Is Scoliosis a Disability?
Scoliosis is a physical condition characterized by an atypical curvature of the spine. The spine tends to curve either left or right, impacting a person’s chest and lower back. It generally presents in children, as the sideways spine curvature occurs most often during the growth spurt just before puberty.
Signs and symptoms of scoliosis can include:
- Uneven shoulders
- One shoulder blade that’s more prominent
- Uneven waist
- One hip higher than the other
Doctors haven’t been able to pinpoint the cause of scoliosis, although evidence strongly suggests it involves hereditary factors as the disorder tends to run in families. Other causes could be neuromuscular conditions, like cerebral palsy, birth defects affecting the spine, or injuries/infections of the spine.
Scoliosis can lead to other medical problems if left untreated, such as kyphosis (a hunched back), or lung and heart problems (where the heart finds it difficult to pump blood around the body).
How does the Disability Tax Credit help?
Scoliosis can sometimes be left untreated, allowing the curvature to correct itself. More often than not, a person with scoliosis will require surgery or a back brace to straighten out the problem. The potential costs of surgery and treatment, as well as additional costs for rehab and recovery, can take significant finances and time away from a person or their family.
The Canadian government recognizes the condition as a disability for these reasons, making scoliosis disability readily available to those combatting the condition. The Canadian Disability Tax Credit (DTC) or the Child Disability Benefit are programs families can turn to for relief from these unavoidable disability costs. This disability tax refund is designed to balance tax equity, alleviating the financial and emotional costs associated with scoliosis or other disabilities.
How can the NBA help me?
The National Benefit Authority is Canada’s largest service provider for the DTC. Having helped over 40,000 Canadians recover their disability tax credits, we do all the diligent research and paperwork required for a successful claim.
We can help determine your Disability Tax Credit eligibility, fill out your Disability Tax Certificate (or the T2201 application) and other required disability tax forms, and communicate with the Canada Revenue Agency on your behalf.
Whether you’re submitting a claim for the first time, or you’re looking to recover Disability Tax Credit retroactive funds, our team is committed in retrieving every dollar of your scoliosis disability!
