What is the best way to approach a problem? Teacher talk

[canbelto]

This is a weird question but I was given two self-contained special education classes this year. They are a challenging but fun group. But I have one boy who ... I dunno how to say it but he has severe hygiene problems, and I've spoken to the guidance couselor, the social worker, and the parents. Basically he is an extremely large (350 pound) boy who doesn't bathe or shower. He doesn't like it. He's very stubborn and has exhibited violence with his parents when they try to get him to shower or try to do laundry for him, so they've given up.

But we are in a small resource room, and he stinks up the joint. No one can learn, and he already has a severe learning disability. It's literally impossible to teach him. I was warned by more experienced teachers that personal hygiene is something teachers shouldn't bring up, as kids with personal hygiene problems tend to exhibit other behavior problems too (as is true with him) but I really can't take it anymore with him.

When he's acting up I can have him removed from class, but when he's just there and smells ... it's rude to spray fresheners (as one teacher suggested) and I don't have my own classroom. The room also has no AC and no windows. I've tried to get a room change to no avail.

:huh:

[PrincessLeppard]

Who is the head of Special Education in your school? This needs to be dealt with, I agree. He's not doing the other students any favors if they can't focus due to the smell.

Is there a school psychologist who can work with him about his issues with bathing?

Does any part of his day include PE? And if so, and he enjoys it, see if it can be made mandatory that he showers afterwards if he wants to continue going to PE.

That's all I got right now.

[danceronice]

Is the department of social services involved? Because I think bathing is one of those things the parents kind of HAVE to do. Not saying report them for abuse but maybe a social worker would have resources they don't. If there isn't a school psychologist or they can't help, you might have to resort to that. Not only is the smell not helping but refusing to bathe or shower means he's a health hazard, too.

[smileyskate]

Dancer, he is 350 lbs! How can the parents force this esp. if it's in the USA where the kids don't seem to have to respect any authority. The parents get blamed either way.
About school, he is disrupting the learning environment. Can the special ed director do anything about the situation that way in terms of getting the parents to take him to a doctor to see what if anything can be done? I also think it's ok if one of his teachers does a hygiene "lesson" with him and the class..this can also help to work on his reading skills or whatever his other disabilities are in the learning arena. I feel for you canbelto.

[nubka]

Is the department of social services involved? Because I think bathing is one of those things the parents kind of HAVE to do. Not saying report them for abuse but maybe a social worker would have resources they don't. If there isn't a school psychologist or they can't help, you might have to resort to that. Not only is the smell not helping but refusing to bathe or shower means he's a health hazard, too.

I agree.

[mmscfdcsu]

It is child neglect. Clearly the parents cannot control the child for whatever reason. Social Services may be able to help. Or...the parents could file on the kid in Juvenile Court. If he is refusing to follow orders to bathe, he is considered Unruly. These issues need to be addressed now while the parents still can get some support from the system. Good luck getting any help when the kid turns 18. As a last resort, could the child be placed on home instruction?

[JumpinBug]

Don't suppose he's interested in trips to the pool? For some of our needs kids, the only time they get bathed is on pool day, be it even if they're just going to the sauna or hot tub.

I'd be talking first to the person in charge of the needs students, from there the principal, and from there, my union. It's not healthy or safe, for him, you, or the other students.

[canbelto]

I spoke to his guidance counselor. The para-professional who works with him. The special ed principal. It's just a huge elephant in the room. Other teachers have refused to let him into the classroom, but they are more veteran and I was told that I can't do that because it's wrong to discriminate against him. And he does have some special needs. I also get the feeling that they physically don't want to be near him, so they try to ignore the problem.

The parents seem overwhelmed. They said he's very stubborn, and has pulled a knife on them when they push certain issues, bathing included. Considering how he behaves in school, I believe it.

But it's just become ... a problem I can't deal with anymore. He came in today after being out for a week (parents sent him to the Dominican Republic over Thanksgiving) and he took another student's coat and rubbed his face to wipe off the sweat. It was very gross and the teacher who usually teaches in there afterwards sprayed freshener once my class was over. I'm just wondering if anyone has dealt with this kind of difficult kid with hygiene problems and what are usually the reasons behind it. I mean, if I can't even stand to go near him, how can he really stand it himself?

He also is very large. Over 6 feet, and 350+ pounds. So it's not as if the parents can physially do anything about it. Considering the mom's tearful pleading when she came into school, I have a feeling they are at the end of their rope.

Do you guys recommend me tactfully saying something to him? It's an issue where I have a feeling people dance around the problem with him and since he's very stubborn it's become a power struggle with his parents.

And about contacting Social Services ... what do you say? He smells?

[Matryeshka]

. Good luck getting any help when the kid turns 18.

