School Experiences of an Adolescent with Medical Complexities Involving Incontinence

Abstract

The educational implications of chronic illnesses which involve incontinence are not well represented in the literature. The experiences of an adolescent with multiple complex illnesses, including incontinence, were explored via an intrinsic case study. Data were gathered from the adolescent, her mother, and teachers through interviews, email correspondence and school documentation over four months. Analytic memo writing was used to promote reflexivity and address researcher subjectivity. Three prominent themes emerged. There were excessive absences from school which were not always due to the physical implications of the student’s incontinence. Some absences were attributed to fear of accidents at school or even fabricated by the student to avoid attendance. Next, an incomplete and inconsistent support and communication system was found which contributed to academic underachievement. Finally, the persona presented by the student led to inaccurate assumptions by school personnel and sometimes her mother regarding her ability to cope with her condition.