Seizure ?

[3boymthr]

Can a person with a seizure disorder still get in the military? Petite Mal not Grand Mal.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

No.

According to the Department of Defense, the military discriminates against people with epilepsy because it wants military people to be available for worldwide service at any time and with few limitations.

http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/answerplace/Social/military/

 

[LuvOrlando]

I think the policy is more about keeping the person safe than anything else. Asthmatics are also prohibited, last I checked, and although I think it stinks to be excluded I can understand the reasoning. What if the person is in combat and gets cut off for an extended period of time or loses his/her medicine? All of a sudden he/she goes from being an asset to being a huge liability and that's not good for anyone. My son likes the idea of being a fighter pilot but it's not going to happen, its as much for his safety as the people around him. I might not like it that he is starting life with limitations but I can understand it.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Also diabetes.

My dd's EXBF, wanted to go into the military and found out that he had diabetes and that put an end to that plan.

 

[minkydog]

Also diabetes.

My dd's EXBF, wanted to go into the military and found out that he had diabetes and that put an end to that plan.

Yeah, that happened to my nephew. He wanted to join the Air Force, but developed type 1 diabetes when he was 20. His military dreams came to a crashing halt. He understood, of course, but it didn't hurt any less.

 

[Agri]

Definitely 'heck no'. My seizures are easily controlled via medication and the extent of a seizure for me is blanking out for a moment (I appear to be daydreaming, but can usually still talk through them and fight them off - its a very weird sensation). Military won't touch me - which was a good thing in HS when the recruiters would call. (The last time I was tested, my neurologist did most of the test and I was able to have a conversation with him the whole time he was triggering my seizures!)

No matter how well my seizures are controlled, the truth is at anytime I could have a breakthrough seizure and blank out at a very bad time and the effects could be disastrous - especially in a military situation.

 

[3boymthr]

That is what I suspected. We have friends whose son has a seizure disorder which sounds to be just like that of Agri. He talks constantly of when he is going to join the military and what he's going to do while in the military. His parents have no military experience themselves and wanted to make sure of my facts before I questioned if he was aware that he would not be able to enter the military. I know that they are hoping he'll outgrow the diagnosis but in some ways I'm kind of shocked as he's had this diagnosis since he was little and as I said, he talks constantly about the military.

 

[Agri]

That is what I suspected. We have friends whose son has a seizure disorder which sounds to be just like that of Agri. He talks constantly of when he is going to join the military and what he's going to do while in the military. His parents have no military experience themselves and wanted to make sure of my facts before I questioned if he was aware that he would not be able to enter the military. I know that they are hoping he'll outgrow the diagnosis but in some ways I'm kind of shocked as he's had this diagnosis since he was little and as I said, he talks constantly about the military.

Yeah. I hope they get him to a good neurologist. I had a horrible time in school because I was constantly overtired and stressed - especially in high school - which just made them worse. My doctor didn't want to medicate me for the seizures, but gave me ADHD meds instead (!! They lower the seizure threshold because they're stimulants). It made math a lot more difficult for me since it just takes a second to lose track of what you're doing when it gets complicated.

Oh the flip side, he would probably be able to get a good job with the government if things don't change too much. It's a disability that doesn't impede work too much, (much like ADHD), so they'd want him. I got several fliers when I was at the community college and getting their disability services.

 

[3boymthr]

Yeah. I hope they get him to a good neurologist. I had a horrible time in school because I was constantly overtired and stressed - especially in high school - which just made them worse. My doctor didn't want to medicate me for the seizures, but gave me ADHD meds instead (!! They lower the seizure threshold because they're stimulants). It made math a lot more difficult for me since it just takes a second to lose track of what you're doing when it gets complicated.

Oh the flip side, he would probably be able to get a good job with the government if things don't change too much. It's a disability that doesn't impede work too much, (much like ADHD), so they'd want him. I got several fliers when I was at the community college and getting their disability services.

He has a great nuerologist. He takes both seizure meds and ADHD meds. His condition is apparently, according to his mother, mild. He's a great kid and I don't want to slip and say something about not being able to go into the military if he has no clue. It's something I feel his parents should break to him. But he may know and this is just a way of ignoring his limitations.

 

[doxdogy]

He would have to be seizure free for 5 years and I think off medication too. Unfortunately, a seizure disorder kept me out of the military too.

 

[bumbershoot]

Standards for joining the Army are here. At 2-26 it gives the neurological info, and addresses epilepsy towards the end of that section. I imagine the other branches of the military are the same.

I'd bring this up to the parents ASAP!! How sad that they didn't realize this already. I wonder if he's ever mentioned his plans to his doctors, and if so, why they didn't know. Would be good to get the info to them as well, so they can give a head's up to future patients.