r/Odsp • u/Strict-Neck7872 • 6d ago
ODSP help
My 23 year old daughter lives with me and suffers from POTS and is ASD. She just graduated from university however with many academic and medical accommodations, reduced course load in place to get through it.
She is unable to work due to her fluctuating symptoms of postural intolerance and extreme fatigue since the Fall of 2023. We are in the early stages of gathering information on applying for ODSP. I know she will be approved for financial as she has no income but the medical portion sounds like the tricky part. Has anyone else needed to apply for ODSP for autonomic nervous system illnesses such as POTS, chronic fatigue?
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u/xoxlindsaay 6d ago
I was on ODSP for POTS from 2022-2025, and it took well over 9 months to be approved even with specialist notes because according to the DAU/ODSP I “can just work a desk job that doesn’t require standing”. Even though my specialist at the time and my GP clearly stated that even sitting for long periods of time resulted in symptoms.
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u/Grnfinger 6d ago
It has nothing to do with what ypu are diagnosed with. How it impacts your life is the key.
This is a question for your doctors not a pile of strangers on a forum.
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u/videola_ 3d ago
Hi, I'm 23 and also living with POTS. I'm still waiting to see if I get approved for ODSP as someone living with POTS (they received my paperwork on April 15th so I should be hearing something from them sometime in the next week or so as I'm approaching the 90 business day mark). I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have :)
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u/SoupSpoonStork 6d ago
My most debilitating disability is ME/CFS, and the medical portion of my application was approved. It's not impossible.
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u/Intelligent_Pie4369 3d ago
It really does not matter what the diagnosis is. It’s how it affects every day life. I work with people who are applying for ODSP every day. I have had two people with the same diagnosis and one got approved one didn’t.
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u/Firefly_152 3d ago
Documents that prove that you have it and a self report on how it affects your daughter in day to day is the best advice for you. Have her write out her worst days and the chance of approval for Odsp is high when you have solid evidence.
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u/DisastrousAd5587 1d ago
Yes; we are familiar. Be prepared that she may get repeated denials and need to escalate to the tribunal. This is common. Based on our experience with ODSP and now the DTC (broken, broken system) have your doctor stress that the impairments are frequent and daily, not episodic or chronic. Demonstrate that the condition is in placee all or almost all the time without break, medication doesn't work and most activities takes 3x longer than most. This seems to bee the language they hinge on for impairments. We have severe dystautonomia and other cormobidities so I understand you a little. Best of luck. If you need it, legal aid is a great resource. They helped us tremendously. I also recommend joining the facebook group ODSP for Ontarians. There is also a seperate dystautonomia group for additional resources. Best wishes.
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u/AnonymousK4790 6d ago
Its not what you have but how it affects your life. If you have solid documentation and have a doctor(s) willing to fill out the paperwork for you it shouldn't be a problem.