My youngest daughter lost her first baby tooth this week. I started to tear realizing my baby was growing up. She looked at me and said ”Don’t cry Mom, I’ll grow a new one.”

In a blink of an eye, she really will be grown up and I’ll be packing her up for college like so many parents are this week. In addition to the books, lamps and rugs, it is important to keep your children healthy in and out of the classroom so here are Dr. Deb’s 5 College Health Tips.

1) Vaccines
Dorm living is a nidus for infection, so before they go make sure they are up to date with all of their vaccines. Each year, about 50,000 adults die from diseases that can be prevented by vaccinations. Children usually receive these vaccinations in adolescence so check before to be sure that they are up to date before you go.
*Tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap)
*Meningococcal vaccine (MCV4)
*Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine series for girls now and likely boys in the future.

Most young adults do not realize that they need this Tdap booster that was recommended starting in 2005 to prevent disease like lock jaw and whooping cough. There have been several outbreaks of whooping cough on college campuses in recent years. All adults after this booster will still need a Td every 10 years. Only 2.1 percent of adults 18 to 64 years old are immunized against tetanus-diphtheria-whooping cough.
College freshman living in dorms are at particular risk for Meningococcal disease and that is why the MCV4 is mandated by many states. 1 in 10 people who get the disease will die from it. Check your state to see its requirements.

HPV is rampant affecting 80% of sexually active people and may lead to genital warts and several types of cancer of the skin, vulva, anus, penis and cervix. Check out the blog I wrote last year about The Gardasil vaccine and why I think it is a good idea.

Many adults are not up to date on vaccines so click here for more information about vaccines the importance of adult vaccines.

Take this quiz to see take a quiz to find out what vaccinations you might need.

Don’t sweat the Swine flu
The swine flu or novel H1N1 vaccine will not be available until September or early October. It is still in the testing stage but college kids are at higher risk of contracting H1N1 and should receive the vaccine if it proves to be safe and effective. It is very possible that it will take 2 doses of the vaccine to acquire immunity. This is not the seasonal flu shot that people often get every year. Click here to get the latest information from the CDC about novel H1N1 swine flu.

What about masks for kids at college?
Right now we don’t know how effective masks are or if a common mask or rebreather mask is effective. The most important people to wear masks are the people that are sick. If you are sick at college, do not go to class and wear a mask in your dorm. Masks are single use items and should not be used over and over as you simply hold onto more germs. If your roommate comes down with flu symptoms you should stay 6 feet away from them, which can be very difficult considering the size of dorm rooms. Both the sick roommate and well as the anyone living in the same room should wear a mask, especially if you are in a high risk category with asthma, diabetes or pregnancy. Click here or mask recommendations.

2) HYGIENE
Remind your kids that just because they are sharing bathrooms and bedrooms in college they should not be sharing drinks or food with roommates. Washing hands with soap and water or 60% alcohol hand sanitizer and covering mouths are still the most important steps to prevent all infections. Wear flip flops in the shower to prevent fungal infections and don’t share towels, combs, razors or bedsheets. Locker room infections caused by MRSA (methicillin resistant staph aurues) have even caused death in college athletes. Click here to learn more about MRSA prevention.

3) Mental Health
Depression and other mental illness usually start between age 15 though the 20s. The stress of school and being away from home can trigger depression in children especially with a family history. Talk to your kids about warning signs and click here to learn more. Regular sleep, a healthy diet and exercise are critical to keep all students feeling their best. Forget the all nighters, studies show that your need sleep to perform your best.

Talk about warning signs and have them see a professional if the have

extreme mood swings

feelings of sadness or hopelessness

a loss of interest in things they once loved

loss of appetite or binging

significant changes in sleep patterns.

4) Alcohol and Substance Abuse

Even thought the drinking age is 21, many kids will have their first experience with alcohol in college. Talk to your kids about alcohol abuse and the dangers of drinking too much. Alcohol contributes to the 3 most common causes of death in teenagers, accidental injury, homicides and suicides.
Learn more about substance abuse prevention at the Minnesota Institute of Public Health.

5) Sex and Safety

Remind your kids to make sure they see who pours the drinks (even non alcoholic) as they can be spiked with rohypnol or the date rape drug.

College is different because they have not grown up with these kids or know their families so a healthy amount of caution is necessary. Don’t allow boys you just met to “walk you home” because predators come in all shapes. Almost every campus has a college escort service so make sure your kids know about it.

Sexual expectations may also be different in college and make sure they do not put themselves in situations they may not be used to. Have them discuss at the beginning of a date, what, if any sexual expectations either of them have. Talk to them about keeping themselves safe as they are in a high-risk group for sexually transmitted diseases and what they would do if something they had not planned for were to happen like emergency contraception.

Take this Sexual Assertiveness Quiz and read about date rape prevention.

There are many other topics to cover such as finances, using a checkbook and even how to do laundry that you have hopefully covered on the way. Finally, set them free. Arm them with information but college is the time for them to learn to be independent adults. Don’t be a helicopter parent hovering over their every move. Parents have enough access with the Internet and cell phones. Allow them to make their own mistakes so they don’t end up living at home after college!

The days can be long but the years go by so quickly,
Dr. Deb