Im sorry, but light stomachs please do not read!

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Ladies and Gents!

I do apologize in advance. My son came home today and said that he had taken a drink out of his sports bottle and tasted something odd. Evidently a boy at his high school urinated in my son sports bottle as a sick joke and he did drink a swallow. We are all nurses and I know that I can ask this question to get some real professional feedback on what I should do here. I have looked up on the internet what type of communicable diseases could be spread in urine and the information is a bit vague. I know that the fluid is urine, but I am interested to know what diseases are possible in urine. I know that as a nurse I should be on top of this but for some reason my "parent brain" has taken over the "nurse brain" and I cannot get past the anger I have right now for a teenage student that is THAT mean and to do something that cruel. We all know that HIV/Hepatitis is transmitted via blood but I have never really had to really contemplate what diseases are relevant if a person drinks another person's urine. Thanks for everyones professional advice and if you also have any advice how I should approach the school administration in the AM regarding this issue, I would also appreciate that. Right now I am furious, but I want to take a complete professional approach in the AM on this and I will not stand for this other child just getting a slap on the wrist. I believe that what he has done is completely unacceptable. Thanks in advance for your advice.:stone

I want to reassure you this will not be a health problem for your son but yes it has definate gross out factor and the actions of the other boy need to be addressed

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Hi there,

Really a sick and unfortunate teenage prank. Perhaps his teachers need to also be on there toes and keep their water bottles to themselves. Can you imagine what this kid would do to a teacher which in his estimation is up against him, or does not give him the test grade he would like to get....

Similar situation occurred in my country in a prestigious school where I teach. Three girls - one distracted the teacher, one SPAT in her water bottle and the third girl shook it up!!! Needless to say this got huge coverage in our national newspaper and eventually the girls were expelled.

The guidance counsellors in schools need to let children be aware of the consequences for the teenage pranks and aid the students in realising that some of the silly and unfortunate peer pressure pranks can affect their entire future because of the publicity which may come out of it. Sadly, these kids may have other issues which are underlying and not being dealt with and this can be a desperate cry for help!!

This student really should not get away with what he did to your son, but perhaps be forced to do community service, maybe in a place where other teens are placed for their juvenille deliquencies. He will I am sure, have time to reflect and then think twice before being so dreadfully cruel to another human being.

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It is very unfortunate for you and your son to go through something like this. These children pranks are getting more and more dangerous. You have to stop it at all cost. I don't believe in not doing every thing you can to correct or punish this child in fear of him taking revenge on your son. That is the problem today. If he is not properly corrected, his pranks/crimes will escalate. Make a big deal out of this, especially for your son. Put his mind and yours at ease by doing all the necessary tests. I can't imagine how he is feeling. He needs to know that you will fight for him. I hope your son knows exactly who did this hideous thing.

This is very upsetting.

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Urine is not always sterile. Urinary tract infections are one example...

But even if his was, would anyone think it less than assault if they were force-fed freshly-autoclaved and sterile feces? Saliva?

Brushing things like this off as harmless pranks only enables the pathology of character it reveals, IMO.

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this doesn't seem like one of those "forgive and forget" moments. throw the book at this kid and his parents (and the school if possible).

Why should the school be held accountable???

Carrie

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Urine can contain bacteria, blood and other yucky stuff and will test for HIV and Hep and others. It is not sterile by any means. A friend used to take care of a woman with disabilities and she urinated in her car. Well her mom cleaned it up for her and ended up with Hep from the urine and she sure wasn't ingesting it.

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What was done to your son is disgusting, but I have to agree with some of the other posters, so are teenage boys. I don't know your son's situation at school or the other kid's for that matter. On the one hand, this kid probably didn't spend a lot of time thinking about what he was doing and may be unaware of how serious of an offense it was, (disease wise and everything). On the other hand, mybe this kid is a real sick and dangerous indvidual. I don't know the history here. I went through high school being tormented by a group of guys on the football team. What the were doing would be labled "sexual harassment" by todays standards, but this happened before the subject got so much attention. My point is, these kids were relentless and unbelievably cruel. It's been over 10 years and I still cringe when I see a bunch of guys in that age group. Talk to your son, he'll be able to give you better idea of the severity of the situation. It may be that he is being regularly victimized by this other kid, or it may be just a case of poor (or lack of) judgement with fairly harmless intent. Either way, you should keep one thing in mind. Your reaction can have a major effect on your son's school life. Talk to him before you make any major decisions.

