Assisting handicapped person to public bathroom

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Well, here's the situation. I have a 17 year old son who is blind and autistic. He is operating at about a 2-3 year old cognitive level. Usually when I take him out in public my husband is with me and my husband takes him to the bathroom. Lately tho my husband has been busy and I've had to take my son out just the two of us. I've been taking him into the woman's bathroom with me for years. Yesterday an older woman made a nasty comment about how he should not be in there. I really had not given it much thought. My son is harmless enough and since he is blind he can't see anything in the woman's bathroom anyway. He is not capable of going into the bathroom unassisted. I really would not be comfortable escorting him into the men's bathroom.

So, what is the accepted prtocol for such a case?

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politely tell the naysayers, to stick it up their butts.

as you state, your son is blind.

bringing him in the ladies room is much more appropriate than you using the men's room.

some people....

leslie

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I'd much rather see you taking him into the womens room where there is privacy for him and you in the stalls, than see you have to go into the mens room and pass all the men using the urinal.

I hope you made her feel like crap and told her he was blind and functions at the 2-3 yr old level!! Bet that would have made her shut up! Good thing I wasn't with you when this happened..I'd have went up one side of her and down the other..

I cannot believe some people!! Things like this makes my blood boil.

I guess its the same situation of a dad with his little girl who has to use the bathroom...my hubby had that dilema one time he took our 2 yr old out. Luckily a security guard saw him and directed him to the "family bathroom" that the mall has..unfortunately, not all malls have these.

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Specializes in B.S. Psychology.
Well, here's the situation. I have a 17 year old son who is blind and autistic. He is operating at about a 2-3 year old cognitive level. Usually when I take him out in public my husband is with me and my husband takes him to the bathroom. Lately tho my husband has been busy and I've had to take my son out just the two of us. I've been taking him into the woman's bathroom with me for years. Yesterday an older woman made a nasty comment about how he should not be in there. I really had not given it much thought. My son is harmless enough and since he is blind he can't see anything in the woman's bathroom anyway. He is not capable of going into the bathroom unassisted. I really would not be comfortable escorting him into the men's bathroom.

So, what is the accepted prtocol for such a case?

Hmm, what did that woman care anyway? It's not like women go outside of the stalls with their pants down! Just ignore it. You are doing the best for your son.

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.Isn't it mandatory for public buildings including malls to have handicapped facilities? In Canada they are often combined with the "family room" and so Dad can take his daughter to the toilet without having to take her into the mens room.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Do what you gotta do, sister.

People can be so dumb sometimes.

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Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.

Some stores and malls have a unisex handicapped public bathroom, that is seperate from their other public bathrooms. I am handicapped myself and have no problem with a man bring his daughter into the female side of the bathrooms, just like I would have no problem with one's son.

Woody:balloons:

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Specializes in UR/PA, Hematology/Oncology, Med Surg, Psych.
Well, here's the situation. I have a 17 year old son who is blind and autistic. He is operating at about a 2-3 year old cognitive level. Usually when I take him out in public my husband is with me and my husband takes him to the bathroom. Lately tho my husband has been busy and I've had to take my son out just the two of us. I've been taking him into the woman's bathroom with me for years. Yesterday an older woman made a nasty comment about how he should not be in there. I really had not given it much thought. My son is harmless enough and since he is blind he can't see anything in the woman's bathroom anyway. He is not capable of going into the bathroom unassisted. I really would not be comfortable escorting him into the men's bathroom.

So, what is the accepted prtocol for such a case?

Let that idiots comment roll right off of you. She is a nasty, nasty person.

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.Isn't it mandatory for public buildings including malls to have handicapped facilities? In Canada they are often combined with the "family room" and so Dad can take his daughter to the toilet without having to take her into the mens room.

Yup its manditory to have handicapped facilities..the thing is the handicapped facility for women is in the womens room and for men its in the mens room.

Not all places have the 'family room' which presents the problem that the OP had and the one my hubby had when my daughter was too little to go alone to the bathroom and he was by himself with her.

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Tell her to bite you.

Seriously, what are you supposed to do? Change him/assist him in the stock room?

Nasty old bat.

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Specializes in rehab, long-term care, ortho.

I have an 8-year-old autistic son also and I always take him in the women's room with me. I've gotten a few 'looks' - I ignore them. That is the protocol....We gotta do what we gotta do!

You could have told her why and made her feel like a creep for a week. Next time maybe she would stop and think for a minute before she puts her mouth in gear.

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Specializes in Mother-Baby.

I'm so sorry you had this happen to you! I know it's not the same thing, but that made me think of my son - he has mild TS (simple motor & verbal tic's only) and people often stare or make rude comments. Now that you've experienced this, you can formulate a "stock" response that you can give to anyone who bothers you in the future. Whatever you say, I'd say it calm & matter-of-factly so your son doesn't think he's done something wrong. I'd probably say, "Well, mam, given his condition he definitely belongs here" and then walk away and not give her a seccond thought.

God Bless You- You sound like an AWESOME & LOVING mother!:balloons:

txpixiedust

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