Submitted by Healthy Future Pediatrics
If your child is soon to be off to college, congratulations. You have likely put considerable time and effort into raising your child to the point where he or she is now taking the first steps as an independent adult. While for most this will be a wonderful and rewarding experience, for a few it will be a disaster. Here are some suggestions to help make sure your son or daughter have a safe and successful college experience.
Talk about Alcohol
Even at the best of schools underage drinking is common. Sadly every year a number of young college students drink themselves to death. While some will die in alcohol related accidents other will die from the direct toxic effects of drinking too much alcohol too fast. Giving your child some basic information about alcohol could make a big difference. A 12 ounce can of beer and a 5 ounce glass of wine contain one half ounce of ethanol. On the other hand just 1.5 ounces of Vodka (or any other 80 proof distilled spirits) contains the same amount. It is no surprise that alcohol poisoning is more commonly associated with drinking hard liquors. Drinking games can lead to a large volume to be consumed in a short amount of time. As the alcohol enters the blood stream the blood alcohol level quickly rises to the point the person passes out. What looks like someone taking a nap can be the first step toward dying. The alcohol decreases the drive to breathe and makes coughing or guarding the airway more difficult. A seizure or aspirating vomit is a life threatening event that few are apt to notice in the circumstances where this happens.
Roughly a human body can detoxify a half ounce of alcohol per hour. Absorption is quicker if the drink is carbonated. The blood alcohol level varies by the size of the person and what they are drinking. Advise your child not to drink alcohol, but if he or she does, then make sure your child is smart about it. Remind them to avoid hard liquor and pace themselves. There are now applications that run on phones that can calculate the blood alcohol level with surprising accuracy ( DrinkTracker – http://www.slappme.com/ ).
Get Vaccinated
Many colleges request information on vaccination before entry. It is most common that schools require proof of Measles vaccination (the students need two MMR vaccinations) and a Meningococcal vaccine. Don’t think just because these are the requirements that there is nothing more to consider. I find most college students have had two MMR vaccinations since it’s required for entry to public schools. What most don’t know is that the protection from the Meningococcal vaccine (MCV4, Menactra, Menevo, Menimmune) wears off in five years. It is now recommended that students get a second Meningococcal vaccination before entering college or the military. It’s a really good idea. Meningococcus is a bacterium that circulates in large groups of people such as those living in dorms and barracks. When it strikes it can cause death within hours. It is a truly frightening disease. The vaccine is the best protection we have to avoid it.
Human Papilloma Virus or HPV is common among young sexually active people. Estimates are that 40% of sexually active college students are infected. These are wart viruses that in the early stages show no outward sign of infection. It is spread through many types of contact, not just intercourse. HPV gets around. Some types are associated with types of cancer while others cause genital warts. HPV vaccine is safe and effective, but to be protected your child will need a series of vaccinations before they go to college.
Influenza vaccination may not strike many as that important. It’s just the flu. Well as someone who sees patients with “just the flu” I have to tell you it scares the heck out of me. Influenza is a respiratory virus. Primarily it affects your lungs. Your nightmare scenario is that your child gets pneumonia as a consequence of getting influenza. This can easily result in a hospital stay and there are a small but real number of perfectly healthy people who die of influenza each year. Every year hundreds of millions of doses of flu vaccine are given. We have more safety data on influenza vaccine than any vaccine given. By every quality measure it is a safe and effective vaccine. Make sure your child gets the flu vaccine.
Sex Happens
Even if you’re certain your child is not currently sexually active it would be wise to make sure they are prepared. While condoms are the best tool for preventing sexually transmitted disease, if your child chooses to become sexually active, in teenage populations, when used as the sole method of birth control, condoms are only 50% effective. This is a very fertile population. Tell your college student about Plan B. This is a tablet available at pharmacies often without prescription that is taken by the female partner if there is unprotected sex or a condom failure. It can reduce unintended pregnancy by up to 80% when taken soon after sexual contact. Make sure a supply of both condoms and Plan B accompanies your child to college. Replenish the supply without question at every opportunity.
Sleep is really, really important
The recommended amount of sleep for a teenager is 9 to 9.25 hours. Few get the recommended amount of sleep and it does have a negative impact. Chronic sleep deprivation increases the risk for depression. Every year I hear a story on the news about a college student committing suicide. I often wonder if these cases could have been prevented by something as simple as getting enough sleep. Our society sends insane messages about sleep. As if the answer was as simple as an unending supply of 5 Hour Energy. What a joke. Students often stay up studying for a final exam or to get a project done at the last minute. The problem can come the next day when they decide to drive home. Driving with too little sleep is the second leading cause of car accidents. Research shows that a driver who is tired can be as impaired as someone who has been drinking but feels as if they can drive fine. I think of this every time I read about a fatal car accident where the driver crossed the center line or failed to make a curve. Why did that happen?
Healthy Future Pediatrics
3023 Pacific Ave SE
Olympia, WA 98506
360.528.4220
