Peeing at school: was making it through Christmas

[Guest guest]

At 12:31 PM -0500 1/1/2002, M wrote:

> *says* he's going pee at school now, but I'm still unsure - and

>

>his teacher simply doesn't have the time to make note of it. He said he

>

>never has to go poop at school, but he's doing so regularly at home.

>

>I've explained to him that holding back on it can damage his bladder and

>

>other body parts. He just dislikes using the bathroom at school. The

>

>fact that some kid opened the door on him when he was using the bathroom

>

>attached to his classroom a year or so ago caused part of the problem.

Oh, am I familiar with this situation! About a year ago Billie's cousin

burst in on her in a public bathroom just fooling around. She had issues

with the school bathrooms before but they got much worse after that

incident. This extended to any public bathroom unless a family member stood

against the door of the stall. She refused to use the school bathrooms at

all and would hold it in all day. She went before leaving the house in the

morning at 8 AM and not again til she got home. 2 days a week she goes to

afterschool and doesn't get home til 6 PM! This was a serious problem

because she wouldn't drink all day in order not to be forced to use the

bathroom. Since part of her GI problem involves chronic constipation, not

drinking makes that worse. In just the last couple of months she has begun

to use the school bathrooms with E/RP and a " door guard " . Initially the

" door guard " was the school nurse as she has to see her every day at lunch

for GI meds. She has now " graduated " to the point where she can go if one

of her trusted friends will stand against the stall door. She will still

not have a bowel movement in a public bathroom because " everyone will know

what I'm doing because they'll here me or they'll know because I'm in there

a long time. " (Of course, it makes no difference when we remind her that

EVERYONE poops.)

I took Billie and a friend out to a movie and dinner over the weekend.

Amazingly, she left the table in search of the restroom and did not request

an escort, just went to the bathroom like any other 10 1/2 yr old kid!

I was shocked but refrained from comment.

Amazing what we can get excited about isn't it!

Kathy

--

Kathy Mac, LICSW

email: macdonald@...