Health Tips For Parents of College Students

30 July, 2009 (00:00) | Health, children, depression, family, healthcare, life, mommy bloggers, nutrition, teens, vaccines | By: Catherine Morgan

Like many other moms out there, I’m getting ready to send my child off to college in a few weeks. So I thought a post that addressed some of the health and wellness issues of college students might be helpful.

One of the major health concerns for college students is Bacterial Meningitis…

Meningitis infection is characterized by a sudden onset of fever, headache, and stiff neck. It is often accompanied by other symptoms, such as…

Nausea
Vomiting
Photophobia (sensitivity to light)
Altered mental status

My son got the Meningitis vaccine, and I imagine most colleges are either requiring or at least strongly recommending students receive a Meningitis vaccine to reduce the chances of contracting this deadly disease.

Obviously, if your student has a known medical condition it’s important to address all of their medical needs (medications, doctors, etc) prior to their send-off. For most of us though, our students will be going off to college “seemingly” healthy. But there are still health and safety issues that we need to be aware of.

One of the most important health concerns to be aware of is depression. From Psych Central – Depression and Anxiety Among College Students…

Depression and anxiety are prevalent problems in colleges across the country. “There is no question that all of the national surveys we have at our fingertips show a distinct rise in the number of mental health problems,” said Jerald Kay, M.D., Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the Wright State University School of Medicine. Indeed, in the past 15 years, depression has doubled and suicide tripled, he said. According to a survey from the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA), universities and colleges also have seen an increase in students seeking services for anxiety disorders.

For this reason, it is very important that parents be aware of the signs and symptoms of depression in teens…

Teenagers face a host of pressures, from the changes of puberty to questions about who they are and where they fit in. The natural transition from child to adult can also bring parental conflict as teens start to assert their independence. With all this drama, it isn’t always easy to differentiate between depression and normal teenage moodiness. Making things even more complicated, teens with depression do not necessarily appear sad, nor do they always withdraw from others. For some depressed teens, symptoms of irritability, aggression, and rage are more prominent…

The CDC has an interesting site addressing Health and Safety for College Students…

Learn more about college health and safety issues, including ways to:

Improve eating habits
Avoid fatigue and sleep deprivation
Maintain mental health
Avoid substance use
Have healthy relationships and prevent sexual violence
Prevent sexually transmitted diseases

Then there is something that many parents may not be aware of as a potential health risk…

College Students and Energy Drinks…

It takes reading, writing and endurance to be successful in college. Truth is, all-nighters are as common as keg parties in campus life. Back in the day caffeine and cigarettes were the “stay awake” weapons of choice. But today’s angry sounding arsenal shouts names like Red Bull and Monster. In other words, juiced up college kids are relying on energy drinks to get through the night. These students make up a significant part of the $3 billion energy drink market.

But for many of those who consume these jet fueled concoctions, there’s a problem.

From Notes from the BRB Queen – Those Nasty Energy Drinks…

Because energy drinks are classified as “dietary supplements,” though, no FDA review or approval is required before these products hit store shelves. The Johns Hopkins researchers, Doheny reported, found that many of the most popular energy drinks contain considerably more caffeine than is found in the average soda:

•Red Bull: 80 milligrams of caffeine per 8.3 oz. serving
•Tab Energy: 95 milligrams of caffeine per 10.5 oz. serving
•Monster and Rockstar: 160 milligrams of caffeine per 16 oz. serving
•No Fear: 174 milligrams of caffeine per 16 oz. serving
•Wired X505: 505 milligrams of caffeine per 24 oz. serving

Depending upon an individual’s body weight and tolerance, ingesting 300 milligrams or more of caffeine can lead to symptoms that are similar to overdoses of other stimulants. Signs of caffeine intoxication can include restlessness, insomnia, excitement, irritability, and increased urination. Significantly larger overdoses can cause mania, depression, delusions, and disorientation. In severe cases, caffeine overdose can even be deadly.

In an Oct. 9 post on the Washington Post’s “The Checkup” blog, writer Rob Stein noted that poison control centers reported at least 41 cases of energy drink-associated caffeine intoxication between 2002 and 2004. “And that’s probably just the tip of the iceberg,” Stein wrote.

And since there is no way I can cover everything in this one post – Check out RN Central’s -101 Health and Wellness Tips for College Students. I like this one because it covers all the basics (diet, exercise, sleep, etc)…

Between exams, papers and maintaining an active social life, many college students feel they can’t really find the time to keep up on their personal health and wellness until an illness catches hold and stops them in their tracks. With most colleges providing health care and endless physical activities for students, staying healthy in college is about as easy as it will ever get. Here are a few tips to help students make the most of the resources at their fingertips and to ensure they stay healthy and illness free throughout their education.

Here is their tip for students who will be sharing showers…

#51 – Wear flip flops in the shower. Dorm bathrooms are generally cleaned daily, but can become dirty quickly with so many students sharing them. Always make sure to wear sandals in the shower to avoid getting viruses and bacteria that can cause warts and athlete’s foot.

Well, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the health and wellness of our college students. If you have any tips or links on this topic, I hope you will share them with us in comments.

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