How to Help Your Teen Stay Healthy in College
Tips to keep your teen healthy while away
Tips to keep your teen healthy while away
Going off to college is an exciting time, but it also brings many changes. As a parent, one of the best ways you can support your child’s success is by helping them stay healthy.
Encourage good habits, suggest helpful resources and promote healthy choices. These steps are crucial for their overall health as they begin this new chapter in their lives.
“Evaluate how able your teen is to care for their health, which involves a range of issues, from sleep to nutrition to exercise and self-control,” says Annemarie Selaya, MD, a pediatrician at Scripps Coastal Medical Center, Hillcrest. “Staying healthy is important in college; getting sick means missed classes and missed experiences.”
Before they pack up for campus, use this parent-approved checklist to help your teen find the right balance between independence and well-being.
Schedule a pre-college health exam
Book a physical with your teen’s primary care doctor to establish a baseline and address any concerns. During the visit, cover these areas:
1. Exercise, nutrition and meal plans
Discuss the importance of staying healthy with regular exercise, healthy eating and making good choices in the dining halls and around campus.
“Diets that lack basic nutrients, such as fruits and vegetables, can result in decreased energy and focus and contribute to an unhealthy body weight. The ‘freshman 15’ is a reality that can be avoided with some education and planning,” Dr. Selaya says.
Encourage your student to:
- Choose meal plans that include balanced options and plenty of healthy food
- Make healthy eating a habit, even when fast food is more convenient
- Avoid skipping meals and watch portion sizes in dining halls
As for exercise, young adults are generally advised to aim for:
- 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity weekly, or 75 minutes vigorous
- Strength training twice a week
Exercise doesn’t have to be complicated. Encourage walking or biking to class or taking advantage of on-campus fitness facilities.
“Many students feel they don’t have time to exercise because their schedules are so packed, but exercise is a major contributor to their well-being,” Dr. Selaya adds.
2. Mental health and risk factors
College students often face stress and mental health challenges. Review key issues, like depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance abuse and sexual activity. Discuss safe practices, resources for help and the importance of reaching out.
Young adults aged 15 to 24 have the highest rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It is important to discuss prevention and testing.
3. Medications
Make sure prescriptions are up to date. Your student should know how to refill them. They should understand how medications fit into their daily routine.
4. Health forms and vaccines
Make sure all school-required forms are complete and vaccines are up to date. California colleges recommend immunizations for flu, measles, HPV and others.
Understanding their health insurance
Your child can stay on your health plan until the age of 26. But check for in-network providers near campus. Out-of-network care costs more.
If your teen is aging out of pediatric care, they may need to transition to a family or internal medicine physician. Ask your pediatrician for recommendations within your network.
If your teen plans to go to school in another state, they might have trouble finding doctors who accept your health plan or be in-network.
You have options, including:
- College-sponsored student health plans
- The Affordable Care Act marketplace plans
Help your student understand key insurance terms:
- Co-pay: What they pay per visit
- Network: Which providers are covered
- Coverage: What’s included, such as mental health, sports injuries, eating disorders and substance abuse.
Make sure they carry their insurance cards and know where to go for care.
Find campus health resources
Help your teen locate and save contacts for:
- Campus health center
- After-hours and urgent care
- Emergency services
- Local pharmacies and hospitals
If possible, have your provider send a summary of your teen’s care to the campus health center. Make sure your student knows their own health history, medications, allergies and family medical conditions.
Pack a health kit
Send your student with:
- First-aid kit with basics (bandages, pain relievers and cold medications)
- Digital thermometer
- Throat lozenges
- Cold pack
Ask about signing a release form so that you can speak with health staff if needed.
Help your teen plan for medical decisions
When your teen turns 18 in California, they become a legal adult — and you can no longer make medical decisions for them automatically.
To stay involved in their care if they can’t speak for themselves, your teen can complete an advance health care directive. This document names a trusted person, like a parent, to make decisions on their behalf and can include their care preferences.
This step is especially helpful if they’re heading to college or living away from home.
Teach essential life skills
Knowing a few everyday skills can ease stress and build independence:
- Grocery shopping
- Cooking healthy food basics
- Doing laundry
- Basic car maintenance, like how to change a tire or when a car needs air in the tires, oil or water
“Planning for that first year at college will help make this crucial transition easier,” says Dr. Selaya. “Simple self-management skills will set your teen on the road to independence and help instill habits that will last a lifetime.”