What do y'all do at your schools for students with bathroom accidents? I have a student who very frequently soils his pants and his parents usually take a while to get here to change him. He has trouble cleaning up himself so he has to have someone come help him.
I have the principal, counselors and my nursing supervisor involved and have encouraged parents to have him seen by a doctor numerous times.
The part that I am frustrated with is that he is always sent here to wait in the clinic.
Sometimes it can be over an hour before his mom arrives to change him. There have been many days where I have him in here while I am trying to eat lunch. He is a very active kid and its hard to keep an eye on him when I have many other students coming in for actual medical needs.
My supervisor has told me that he can go back to class and wait; he doesn't need to be missing class time. She said if it is too messy, he can wait in the office. She said there is no reason for a healthy kid to be waiting in the clinic where we have students with flu, strep and stomach virus symptoms. I have her support but it doesn't go over well with his teacher; she gets upset that I send him back to the classroom. I understand her frustration as well, I just wish the parents would step up.
I end up being the one cleaning up after them when they make a mess of my bathroom and I have just had enough.
Years ago, I was out with a couple of friends, who were Therapists from the Community Mental Health Clinic. Although I was married to my second Wife at the time, I couldn't help noticing how attractive they both were, and thought I'd share a little personal information about myself.
Yeah, I know- putting on the dog for a couple of attractive, intelligent, unmarried Women could have weaved a tangled web, but this personal information was also something of an epiphany that I thought they would find insightful and impressive.
I told them that I wore black underwear because it better hid skid marks.
One of the two lovely, intelligent Therapist shared something with me that I never will forget. She said, "Dave- better hygiene will prevent skid marks." Well, those weren't her EXACT words. It was more something like, "If you'd wipe your... better, you wouldn't have skid marks!"
Honestly, one of the reasons some of our younger students poop themselves is because they are afraid of the max flush toilets we have here. It does sound like the the wrath of God is upon you. I've seen kids flush and run...
I would think at this point, the child needs a plan in place. As part of an IEP. That there is an aide who toilets him every 2 hours and PRN. An occupational therapist. A counselor.
There are kids who don't understand that they need to use the restroom. There are kids who have asked to use the restroom and denied, so they stop asking. There are kids who have public bathroom phobia. There's kids that due to trauma issues attempt to "control" their bodily functions. There are kids who are sexually abused and this is a huge issue.
What strikes me as odd is that it is known that this kid will not use the bathroom. Humiliating for the child for sure. They are then told they have to clean themselves up (punishment even if not intended to be) further humiliated as the child then could be sent back to class soiled.
Does this child have a disability that is undiagnosed? Trauma that the school is unaware of?
I would advocate for a IEP for this child. And a CNA in house to assist with bladder/bowel training. And until such time as it is figured out, pull ups and wipes.
Even if this child seems to "enjoy" hanging in the clinic there is a psych/social component going on here that needs to be addressed. If the child was successfully potty trained and now has started with the accidents, this screams of abuse. CPS needs to be involved, and this kid needs a plan that will work.
I agree. That's why I was hoping he was 3.
Maybe not CPS, yet, but something else is definitely cooking here.
How about this? ,if you sew, or know someone that does, make up a bunch of cheap shorts in really ugly colors; hot pink or flowery purple polyester short with elastic or tie waist...those will be his spare shorts that he'll have to wear until parent arrives. Next time there's an "accident" have him change into those right away to wear back to class until parent moseys on in with a better choice. I don't think he'll like what the other kids have to say about it, maybe that will be enough to get him to stop. Try using baby patterns, too. Don't tell him they're babyish, let the other kids do that. If parent or admin complains you can innocently say it's all you had, and surely they'd prefer Johnny be in class learning instead of just sitting doing nothing? The uglier the color or pattern, the better. Youll get in him and out of the clinic in no time! Blue polka dots, anyone?
I'd be really careful w/this one. Might give another student an excuse to bully him on the playground. You want him to be more self-sufficient, not humiliate him. jmo
I get your point. I was being facetious with the polka dots comment. My experience with the few kids ive had issues with that if the clothes arent in fashion, even the little kids dont like wearing them and makes it less of a fun visit to the nurses office. I did not mean to imply making fun of the child was appropriate. It was tried only after medical issues were ruled out, parents were exasperated themselves and tated the child learned they could get out of doing something they didn't like if they had an accident.
I get your point. I was being facetious with the polka dots comment. My experience with the few kids ive had issues with that if the clothes arent in fashion, even the little kids dont like wearing them and makes it less of a fun visit to the nurses office. I did not mean to imply making fun of the child was appropriate. It was tried only after medical issues were ruled out, parents were exasperated themselves and admitted the child learned they could get out of doing something they didn't like if they had an accident.
Have had a few parents tell me to send back students in their wet clothes but of course that wasn't gonna happen.
Farawyn
12,646 Posts
Black underwear??!
Sorry 'bout your melena, bro.