with peers (no OT), forgetting to take life requiring medication, losing prescriptions for life required medication thus going without medication for several weeks, forgetting names, forgetting how to write (I print…but no longer can hand write), blaming my wife for taking things when its me forgetting where I put them, forgetting the context of conversations I had only moments earlier, forgetting instructions given to me etc…..would mean I would be approved.

My short term memory is in the 1 percentile….Can it get any worse? LOL But I can remember getting my diaper changed at 1 year old…..no one believes me…I have several memories as a infant. LOL

To my face my physiologist said he would fill out the forms for the tax credit…however, he does not support people with ADHD to obtain the credit. I argued with him that my main issue was the Learning Disability/ Memory.

Jumping ahead two months, CRA denied me the credit, thus eliminating any chance I had at attending a special school for Visual Learners AKA Dyslexics. I require to obtain French Language to keep my employment, however every one knows that for a Dyslexic, a second language takes an enormous amount of time to accomplish. The program I need is Multi-Sensory Training. My psychologist said I only need to take the ADHD meds and focus my concentration. Yes great…but my memory? My lack of verbal comprehension? My Language Disability? His response was….the only issue is ADHD.

I was going to appeal and ask my family doctor to write something and include the pyhcoloist assessment.

My questions: Why is it ONLY in Canada that there seems to be a lack of willingness to accept and understand Dyslexia? In the UK, Its Dyslexia as the main issue and sometimes ADHD accompanies it. In Canada its ADHD and only ADHD.

Second: Has anyone with ADHD alone or with a combo of ADHD/Learning Disability get approved for the Tax credit? Was it difficult? What info did you submit? Should I also write a letter of my symptoms?

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

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[Patte Rosebank]

@Newfietroll, we DO believe in Dyslexia in Canada. Any doctor who doesn’t is doing his patients some serious harm. You might want to contact the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada (http://www.ldac-acta.ca). They can advise you, and help you get the help you need.

Patrick McKenna, who’s in several videos here, has both ADHD and Dyslexia, and he talks about it. It’s not at all rare for people to have ADHD and Dyslexia or some other Learning Disability. (So your doctor’s REALLY off-base about that.)

As for the Disability Tax Credit, it’s not just you. It’s REALLY hard to be approved for it. The Harper Government has made it as difficult as possible for people to qualify for EI, Disability benefits, Disability Tax Credits, and other desperately-needed financial support for those most in need. Meanwhile, they bring in “easy money” policies for the richest people (doubling the TFSA limit, income-splitting), financed by cutting healthcare, social programs, Veterans Affairs, etc.

If we want good social programs, we might have to move to Norway or Sweden. But the 24-hour winter nights would be hell.

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[newfietroll]

Hi Thanks…..

Ironically I was just writing a letter to the ldac as you sent this response…..I hope they can help. For me to keep my job I will need special tutoring….Tutoring I can not afford. Ironically though a Lawyer is cheaper.

Anyone ever sue the CRA for the tax credit?

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[koishi]

I was speaking with my Doc about this, more broadly (not your condition specifically). He mentioned that often when ADHD is treated, any underlying learning disabilities and the like often disappear. If they don’t, docs tend to address it afterwards. So it could be that he was going with that theory?

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[newfietroll]

Koishi,

Yes that’s what my first doc said…until I got a new doc. If you research it, only in Canada do doctors treat ADD as the Learning Disability. Whereas in the UK and US (just about the rest of the world) Learning disabilities are broken down further and fully diagnosed, such as dyslexia. They then separate in treatment for ADD and Dyslexia.

What I found is doctors in Canada are more lazy than outside of this country…..at least the ones I deal with. There is no interest in any further investigation other than take these drugs…your cured. Well what if my attention is better but my memory is not, what about my vision or the fact I can not pronounce many words properly or spell, or remember how to handwrite…..

My first doc said that he does not even treat dyslexia as it does NOT exist in the medical profession in Canada. I was the first to inform him….he laughed. Its ONLY Canada where doctors ignore Learning disabilities and pump drugs for ADD. They have lumped Learning disabilities in with ADD when treating. This is wrong……

On my own accord I just secured a $7000 loan so that I can be tutored by special instructors trained in Learning disabilities. The tax credit was created for people like me with extra expenses and I was denied. I suspect my doctor in the end squashed it when CRA asked him for more info.

Canada is really a bad place for health care!

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[koishi]

Wow that is crazy. “Free” healthcare for you!!

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[Arly56]

newfietroll, I haven’t even thought about applying for the DTC. I am sure I would not be approved. I am on provincial disability and am self-employed, part time.

I also went for a learning assessment; the psychiatrist that diagnosed my ADD (Inattentive form) thought it was a great idea.

The result? Learning Disability NOS. That means “Not Otherwise Specified”, meaning there’s no name for it!

The psychologist who did the test explained about the tiny memory “leak” I had that screwed up everything else.

If you can, get an ADD dx from a psychiatrist, not a psychologist. The first is a medical doctor.

Best of luck!

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