College Dorm Bathroom Access

Wendy_L

Does anybody know if IBD patients can get a medical accommodation to have a private bathroom if assigned to college dorms?

kerryb

While I can't say this would be universal at every college, my personal experience in studying abroad and living in graduate dorms has been very positive, and in both cases I was provided some accommodation, whether in the form of a room near a more private bathroom or in a single-occupant dorm.

A lot of the larger universities allow for requesting accommodations on the basis of a disability OR a medical condition; which is key, I think, since I don't know any IBD patients personally who have been able to claim disability status (anyone feel free to correct me if you've heard otherwise!). I would definitely reach out to a college's Disability Services if there weren't clear accommodation forms for a medical condition and ask about alternative options!

Wendy_L

On another note, when my son was younger, we also had a laminated card that I'd received from one of the GIs. The card was something I could hand to a business employee to explain why my son needed the bathroom urgently, in case restrooms were not available to customers.