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Ok, I just spoke with an Army recruiter. He said that a physical is done. They ask a whole series of questions, including 'have you ever had joint pain'. If the recruit says yes, he will be referred to a specialist for a diagnosis, if they don't have one there. If he says no, and they find out after he is in, he will be discharged; not a medical discharge, but a general or dishonorable discharge.
Btw if your son ever hopes to have kids he should definitely be tested for Fragile X syndrome, particularly because it worsens with each generation it is passed to. Hypotonia is a very common symptom of Frag X.
With his sparse communication skills, it was difficult to tell if his delays were mental or just physical. He went to school, and loved it! It was then that we realized just how intelligent he really was. He was in a P/1 split class and while rolling around the floor, ...Over the years, there have been issues with lack of empathy, attention/focus difficulties, hurting himself and his siblings when angry (very short fuse) and difficulties with reading/writing/language arts (failed provincial literacy assessments in grades 6 and 9. He failed grade 10 English last year and this year is in grade 10 again with mostly grade 11 subjects except English and Science. He is a Corporal in Army Cadets and plans a career in the Military. Cadets has been a Godsend with regard to helping him to learn and use self discipline. He lives and breathes Cadets and 80's Heavy Metal Music and is now studying the driver's handbook with plans of obtaining his drivers licence. There was never a diagnosis for my son but my research has led me to the posiblity of hypotonia. No clue yet what caused it, but he now has terrible joint pain (mostly in his knees) and I guess it could be related. The best answer I recieved from my doctor was "he may never be a rocket scientist, but he'll be ok". We just learned to live with it and help him to progress as best we could. He makes me SOOOOOO proud!!
1. He has to be able to read and write to an acceptable level.
2. "Lack of empathy, attention/focus difficulties": There is a tremendous amout of learning in the military.
3. "Hurting himself and his siblings when angry (very short fuse)": And he wants a gun in his hands? YOU want a gun in his hands? How would the stress of combat add to this?
4. "has terrible joint pain (mostly in his knees)": Carrying a full ruck is 30-75lbs. Carrying a full Alice is 30+lbs.. Can he carry that load for 10 miles or more?
This sounds harsh, but he should be discouraged from thinking he will be military sound in a year. Enjoying the cadets is nothing compared being in the military. He would be better served with your help of finding a career that would better suit his capabilities.
I certainly wasn't being judgemental, I really hope you will look into the syndrome I mentioned. They are currently at an advanced stage of research with drugs that may reverse the effects of Frag X.
I have a brother who has it, as well as an aunt and a grandfather. Discovering that I may carry the gene while I was already 16 weeks pregnant was heartbreaking for me. Your son sounds exactly like my brother, from start to finish. Word for word. There is a lot of support and help out there if you are willing to go get it. A simple blood test diagnoses it.
I certainly wasn't being judgemental, I really hope you will look into the syndrome I mentioned. They are currently at an advanced stage of research with drugs that may reverse the effects of Frag X.
I have a brother who has it, as well as an aunt and a grandfather. Discovering that I may carry the gene while I was already 16 weeks pregnant was heartbreaking for me. Your son sounds exactly like my brother, from start to finish. Word for word. There is a lot of support and help out there if you are willing to go get it. A simple blood test diagnoses it.
thank you, I was not referring to you in that post, i will check out this fragile x thing and talk to my doc about it. your post was the kind I had been looking for
I certainly wasn't being judgemental, I really hope you will look into the syndrome I mentioned. They are currently at an advanced stage of research with drugs that may reverse the effects of Frag X.
I have a brother who has it, as well as an aunt and a grandfather. Discovering that I may carry the gene while I was already 16 weeks pregnant was heartbreaking for me. Your son sounds exactly like my brother, from start to finish. Word for word. There is a lot of support and help out there if you are willing to go get it. A simple blood test diagnoses it.
Ok, I just spoke with an Army recruiter. He said that a physical is done. They ask a whole series of questions, including 'have you ever had joint pain'. If the recruit says yes, he will be referred to a specialist for a diagnosis, if they don't have one there. If he says no, and they find out after he is in, he will be discharged; not a medical discharge, but a general or dishonorable discharge.
Exactly.
General discharge if there is no evidence the recruit was aware of the condition exsisting prior to joining.
Dishonorable discharge would only be if they could prove that he had the symptom prior to joining the military. This is rare. My friend's son had problems with his leg while running in basic training. They did an xray and found scar tissue near the bone. Old football injury that was never treated by a medical professional. He received a general discharge.
Medical discharge happens if the recruit makes it through basic training and education and the health issue is discovered during active duty. I know many people who received medical discharges throughout various stages of their military careers.
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