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Oh please lighten up. Use your nursing knowledge. Urine is not a huge contaminant. Any bacteria in it will be killed by stomach acid. The chance of the 'pee-er' having AIDS,STDs,Hepatitis is remote at that age...and even if..a healthy body would kill the microbes/virus immediatly.

Yes...it was gross. Yes...the 'pee-er' needs to be confronted and punished.

It is not the end of the world...

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This is an unacceptable act of that kid. He is already in his teen age and need to be reminded that he needs to take this seriously. Please get all the due tests done on his parents expence. I feel this should be reported to polcie even if proper proofs are not available. I agree with the suggestion about having meeting with the school officials where this boy with his parents should be present. I hope your son is fine.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho.

With all due respect cannonball, "remote",, uhmm NO, please visit your county health department and ask about statistic on STD's in high school age kids. Herpes, Gonorreah, Chlamydia etc are a major problem in our high schools. Kids go into the county health departments and get treated at their clinics and parents dont even know. There is confidentiality in county health departments.

Im not as concerned for the fact that urine was ingested, its the contact source that would scare me more. Std's arent transmitted from the stomache they are transmitted as the microbes/virus come in contat with the soft tissues and crevases in the throat and mouth and other "places" ie. urethra in this case. Nursing knowledge. Remember your portal of entry? Any little nick or break in tissue on the lip, tongue, cheeck will do. And possibly you may draw the lucky straw and not contract something but tell that to anyone who has gotten the genital or oral herpes strain from soft tissue contact with someone who has it. I dont think they caught it by digesting and having it filter all the way through their system to come back to their lip.

And i dont want to get to graphic but face it boys dont aim well enough to hit the opening of a bottle without parking right up next to it. Any of us with teenage boys in the house that clean the bathrooms they use KNOW that to be a FACT.

I think this mom has every right to be very upset. She has gotten some good advice and suggestions for avenues to explore.

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
With all due respect cannonball, "remote",, uhmm NO, please visit your county health department and ask about statistic on STD's in high school age kids. Herpes, Gonorreah, Chlamydia etc are a major problem in our high schools. Kids go into the county health departments and get treated at their clinics and parents dont even know. There is confidentiality in county health departments.

Im not as concerned for the fact that urine was ingested, its the contact source that would scare me more. Std's arent transmitted from the stomache they are transmitted as the microbes/virus come in contat with the soft tissues and crevases in the throat and mouth and other "places" ie. urethra in this case. Nursing knowledge. Remember your portal of entry? Any little nick or break in tissue on the lip, tongue, cheeck will do. And possibly you may draw the lucky straw and not contract something but tell that to anyone who has gotten the genital or oral herpes strain from soft tissue contact with someone who has it. I dont think they caught it by digesting and having it filter all the way through their system to come back to their lip.

And i dont want to get to graphic but face it boys dont aim well enough to hit the opening of a bottle without parking right up next to it. Any of us with teenage boys in the house that clean the bathrooms they use KNOW that to be a FACT.

I think this mom has every right to be very upset. She has gotten some good advice and suggestions for avenues to explore.

:yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat:

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I am the mother of 7 and grandmother of 15...I have also been a Nurse Practitioner Director of college health centers for 17 years. That being said, I know this response is coming after the fact but felt that some thoughts on the issue might help future similar incidents. The school MUST be included as well as the parents of the offending student. However extreme responses/anger only puts everyone on the defensive and folks shut down when they feel threatened. My concern would be, has this child come to the attention of the school "authorities" in the past? How was it handled then? Are his parents, or the school authorities, willing to mandate counseling. I might see to that for my child also with the cost being borne by the school/other parents. I have had many contacts on the college level with students who were bullies in junior and high school, and are now on the brink of becoming sociopaths. If this was a "stupid kid event" the young man will NEVER forget the consequences of his action if the "punishment" is appropriate...how about something like doing "chores" for the injured family or community service. The consequences need to impact the offending boy more than everyone else...Coolgramma

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