In sickness and in health ... college’s support to sick students

I heard a horrible college story from a guy at work. He got sick during his freshman year and no one even looked into his room for two days. How have been your child’s experience with his college community during time of illness?

Fortunately my daughter hasn’t been seriously sick during college so far. She did have an issue that required medical attention early on and called her father and I (she is on the east coast we are in Asia) distressed crying. She also had exams that morning. My husband called the campus health center when they opened that morning, they reached out to her, worked with her around her schedule, and helped her get her acute health problem taken care of that day. They said they would even help her get an exam rescheduled if necessary, though that wasn’t needed.

Good to know. Which school was that?

With regard to that guy’s experience, that seems more like a friend/communication problem than a problem with the school. I don’t think that is the college’s responsibility to make sure someone isn’t sick. I’m not sure how they would even know.

My D has found the health center on campus very accessible and responsive. She had a nasty bout of strep throat once and her doctor followed up with her via text to make sure she was getting better.

I like privacy so I am fine with no one looking in for any amount of days.

It is up to the student to reach out really…if he had a single, people around him might think he is asleep or at class or eating.

These days, of course, it is easy to text/call someone these days . If a student had a medical issue (e.g., diabetes) they should let people know around them so they can keep an eye out.

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My DD was suffering from what turned out to be a kidney infection and she called me first and I helped her arrange health care. We then contacted the Dean of Students and they coordinated with professors/Disability to get her needed accommodations.

Yes, college students are adults. It would be the same if a young adult at his/her first job fell ill. They need tor each out.

When my son suffered his break, the University was pretty helpful. They gave him a single room because we thought it would be better for him. We talked to his advisors and they were very supportive. They recommended an excellent doctor, too.

the school my daughter is at mentioned a program that a student can use that can do things like if a student is going out alone and tells a roommate when they should be back it somehow sends the roommate an alert if the student isn’t back etc. I would think that it is a program that both students have to agree with but no idea.

Students are considered adults. Unless there is reason to suspect a problem no one typically goes looking for them. Sometimes when parents call or show up they may do something - like a well student check.

My story - I was roommates with a girl my sophomore year and we lived in singles my junior year. Ihad met her parents who really only spoke Italian. The girl left a recording saying she was in the library studying (in English and Italian). Well she took the bus home one weekend and met a guy on the bus. The following week which was the week before spring break my old roommate called me and said she was going to Florida with the guy. I told her I felt it was stupid to go with someone she just met and it was stupid to go before spring break etc. She figured she would be home for spring break and her parents wouldn’t know.

I honestly didn’t think she was that serious. I did get a call that she was in Florida having fun and going to Disney etc. One day which had to be before spring break I had a knock on my door maybe an hour or two after I spoke to her… The resident director, resident assistant, campus security and her parents were at my door. It turned out that the parents heard her message but knew there was no way she was constantly at the library. They knew my name and with their very limited English managed to tell campus security my name. We didn’t even live in the same building. It took a bit to piece things together but we figured out her parents were looking for her. I was able to tell campus security/res life what I knew. While her parents were angry they seemed to understand that police didn’t need to be called. My friend did come home before spring break and her parents picked her up (they lived about 30 minutes away). My friend said spring break at home wasn’t fun.

What I find disturbing about the above post:

With the resident director, resident assistant, campus security and her parents at your door, that “it took a bit to piece things together but we figured out her parents were looking for her.”

That’s a horrible story? How many years ago was your colleague a freshman in college? That should be the worst thing that ever happens to a college student.

College students are not known for keeping it a secret when they are sick. They have phones. They call mom or dad. They go to the campus health center or a local walk-in health center. I wouldn’t be surprised if other students want to keep their distance. Nobody wants to catch whatever his he.

If you want your child checked on, you need to arrange it. No one is going to care if a student doesn’t show up for class, meals, or activities. If your child is in a single, it’s probably not a bad idea to have a check in system with you or with other students.

When I was in college, we had a ‘situation’ one summer. Several girls from my sorority stayed in town for summer school. One girl suddenly wasn’t around and another said “Oh, she’s been hanging out at the ‘Sunshine House, I think she’s staying there now.’” I asked "Do you mean the Moonies?’ Well yes. None of the others knew it was a cult. I said “Call her mother.” (the others were closer friends with her, I was fairly new to the group). Oh, she’ll be fine. Call her mother, I said again. Finally, after a week or two, someone called her mother. Mother was on the next flight, took her back to California for deprogramming.

Lots of reasons to check up on kids.

My daughter and her roommates tell each other when they aren’t coming back to the room so no one worries. I’m glad that the roommates would raise the alarm if my daughter unexpectedly didn’t show up.

That said, I’m hearing great stories already about the campus health services and that the accommodations office is great if students get injured.

My daughter ended up hospitalized with pneumonia last year at UofSC, after multiple trips to the Student Health Center. Not only did the Student Health Center rep visit her in the hospital, and followup with her after she was released, she made sure that all of her professors were understanding with her one week absence from classes.

@Publisher we were dealing with a major language barrier and this was years ago so no easy computer/phone to grab to help us translate but we did figure it out -