<p>Just the tummy bug that's been going around his school but what am I supposed to do to help? I know this just needs to run its course but I'm getting weaker and sadder as the hours go by and he's still puking his guts out.</p>
<p>Not fun to be a parent miles away when your child is ill :( </p>
<p>Why don't you send him a care package of favorite rebound foods (he'll be past the crackers and ginger ale stage by the time it gets there) If he knows it is coming it will lift his spirits</p>
<p>So sorry. You both have my sympathy. Has he gone to the health clinic? Is he doing whatever they told him? There is not much you can do, but monitor his symptoms by phone. I stepped last winter with my son and had him go to the ER after he was not improving with a high fever for several days due to bronchitis. He did need an additional medication to get him through, so I have no regrets about that. For his other illnesses the medical personnel at the U's health clinic did a great job.</p>
<p>Poor kid was already at student health three days after arriving at school with the same bug his siblings had at the end of the summer. I'd heard there was a stomach virus going around his school, but it hit him this morning and he says it's the sickest he's ever felt. I'm quite sure he'll weather this and probably be much better tomorrow (maybe even tonight?) but I don't even know if there's anyone nearby who knows him well enough/cares enough to say, "I'm so sorry dude. Hang in there."</p>
<p>I will be out there in < 2 weeks for parents weekend and have spent the last hour or so convincing myself that there's no need to move my trip up. </p>
<p>The care package is a great idea, but I'd rather be sending myself.</p>
<p>This is one of the things (being sick) I dread the most about S being gone. You have total sympathy from me!</p>
<p>Can you call his RA and ask him/her to look in on your son? He might feel too weak to get ice chips or something, and might like someone to look in. If he is that ill, I think it is a good idea. Your son might not be too happy with you for doing that. My friend's DD was very ill on Friday night. The health clinic was closed, so she called home and was it was quite clear that she needed immediate medical care. Her mother called the campus police and asked them to take her daughter to the local ER. Her D was not happy in the moment, but realized later that her mother made the right decision.</p>
<p>I'm not even sure how to contact his RA, but I'll get going on that. (I did send a facebook message to a girl from his high school who's there with him. He'll probably <eventually> kill me.)</eventually></p>
<p>So sorry, you do have my sympathy! a heating pad might be a nice thing to include in the care package. A little bit of warmth from mom :) It does conjure up the image of a hot water bottle wrapped in a blanket and a ticking alarm clock in a new puppy's basket but hey we all need a little TLC when we are not feeling well.</p>
<p>As surprising as I found this, the last time my kid had the stomach flu the doc said to ignore the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesause and toast). He told me to let my daughter eat anything...that too many kids get dehydrated from the BRAT diet. Also, surprisingly...Motrin is good as it can stop the cramping stomach some kids get so sick with. Worth a try...I like beef boullion myself for those queasy tummys. {{{HUGS}}} from another Mama Bear.</p>
<p>I received those calls from my S during during the first weeks at college also. The worst thing was that he would not ask any of his hall mates to get him some gatorade or tylenol. Finally, I think he walked to a convenience store and made the purchase himself.</p>
<p>I know how worried you are, but fortunately if this sounds like a mild case of flu, this will pass and he would feel better in a few days without any medication.</p>
<p>You guys are great. I haven't heard from him in an hour so I'm fervently hoping he's finally sleeping. (Love the heating pad idea. I can tell you it helps with all kind of abdominal cramps.)</p>
<p>Don't roommates help each other out in these situations? How can you just sit there and do nothing? When my daughter was sick last year, her roomie and her new BF took her to the emergency room. I don't know if it had actually be necessary to go that far, but I was so grateful. Instead of sending her a care package, I sent a care package to each of them!</p>
<p>Don't Panic your D is fortunate to have had such a caring roommate. It doesn't always work out that way. I would also wager that the average male is a bit less responsive to the medical needs of his male roommate than the avg. female would be. </p>
<p>It was sweet of you to send the roommate and her bf a care package.</p>
<p>ingerp, I would think that if you called residence life, they could tell you how to get in touch with your son's RA.</p>
<p>Do make sure he knows the signs of dehydration -- that can get serious very quickly with prolonged GI symptoms. Hope he's better very quickly.</p>
<p>My daughter became ill with a virulent stomach bug the first night that she stayed in her new dorm room. Her bed was lofted, the room was dark, and she was unfamiliar with the layout. She tried to "quietly" get out of bed (did not want to wake her new, random roommate) to go throw up in the hall bathroom just about every hour on the hour that first night. She stepped down in the dark out of her bed onto her desk right smack onto her new laptop! At one point, she tripped into the futon in the dark room. Her new roomie was a true sweetheart - she woke up and helped my daughter to the hall bathroom and demanded that she leave a light on so as not to trip over anything. She ended up going to the health center the next day and got a prescription to help settle her stomach. I was worried sick about the rocky start and also about her roommate seeing such a negative side of my daughter, but all turned out well and they laugh about it now. Our teens are much more resilient than we are, thank goodness!</p>
<p>ingerp - Been there, with S who thought he had mono first term and then actually did have it second term... at exam time!</p>
<p>It is reasonably likely that the Health Services has some "mothering" types, so he may have gotten a little more TLC vibes than you know. Here's hoping.</p>
<p>Sometimes you can get care pkgs, to lift his spirits, more quickly by checking with the local purveyors on/near his campus. Sometimes Dining Services has pkgs; in our case a local bakery had an arrangement to deliver right into the dorms. </p>
<p>And it's great that he went to Health Services... my S delayed the first time. Who knows why?</p>
<p>I heard from my son (freshman) with a bad cold..."what should I do" I suggested hot tea, a nap...he then said, maybe I'll go to the clinic. which he did---the nurse dispensed tlc along with decongestant and cough drops (my son would never have taken this at home) and he felt so much better...I think it was knowing there was a mom standin available was reassuring...I like to tell my kids they are in good hands where they are, increase their sense that others can care for them too...</p>
<p>Not sure what your DS's dorm situation is like, but, when my DS was a few weeks into his freshman year, he managed to get a severe sports injury and end up on crutches and in significant pain. I was 1000 miles away and totally freaked out. Come to find out later that the girls in his dorm took excellent care of him! Sometimes it works out better now to have mommy there!</p>
<p>I'm sorry :(--what school/state/area of the country???</p>