Can I get the Disability Tax Credit if I stutter?
An individual’s eligibility for the Disability Tax Credit is determined not by the individual, or their medical professionals, but by the Canada Revenue Agency. You may ask your speech-language pathologist to complete the documentation required to apply for the DTC, but if you are seeking private services (as is often the case for teens or adults who stutter) then you may be charged for your clinician’s time to complete it.
Of the functions of daily living that the DTC covers, speaking is the only one that applies to people who stutter. To demonstrate a speaking impairment, the CRA will require information about your speech from a medical doctor, a nurse, or a speech-language pathologist.
These are the criteria to be eligible for the DTC for a Speaking disability (taken from the CRA website): “A person is considered markedly restricted in speaking if, even with appropriate therapy, medication, and devices, they meet both of the following criteria:
They are unable or take an inordinate amount of time to speak so as to be understood by another person familiar with the patient, in a quiet setting.
This is the case all or substantially all the time (at least 90% of the time).”
Samuel L. Jackson is a Black actor who stutters. He reports that he was able to overcome it through acting.
As airflow is the foundation of speech, when the airflow is obstructed due to tension and uncontrolled closing of oral muscles, the sound produced is compromised.
Craig Skistimas, also known as Stuttering Craig, the co-founder of ScrewAttack which is a production company for video games.
The adored pig from Looney Tunes, Porky Pig, has a stutter. It has been found that he stutters 23% of his spoken words and uses a wide variety of stuttering types.
Stuttering affects around 70 million people worldwide, so yes of course there is going to be a comedian who stutters.
The National Stuttering Association (https://westutter.org/) is a good website to find news about stuttering. The ‘Stuttering Foundation’ is another website that provides the most up to date news (https://www.stutteringhelp.org)
News reporter John Stossel is a news reporter who stuttered. News reporter and journalist Byron Pitts also stutter.
There are two general philosophies of stuttering treatment: Fluency shaping, and Stuttering acceptance
When an individual stutters, the voice may change as there is additional tension on the vocal folds and on the musculature surrounding it.