Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Book Review: The Ultimate College Student Health Handbook

I know a lot of you have kids graduating high school and thinking about going to college. If you don't personally, surely you know someone graduating, and you're probably invited to a grad party. If you're looking for a GREAT gift, this is what you need to get them. Hands down.
The Ultimate College Student Health Handbook - Jill Grimes, MD, FAAFP

College students facing their first illness, accident, or anxiety away from home often flip-flop between wanting to handle it themselves and wishing their parents could swoop in and fix everything. Advice from peers and “Dr. Google” can be questionable.The Ultimate College Student Health Handbook provides accurate, trustworthy, evidence-based medical information (served with a dose of humor) to reduce anxiety and stress and help set appropriate expectations for more than fifty common issues.

What if you can’t sleep well (or can’t sleep at all) in your dorm room?  What if a pill “gets stuck” in your throat? What if your roommate falls asleep (or passes out) wearing contacts, and wakes up with one painfully stuck? Your friend’s terrible sore throat isn’t Strep or Mono? What else could it be? What if everyone from your group project thinks they’re coming down with the flu the day before your presentation?
Dr. Jill Grimes has the answer to these questions and many more. Her guidebook is designed to help you: 
Decide if and when to seek medical help
Know what to expect when you get there
Plan for the worst-case scenario if you don’t seek help
Learn how you can prevent this in the future
Realize what you can do right now, before you see a doctor
Understand the diagnostic and treatment options
The topics of tattoos, smoking, vaping, pot, piercings, and prescription drugs will also be tackled throughout the pages of this handbook, ensuring you, your roommates, and your friends have a healthy semester.

A few months ago, I found myself in the ER because my gall bladder decided that was a good time to wage war on me. The whole thing was a comedic circus but the best part about being in the ER are your neighbors. You can never see your neighbors, you only hear their problems, and if you're unlucky their vomiting. On this particular night one of my neighbors was a college kid, escorted to the ER by campus police because of (wait for it)...... heartburn.

Turns out the kid was worried he was dying and he apparently called his parents (who presumably live far away) who were rightfully worried because you can bet his description of what was happening wasn't clear. The nurse specifically asked him if he tried taking Tums or something and you know what he said??

No. He said no because his mom told him everything over the counter is scary and to never ever take it.

Instead, go to the ER. (This is when I tell you she had been calling the ER constantly for status updates but they can't talk to her over the phone because he's an adult and they were begging him to just call his mom from his cell phone.)

The moral of the story though is to not send your kids into the world unprepared. Your job as a parent is to turn a kid who picks their nose into a fully functioning adult. Someday, these kids are going to have no help and will have to fend for themselves because you can't hover (and shouldn't) forever.

If you're worried, THIS is the book to get them. First off, you can tell this book is written by a mom who has likely gotten some bizarre calls for advice, and has gone to college herself because the book covers everyday things like pink eye, test anxiety, headaches, home sickness, acne, etc. What it ALSO covers are things like hangovers, tattoos, date rape, sexually transmitted infections, the "missing" tampon (I laughed so hard over this because this happened to a friend and I had to help and it brought back memories!), birth control, smoking/vaping/pot, and alcohol.

So much of this are questions you know your child has or will have and might not want to talk to mom or dad about, and that's OK. Each chapter explains what is happening and how you got yourself in this predicament, what to do, and when to go to the doctor. Do you remember when we had our first baby and we clung to those What to Expect books? Like a how-to manual on being a mom? This is similar to it and I promise you that your child is going to roll their eyes when you give it to them but they will 100% pull this out to read it when they get something stuck in their eye. (Seriously, this is in the book!)

The BEST part? Way in the back there is a list of a DIY First Aid Kit. You can purchase all of those things in a handy box, with this book, and bam- you've got the best (and most useful) graduation gift.

I have to thank the author, Jill Grimes and PR By the Book for sending me a copy of this to review, I absolutely love it and I am so impressed with how well organized this is. It is written in a way that isn't condescending or in a "if you had just listened to your mother" voice, and I loved the Preface meant for the parents, and I love how the author acknowledges that it doesn't matter where your child goes, they WILL be exposed to new and different things, sometimes not always the best things, but mistakes are OK. We all learn from mistakes, but hopefully this book will help your child feel a little more confident making the big leap to college!
   
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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

This sounds like a great resource! There was nothing like this when I was headed to college. Hopefully, graduating high school seniors will be able to attend college this fall and could use a copy of this book. :)

Why Girls Are Weird said...

Oh this sounds really cool, I wish I had had this when I started college,. It's such a hard time in your life.

Shooting Stars Mag said...

Oh, this is awesome! I feel like most people could use this - college student or not. LOL I like that it comes with a list of First Aid items, so you can add that to the gift!

-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net

Jill Grimes, MD said...

Thank you for this glowing review! I truly hope this makes those inevitable injuries, illnesses & anxieties just a bit easier to tackle. - Jill Grimes, MD