Depending on the state and his exceptionality, he can continue to get services through the school past 18. In Louisiana, they can stay in school until they are 21, and some parishes depending on their budget, it's 23. So it is possible working on hygeine could be long-term.

Before you do anything, you have to review his IEP. It's not only the right thing to do, it's a definite CYA. Things like hygeine can be included--I've been on special ed IEPs before. It's actually pretty common, and in La, it's actually one of the pre-written options. Hygeine issues among students with exceptionalities actually tends to be the norm. If you stay in special ed, it won't be the last time you have to deal with this issue.

But you absolutely, positively must have hygeine as a goal on his IEP. That way, if you don't see improvement, you can call in parents/department heads/social workers, whatever, you have paperwork that is legally binding and if it becomes an issue, you do have (in a perfect word, anyway) the legal right to keep him out of your classroom. Not out of school, mind you, but out of your four walls.

Depending on the severity of his learning disability, you might also want to include him in the IEP. Most students, special ed, gifted, or somewhere in between, respond well to being included in the meeting. It's something tangible that he can accomplish. If he's not severe/profound, find a way to sell it to him as a project. Kids in school--ALL kids--should have projects.

As for a way to broach it with the parents, I'd just come out and say it. Be understanding, but don't beat around the bush and don't put if off too much longer. There's no good way to say hey, your kid stinks, and the longer he does stink, the more you'll resent him and the worse off everyone will be.

[mmscfdcsu]

And about contacting Social Services ... what do you say? He smells?

Yes. You explain the situation. He does not bathe. This is impacting his education and his interpersonal skills. you also mention that his parents are afraid of him. The DHS also may become concerned about his weight. What is the kid eating? No matter how tall he is, 350 pounds is not healthy. The county can provide supportive services. Perhaps an in home therapy program> They can also have him assessed at an inpatient facility, though they probably will not due to the cost.

[barbk]

Matryeshka had some great suggestions. I'd also suggest you call in the school nurse (who might be a district nurse that makes rounds to a number of schools -- not the parapro or volunteer who may actually be the one dealing with kids on a day-to-day basis.) We had a situation in our district with a much younger child who reeked of feeces. The school nurse found out that the child had some kind of leakage problem, got her to Social Services and then to Children's Hospital where she was found to have some kind of fissure between her rectum and her vagina that was congenital. The school nurse was a really effective -- and kind -- way to deal with what had become a really intolerable problem for the teacher and the other students. (The child's parents were immigrants who were apparently too ashamed of the problem to tell the doctor about it.) I know the child you're dealing with isn't likely to have the same kind of issue, but I still think that the school nurse could be helpful. (I'd also worry that at his weight, he's likely to have large flaps of fatty tissue that could well have open sores underneath or other significant skin problems. )

[mmscfdcsu]

Depending on the state and his exceptionality, he can continue to get services through the school past 18. In Louisiana, they can stay in school until they are 21, and some parishes depending on their budget, it's 23. So it is possible working on hygeine could be long-term. .

Yes, but the violent temper needs to be dealt with now. He is violent and threatening his parents with a knife. They are afraid of him. When he gets older they will have little ability to get him help.

[canbelto]

His parents actually tried to get him into a boot camp weight loss program. He was expelled from the program. Considering the fact that they live in housing projects, I feel as if they have tried as hard they can with him.

But thanks for the suggestions about writing the hygiene goals into the IEP.

[canbelto]

Omg I never even thought about the school nurse. But yeah thats a good idea and one that might not trigger his usual reactions.

[Matryeshka]

Yes, but the violent temper needs to be dealt with now. He is violent and threatening his parents with a knife. They are afraid of him. When he gets older they will have little ability to get him help.

I agree, but I think from an educational standpoint and what educators are allowed to do and what's worked in the past, many students who have behavior issues respond better to correction, or just better in general (notice I said better and not well-behaved prefects) if they have a goal that he can accomplish on his own. Often, hygeine problems are a sign of dangerously low self-esteem and sense of hopelessness, and if he can, say, remember to wear deodorant for a week, it might help give him some confidence. It's a vicious cycle in a lot of people--they don't bathe because they feel bad and that no one likes them, and because they don't bathe, no one does like them, and if no one likes them, why bother with hygeine?

Teachers, especially if that student has an IEP/exceptionality, have very few things they can do to help behavior. You can barely give consequences to regular ed students, much less ones that are in special ed, so you have to kind of approach these issues sideways.

In the long run, absolutely, the violent temper has to be dealt with NOW and dealt with by a professional, but canbelto as a teacher is not that professional.

Just in general, violent tendencies and hygeine aside, your description of this student does not make it sound like he's severe/profound and I'm inferring he can respond to verbal and non-verbal cues, what does your student like to do? Movies, music, etc.? Is there some type of reward system you can put in place where if he washes his hands X amount times, he gets X amount of time to do _________?