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It’s common for students to get sick at some point during their first year of college. The combination of new stresses, new germs in shared areas, reduced sleep, and a new environment typically takes a toll on even the healthiest students. Many students’ experience with illness in the past likely involved significant caretaking by parents, so it makes sense to discuss how best to take care of yourself without the aid of someone else. Parents can also share how important it is to pay attention to your body and catch an illness early instead of trying to work through it and perhaps extending the illness. Missing class or social activities can have a big impact in college, but parents can gently advise their students that serious self-care and healing are the best way to get back to their schedule soon.
Students who are attending school close to home may hesitate to call their parents when they’re sick because they don’t want their parents to swoop in. Parents and students can set this boundary early – that parents will provide advice and support but will not visit unless they’re specifically invited. This clarity will ensure that parents are aware of their students’ wellness, but students can still be independent.
✅ Build a first aid/over-the-counter medication kit
A regular first aid kit (containing helpful items like band-aids, antibiotic ointment, and gauze pads) may already be on the packing list for college. However, expanding it to include other frequently used items from home will save students a trip to a likely overpriced convenience store on or off campus. Pain relievers, fever reducers, and a thermometer can make a winter cold more bearable. Aloe vera gel and a vitamin E oil could come in handy for a minor burn or scrape. Students should think about including any other health aids they use semi-regularly that may be difficult to find near campus.
Finally, we recommend that parents and students discuss how to refill prescription medications as well as locate a pharmacy near campus for regular or sporadic needs.
✅ Start a reference notebook or digital document with helpful health information
For many incoming freshmen, college is the first time that they’ll be solely responsible for their healthcare history and doctor visits. There is tons of information about a student’s health that their parents keep in a health file (or in their heads) that can benefit the student if consolidated into a single resource. The earlier that a parent starts this knowledge cache, the more complete it will be. To reduce frantic texts home sent from the waiting room of doctors’ offices, here are ideas about information to include:
- Any known sensitivities to new foods encountered in the dining hall
- Advice for common colds and when to call a doctor or health hotline (plus the hotline number)
- Dates of past vaccinations, tests, or procedures
- Login information for patient portals to find past records and lab tests
- An overview of health conditions that run in the family
✅Collect and complete health-related legal documents
Once students turn 18 years old, they are legally considered adults. This affects their parents’ rights to students’ health information and input about wellness choices. As financial planning professional Jennifer Luzzatto explains in her article for Forbes, there are three legal documents that parents should complete with their students before the start of college: a healthcare proxy, a HIPAA release, and a durable power of attorney.
- A healthcare proxy enables parents to communicate with medical professionals and make decisions on behalf of the student if the student is unable to do so.
- A HIPAA release allows parents to access their student’s medical status and records to be informed about their wellness.
- A durable power of attorney enables parents to make medical and financial decisions for their student in emergency situations.
Ms. Luzzatto’s article gives more information about how to begin securing these documents, but we recommend starting with the before-mentioned conversation about boundaries. A student may be hesitant to share full access to their college lives, so parents must establish trust that they will not “spy” on their student. No parent wants their child to forgo necessary medical help because the student is embarrassed that their parents may request all of the details.
Many of these steps can start much before a child is ready to go to school, and we encourage parent-child conversations about self-care and boundaries to begin as soon as possible – starting small, and building up as both parties feel more comfortable.