ADD waiver

[rwilliams]

Do you automatically have to get a waiver for ADD at MEPS? I told the Doc during the interview that I went to the doctor, he gave me a couple scrips for some kinda knockoff ritalin but I never took them (I know there's no way to prove this, but I figured I'd add it for good measure) and she wrote it down, but I never had to get a waiver or anything. Basically I'm trying to make sure that the record shows that I reported it, so I don't run into a problem later. Thanks!

[oldswabbie]

Do you automatically have to get a waiver for ADD at MEPS? I told the Doc during the interview that I went to the doctor, he gave me a couple scrips for some kinda knockoff ritalin but I never took them (I know there's no way to prove this, but I figured I'd add it for good measure) and she wrote it down, but I never had to get a waiver or anything. Basically I'm trying to make sure that the record shows that I reported it, so I don't run into a problem later. Thanks!

Doesnt matter if you filled it or not or took it or not. Its in the Dr's records that it was prescribed to you. If the records are requested by the Navy Doc's it WILL show up (EMR - Electronic Medical Records). Good thing you said something. As far as the rest, that I dont know if you automatically get a waiver. There are some conditions that you must be free of symptoms and medications for a period of time or you cannot get one. Do a search on the site (here) and see what you find.

OldSwabbie

[oldswabbie]

This is what I found on the Internet about ADD. If you've been free of symptoms more than a year then you might not need a waiver. But you need to check into it further. Read this information (it says asthma but has ADD stuff too)

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/asthma.htm

OldSwabbie

[kaleigh]

While there are some Doc's and parents that are too quick to medicate their children, there are a great number of children that would not be able to function in the world with the use of medication. So to say that someone is too lazy to think and that they turn to drugs to do it for them is negligent and misinformed. If you want to question my status in what I speak of on this subject I will tell you that I am a mom of a wonderful little boy who simply can not function in the real world without his medication. I know because we tried everything before turning to medication. Now that he is medicated he can function with his peers, where as before he was frustrated. I still question everyday if what I am doing for him is right or not, as a parent I'm just trying to do my best for him. So please don't insult me or him by saying that we are just lazy, or that I am only concerned with him making the grade when those two things are the farthest from the truth. You are attaching a stigma to people who already have it tougher than most when you make statements like you did.

[oldswabbie]

You are so right Kaleigh. Sometimes Doc's are too quick to prescribe, other times they dont prescribe correctly. I'm glad for the ones who get it right and can diagnose and treat AND medicate appropriately.

My "foster" son (as I call him) Mark had a tough time in his late teen years. The doctors mis-diagnosed him and overmedicated him. Once he was OFF the medications he was actually better because he was misdiagnosed. To say I am proud of him is an understatement for all he has accomplished now in the Military.

I'm glad they got it right for your son. Medicine these days is incredible, medications have come so far. I wish doctors who really dont know what they're doing would refer to another who does.

OldSwabbie

[montstar]

There are no automatic waivers, if there where then they wouldn't require a waiver. Second, to quote from DD Form 2807, anyone previously diagnosed with, among other things, ADD, "call MEPS for further instruction." Ask your local RinC.

[kaleigh]

You are so right and I'm glad that it worked for Mark as well. We are lucky as a family to have a doctor that is not afraid to say "I don't know, but let me send you to someone who does."

[oldswabbie]

Clean-up as original post was deleted by Rsctt

Not always. But, I do agree with you (Dang - Did I say that?) that some Doc's throw out the ADD diagnosis way too fast. But - ADD is a very "Real" disorder which runs the scale from mild to very severe. In addition to my foster son, my stepson was diagnosed by 2 Ped's with ADD ~ he has a mild case. He never took medications for it but it affected his ability to stay on task for anything. His grades suffered all through school, finally dropping out in the 12th grade. My other stepson (Jason, the one from the Navy) helped him get his GED finally.

His condition even affected things that he enjoyed doing. He is 25 now and cant seem to hold a job without "loosing interest". He eventually starts getting tired of it and starts screwing up and gets fired. He's had over a dozen jobs now ~ at least. He MIGHT have needed medications, it possibly COULD have helped him settle down.


