Bowel and bladder dysfunction among teens.

Abstract

Adolescence is a stressful time for all children, let alone for those who have additional health needs, especially when that health need centers around something so private as bowel or bladder function. These students tend to feel different, have difficulty making friends and isolate themselves in fear of ridicule or rejection. It is only within the last three decades that continence issues have even been brought to the public's attention, by such people as June Allyson and Florence Henderson. However, these are older women to whom youngsters cannot relate. During the same 30-year time period, an organization called The United Ostomy Association was becoming visible as a leading support organization for adults who have had bowel or bladder dysfunction and related ostomy surgery. Thankfully, 25 years ago, two nurses, one who had a daughter with an ostomy, approached this organization to begin a program to meet the needs of teens. The teen support network has grown into an annual UOA Youth Rally and a national support network with a website, discussion board and mentoring program, all supervised by volunteer adults. The adults are either WOC Nurses (Wound, Ostomy and Continence), or adults who are members of UOA who have had an ostomy or have a child with an ostomy. The information presented in this article is intended to provide school nurses with a resource they may utilize while coordinating care for their students who have bowel and/or bladder dysfunction.