Actually your daughter can do this on her own, and probably should since she's the one attending college, and not you. She just needs to contact the Office of Student's with Disabilities at her college and they will help her with her needs.

Sue

I agree with Suebear in letting her handle this. I usually just talk with my professors either before or after my first class with them and explain my situation. I have never had an issue with any of them, but if I did then I would at that point go speak to someone in the admin department....

I went to college in the 1980s and I don't believe the ADA existed at that time. It was more old school. I went to the University of Connecticut undergrad (hence my handle DJBHusky). At that time we asked for (a) a medical single dorm room and (b) a room near the bathrooms. I lived in a men's only dormitory and we had a large bathroom on each side of a U shaped dorm. UConn accomodated me and gave me a single room directly across the hall from one of the bathrooms.

I did miss a lot of class time due to UC in those days but I got by, usually by getting notes from others.

I think daughter of Bethie should not have a problem making these arrangements with the Office of Residential Life. Tell her to be cool about it, do not threaten ADA lawsuits etc unless they are being totally unreasonable. You get more with honey than you do with vinegar when dealing with administrative types at these offices.

I was a grad student who taught college courses - sometimes students would have unique needs depending on their situation. Your daughter will definitely not be the first or last person in the school system who might need some accommodations. Have her contact her school's equivalent of disability services first. If you two don't know how to start, she just needs to tell them that she has a unique medical situation and she help navigating the college system. They should direct her (and you) as to what documentation she might need to have from her Dr. This will help when interacting with Residential Life if she will be living in a dorm. Alot of Universities are trying to make their dorms more "swanky" so she might even be able to secure her own bathroom attached to her dorm room! Or maybe even a bathroom shared between two people.

When talking with her profs, she doesn't need to worry about being specific. She just needs to give them a heads up that she has a medical problem that requires her to use the restroom more often than normal. By giving her prof's a heads up beforehand, there shouldn't be any issues if she has to use the restroom in the middle of a test or an in-class project. Then you will have the documentation with Disability Services to back her up.

I think it's to a college's "numbers" advantage to have students who need special accommodations, so they will more than likely be very helpful. And I agree with Suebear - it's probably best if she try and contact them herself. You are still there to guide her if she has any issues.

My daughter just started college in january, a semester late due to surgeries. We contacted the disabilities office and they were extremely helpful. We had to get medical documentation and fill out some forms. They allowed her special testing times and locations with extended time as well as unlimited access to the bathroom. She missed a lot of class and all her instructors were very accommodating. The university she attends gives students with disabilities a "Visa" which outlines the accommodations and they give a copy of it to every instructor at the beginning of the semester.

In college they really urge the student to be independent. I did go along to the first meeting with the disabilities counselor but was mostly an observer. I let my daughter do the talking. If your daughter is anything like mine, advocating for herself isn't easy but it is a skill they need to learn. My daughter does not like to stand out or ask for "special" treatment but I think she is realizing sometimes it is necessary.

Good luck to both of you. It is hard having them away at college with health issues. Hopefully your daughter is attending a college close to home. I made MANY trips back and forth that first semester.

Thanks all - yes she needs to deal with it, i just want to find the way and show her the path. she had a really tough time last year, the dept head of her major was not the nicest person, nor the most understanding person on the planet. Wendy is now going back to school and I just want to make sure she has the proper paperwork from doctors so she can get this process rolling. I would rather do it before she goes to school and let her get the ball rolling with all the right information. Once again this website rocks!!

Hi. Yes she should do this before classes start. My daughter had her dorm room across from the bathrooms that had 6 stalls inside. That was a better fit for her rather than the other suggestion of a "pod" where there are 4 to a room but one bathroom.
Each semester she would contact disabilities services and they would give her a letter to give to each professor. Most of them were matter of fact and okay with her needs. Her information should remain private or they would be in violation of the FERPA law.

She also had a locked box for her medications since she was sharing a room.

Hope she has a terrific school year!

Get a note from the dr as well.

I'd also like to add that my daughter and I are very open about her condition. We personally feel that if instructors know exactly what she is going through they tend to be more accommodating and go above and beyond what is legally required of them. We also realize this is a very personal decision and your privacy is your right. That being said, she has NEVER come across anyone who has ridiculed her or treated her poorly in any way because they knew her health conditions. We feel it is to her advantage to be open and I think it gives her some satisfaction to raise awareness and educate people.

You are doing the right thing by helping her figure this all out. It can be very overwhelming for any young person who is healthy and feeling well. To be sick and dealing with everything can be expecting too much of anyone regardless of age sometimes. Keep up the good work supporting your daughter!

FYI - I just contacted the school and I can't believe we did not do this last year!! My daughter would have had less worries had that happened - that being said it seems to be a relatively easy process. I wish doctors who have college students were more aware of this and could encourage their patients to take advantage of it. I know we will be giving her gastro the information to help his other patients with this. Thanks to all for the information - her school has an online form that gets emailed and then we can fax the documentation right to the office of disabilities. In speaking to them there are others who have the need for access to bathrooms, etc. Thanks again

Colleges and Universities do a pretty good job of getting this information out to students. Chances are your daughter had information about the OSD on her campus but either forgot, or didn't take the time to read the information on all the services available to students. It's really not your doctor's job to point your daughter in the direction of help, outside of his/her purview. I work with college age children and am often amazed at how uninformed they are as compared to the independence and resourcefulness that my generation had in college.

Sue