Supporting Your Sick College Kid: Tips for Parents When They’re Away From Home
It’s every parent’s worst nightmare: your child, away at college, gets sick and you’re far away. You want to help, but you’re not sure how, especially when your kid is learning to navigate adult responsibilities like managing their health independently. While it’s not the same as being there in person, there are several ways you can provide comfort, care, and guidance from afar.
Here’s a guide to help you support your sick college kid when they’re away from home:
1. Stay Calm and Offer Reassurance
It’s easy to feel helpless when your child calls you with a sore throat, fever, or worse. Your first instinct might be to jump into action and make arrangements to bring them home. However, remember that your child is likely already feeling vulnerable and possibly anxious about being sick away from home. Stay calm, listen to their symptoms, and reassure them that they’re going to be okay. Offer emotional support, letting them know that you’re there for them even if you can’t physically be by their side.
2. Med Kits and Medical Attention
If you follow @thecollarfind, you like know about the College Med Kits. If not, you can read about them here. I send these to college with my college students for when the ick hits. I always refer them to those first. If your student doesn’t have one of these blue light air filters already, add to cart immediately. They make a big difference, especially when living in close quarters like college dorms and apartments.
If you need to assess proper medical care, college parent Facebook pages are great resources. Those parents know which places are most helpful and available to see students. Most universities have student health centers with doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who are equipped to handle minor to moderate illnesses.
Encourage your child to make an appointment or walk in if they haven’t already. Make sure they have a copy of the family insurance card and other pertinent information.
4. Set Up Delivery for Food and Essentials
When your kid is too sick to leave their dorm, it can be a big help to set up food or grocery delivery. Many college students rely on apps like DoorDash, Grubhub, or UberEats for a quick and easy meal delivery, but you can also send groceries directly through services like Instacart or Amazon Fresh and WalMart Plus.
For non-food items, you can also help with essential items like tissues, medicine, vitamins, or even laundry detergent. Being sick makes the smallest tasks seem overwhelming, so helping with practical things goes a long way.
5. Stay in Close Contact
While you might not be able to physically take care of them, staying in regular contact is important. Send text messages, check in with phone calls, or even video chat. Sometimes just knowing someone cares can be incredibly comforting when your child feels lonely or overwhelmed by being sick away from home. It is also helpful to stay on contact with their roommates if you need a second set of eyes!
Final Thoughts
Being sick at college can be a tough experience for both students and their parents. While you can’t physically be there to take care of them, your emotional support, practical assistance, and thoughtful gestures can go a long way toward making your child feel loved, cared for, and less isolated.
Your college student is learning to navigate the challenges of independence, but that doesn’t mean they have to face illness alone. With the right balance of empathy, support, and resources, you can help them feel better while also teaching them how to manage their own health as they grow into adulthood.
