Starting college is a very exciting time for many people-meeting new friends and taking interesting courses are just some of the things that make this time special for many people. However for those individuals with a bed-wetting problem this time can be anxiety provoking,although with the right amount of preparation it doesn't have to be.
There are plenty of cases of college students with bed-wetting problems and like any other problem in life it can be managed. Before attending college the student should ask to speak with the department that handles accommodations for students with medical conditions. If you don't feel comfortable divulging to them that you wet the bed you can ask to speak to the school nurse and he or she might be able to give you advice about how to approach the school about the bed-wetting. Nurses are used to dealing with all sorts of medical conditions,particularly incontinence so you shouldn't feel embarrassed about discussing this problem with her. From what I understand it's possible to share a dorm with individuals suffering from the same medical problem. If this isn't an option you might consider getting a private dorm or if financially feasible you could rent a one bedroom apartment.
As far as discretion is concerned. this can be somewhat tricky but there are ways to work around this issue. In a situation such as college. the ease with which one can exercise discretion with a problem such as bed-wetting depends to a large extent on what type of protection a person uses. If a person uses cloth diapers and plastic pants and if the person uses public laundry facilities it can be very difficult being discreet. If however,the person goes to school in the same state and goes home every weekend the individual can bring a diaper pail to school and just bring home the wet diapers and plastic pants home and wash them there. If it's not feasible to use cloth diapers and plastic pants the student will have to use disposables. Again, I would talk to the nurse about this and ask her if she has any suggestions about how to manage this problem.
If this isn't an option and the person has to use public laundry facilities he or she can schedule to wash them when the laundry room is less crowded. You might be able to bring a basin to school and wash the plastic pants in the dorm. You can also post questions on various incontinence forums and ask people what they've done in a similar situation. As mentioned there are plenty of cases of people wetting the bed in college and they might have some useful tips on how to be discreet about this problem.
I hope this article helps those bed-wetters anxious about attending college. Just remember that this is a common problem among college students and many adults too. Just because you wet the bed doesn't mean that college can't be a wonderful time. With the right preparation you can have peace of mind and get through college with flying colors.
Colin~
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