Son Received LOA from USNA, need asthma waiver
- Thread starter bobshan
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I'm assuming you already sent in information to DODMERB from the doctor? The waiver authority at USNA will make a determination based on the information DODMERB has in their system. They never seem to be in too much of a hurry to process the waiver.
That’s what I’ve heard. DoDMERB had requested an AMI. We sent that information in. I have been told that the doctor there disqualified him, so it is now going to the reviewers’ box. I am trying to follow their flowchart, etc. on this. As I understand it, now it will go to the academies for waiver requests, etc. I have had a lot of people tell me to be proactive about this and go and get his doctor to run to new pulmonology testing, etc. I’ve also had people tell me that I should ask his coaches to write letters stating he had no problems whatsoever even after strenuous physical activity, etc. I’m just curious if that has been anybody else’s experience, too.
DS had a disqualifying condition in which a waiver was not granted and we were successful getting the denial overturned due to updated, current medical information that was undeniably waiverable. It's completely different than childhood asthma, but if you take your son to a pulmonologist and get cleared of any abnormalities that information will fair better with the medical reviewers than notes from coaches. In our experience we were told medical "records" were needed rather than "notes" even if the notes came from a physician. Contact DODMERB if you have questions about what is already in the system before you send more information though. Some will say don't send anything unless it's asked for, and I'm not sure I agree with that all the time. It's quite possible that the history of childhood asthma is an automatic disqualifier with DODMERB but possibly waiverable with the SA if there are years of no issues and normal pulmonology reports. Wish I could tell you more. Best of luck.
Thanks so much! We have submitted medical records in addition to what they have asked for. He has an appointment Wednesday to go and talk with his physician regarding more pulmonary testing. I wasn’t sure if adding comments from coaches would help with that. Maybe not? I also wondered about writing a dialogue as his parent discussing his lack of issues… I have been told that this would actually be helpful. I’m not sure about that. Anyway, the whole problem is that he was prescribed asthma meds after his 12th birthday. That’s an automatic disqualifier. However, there are extenuating circumstances regarding that. I was told that putting that in a letter format would be a good thing to do. He has truly been asymptomatic since before his 12th birthday. I would be interested to know how you got the disqualification overturned? Was this through the Academy process in which the Academy itself ask for the waiver? Did you wind up having to have a methacholine challenge done? I have Been considering that. However, I really don’t want to do that unless it is requested, I think. I am thinking that routine pulmonary testing would suffice at this point. I’m not looking forward to the months to come. 
another13mom
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Has he completed spirometry testing? If so, how'd he do? And has he used an inhaler since 9th grade? Those are the two factors I've seen come up. I know each SA handles these issues differently, but using an inhaler recently seems to present the biggest obstacles. If last use was before high school, in the past I know USMA has waived asthma. [I just reread your post and saw that his last use was when he was 12. I would definitely have his physician write that his last episode was at age 12 and the prescription was written as a preventative measure, but not used. And yes, if coaches can say that they were unaware of an earlier diagnosis because he's never had an issue in any game, that would be helpful. The spirometry testing is your best option to show he doesn't have an issue any longer].
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