OldSwabbie

[rsctt83]

My seven year old son has a very mild case of ADD. We do not treat this with medication, but there are times where it is difficult to get him to focus, particularly when we read to him in the evenings. This is a very real problem not one that we invented to make excuses for grades/occassional getting into a bit of trouble at school for not paying attention in class.

We must keep the same set of standards for posting throughout the universe of topics, the same criteria of BTDT/people with expertise and knowledge in ADD should be the only ones giving advice here, no different than on teams forums, SWCC, EOD .... etc.

I can tell you that ADD is for real, there is a huge difference between my son ability to stay focus in comparison with my daughter {one year older}.

[ddssdv]

My seven year old son has a very mild case of ADD. We do not treat this with medication, but there are times where it is difficult to get him to focus, particularly when we read to him in the evenings. This is a very real problem not one that we invented to make excuses for grades/occassional getting into a bit of trouble at school for not paying attention in class.

We must keep the same set of standards for posting throughout the universe of topics, the same criteria of BTDT/people with expertise and knowledge in ADD should be the only ones giving advice here, no different than on teams forums, SWCC, EOD .... etc.

I can tell you that ADD is for real, there is a huge difference between my son ability to stay focus in comparison with my daughter {one year older}.

Well now. I am the adult version of ADD and as a kid it was unheard of. I think I know the subject. My son as well. BTDT

[kaleigh]

If you are a BTDT on this subject then you know that it is not complete BS. Think of how much you accomplished in your life without any of the tools that are out there now. And I don't just mean drugs, I mean the different tools we use in the home and schools to help the ADD kids learn and succeed. Don't you wish that maybe for yourself and your son some of these tools were available way back when. Think of how much more you might have achieved in your lifetime if they were, hell we might have been calling you Mr. President who knows.

[ddssdv]

Let me clarify. I don't mean ADD is BS I mean the dip****s who diagnose it and treat it are idiots. Only now are medical professional understanding the meds vs. extra time deal to work with these kids.

[ddssdv]

. Think of how much more you might have achieved in your lifetime if they were, hell we might have been calling you Mr. President who knows.

BTW...I have achieved more in my lifetime than most here ever will. ADD didn't phase that. My son is right behind me. My daughter...well thats another saga:p

[rsctt83]

Only now are medical professional understanding the meds vs. extra time deal to work with these kids.

This is very true.

[kaleigh]

Let me clarify. I don't mean ADD is BS I mean the dip****s who diagnose it and treat it are idiots. Only now are medical professional understanding the meds vs. extra time deal to work with these kids.

Agreed there are quite a few that don't know what they are doing, and should not be prescribing meds as the first thing. With my son we were lucky to find a specialist that looked at every possibility of what was causing the problems. From blood, hearing, vision tests, to cat scans and diet as well as home life. In the end the meds are just one of the tools we used to help him. As for the extra time short of adding more hours to the day its impossible seeing as I'm already a stay at home mom so that he does not need to be in day care after school. Sometimes it just happens that a chemical is missing from the body that you can get from drugs. It's like diabetes; Type 1 you need to take insulin no if and or buts about it, Type 2 you can control to a certain degree with diet and fitness.

[ddssdv]

Yep. I can only say from experience that teachers are the ones provoking the med issue. They are too lazy to be bothered with the extra thinkers...ADD kids. Thats what it is. Extra thinking. These kids need extra time because thier minds wander. Its because the regiment of schools these days is sit down, STFU, do this, this way, go home. Day after day, Who isn't BORED! Lets do a study period for 10 minutes, hands on something for 10 minutes, visual learning for 30, recess for 15 min. etc. These so called "ADD" kids would excel and blow the sheeple out of the classroom. The educators need tenure removed and if they don't perform...fire um.

[kaleigh]

Agree again and have to say once again very lucky, not only does my son only have 13 children in his class (including him), but his teacher should be considered for sainthood. She should be emulated by all teachers as she represents what it means to go into the teaching field. She is even trying to get my son into her class for next year as she is going to teach a grade 1-2 split. And like you said that they are bored, she doesn't have her class set up like a normal class. She has stations around the room that the kids move from and not one desk. For his science project he caught a tadpole and is documenting how they turn into frogs. This is how kids need to learn.