What is Dexterity?

Dexterity refers to the fine motor skills which are needed for the coordination of small muscles resulting in movement. These fine motor skills involve the synchronization of the hands and fingers with the eyes. Dexterity issues are causes by slowed or halted signs to and from the brain, resulting in a loss of fine motor skills. These fine motor skills may either regress or disappear completely depending on the severity of one’s dexterity issues.

Symptoms of Dexterity Issues

Symptoms of dexterity issues include tingling, numbness, pain, problems with hand-eye coordination, tremors, and muscle weakness. As nerve damage progresses symptoms become more severe as a result. For example, many MS patients experience loss of dexterity in their hands.

Symptoms of a loss of dexterity in the hands include difficulties picking up objects, holding items, writing, controlling one’s eating utensils, and not being able to button up clothing. Patients with dexterity issues may also experience pain when attempting these basic everyday tasks.  For patients with Parkinson’s disease symptoms also include impaired fine motor dexterity as well as impaired motor coordination.

Treatment For Dexterity

When treating dexterity issues, specific exercises are recommended to improve one’s fine motor skills which have deteriorated over time. For example, to treat dexterity issues in the hands suggested activities include stacking pennies, turning cards, writing, buttoning up clothing, picking up items, playing the piano, and putting together puzzle pieces.

If an accident caused the deterioration offine motor skills it is important to treat these dexterity issues immediately after the accident. Another suggestion to improve fine motor skills is to exercise as this can help to improve both coordination and balance. For example, hand-eye coordination is improved when playing tennis.

Eligibility Criteria for Disability Tax Credit for Dexterity

Dexterity issues may qualify under several different disability sections depending on how each individually is personally affected. For example, hand dexterity issues tend to cause difficulty buttoning up clothing. In this case, this would qualify under the disability section entitled dressing impairment.

With regards to dressing oneself, this does not include identifying, finding, shopping, or procuring clothing. Devices to assist individuals in dressing themselves include buttonhooks, long-handled shoehorns, grab rails, and safety pulls.

To be considered as spending an inordinate amount of time putting on clothing it must take youthree times the normal time required by an average person to get dressed. Examples of being markedly restricted include being unable to dress oneself without the assistance of another person, and requiring an inordinate amount of time due to having pain, stiffness, and decreased dexterity.

Click Here To Check Your Eligibility for Disability Tax Credit for Dexterity

How To Apply for Disability Tax Credit for Dexterity?

To apply, our experts will assist you in filling out form T2201 where you will need to get your medical practitioner to complete this form. This will ask your doctor to describe how you are impaired by your disability. It is important to be descriptive in this section as a patient can be affected in a variety of ways by dexterity.

Disability Tax Credit Consultants at DCC can help to +claim this tax credit and collect up to $40,000 in disability tax credits.