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Parents of college students often feel helpless when their students are sick and away at college. They want to help, but they’re not sure how when they’re so far away.

Here are 10 ways to help when your son or daughter is sick at college:

1. Be available.

If it is their first time away from home, students may feel extra homesick when they’re sick. While you can’t be there physically for them, you can be there to listen to them and make helpful recommendations.

2. Ask questions.

Ask about your son or daughter’s symptoms, and ask about what they’ve done to treat it so far. Does it sound like a cold? The flu? Something more serious?

3. Encourage your child to seek medical advice.

When your child is sick, one way to help is to provide them with a subscription to a Telemedicine service, such as the My Family Life Services subscription. Telemedicine is the remote diagnosis and treatment of patients by means of technology, which may be a computer, smartphone, or tablet.

Telemedicine physicians often treat common issues such as colds, flu, poison ivy, respiratory infections, bronchitis, pink eye, sinus problems, allergies, urinary tract infections and ear infections.

Here’s why your student might benefit from utilizing a telemedicine service:

• Most on campus infirmaries have limited hours
• 72% of Doctors visits are for common conditions easily treated by telehealth consultations
• Your child can call, get a diagnosis, and pick up a prescription within an hour of their telemedicine visit
• Students love that they can use the service whenever, and wherever they want
• Parents love that their son or daughter is able to get the care they need
• The My Family Life Services subscription means that your child will be able to speak with a board-certified physician by phone or online 24/7. The physicians can diagnose illnesses, recommend treatment and even call in a prescription to their local pharmacy.

4. Send a “Get Well Soon” care package.

Here are recommendations to send in a care package when they’re sick: vitamins, peppermint tea & honey, basic cold & flu medicine, cough drops, dehydrated soup, antibacterial wipes and hand sanitizer, ear plugs, and a sleep eye mask.

5. Have Chicken Noodle Soup delivered.

Check to see if your son or daughter’s campus has a Hillel. They will deliver fresh, homemade chicken soup to your student. If you’re not sure how to find other restaurants that deliver in your student’s area, try Grubhub or OrderUp.

6. Encourage hydration and a healthy diet.

One of the best cures for a cold is to rehydrate. Remind your son or daughter to drink tons of water, tea, and soup to help flush out their cold. According to the Mayo clinic, “You can’t flush a cold out of your system, but drinking plenty of liquids can help. Try water, juice, clear broth, chicken soup or warm lemon water with honey. The fluids will loosen congestion and keep you hydrated. Avoid alcohol, coffee and caffeinated sodas, which may make dehydration worse.”

7. Remind your student to notify their professors if they miss a class.

Your son or daughter may be used to relying on you to contact their teachers in high school if they’ve been absent, but now it is up to them to handle on their own.

8. Talk with your student about how much they’ve been sleeping.

Are they pulling all-nighters to study? Have they been able to create healthy sleep habits? Poor sleep habits can have serious consequences for students, and college students are notorious for not getting much sleep. Need help with what to say? Check out, College Students and the Importance of Early Bedtimes and Sleep.

9. Address signs of stress early.

College students must deal on their own with the stress that results from demanding coursework, finances, campus jobs, relationships, changing values, and much more. Here are several ways to help from a distance.

10. Check in with her about mental, emotional and physical well-being.

If you notice signs of chronic issues, encourage your son or daughter to seek professional counseling. The My Family Life subscriptionmeans that your child may contact a licensed counselor 24/7 anonymously.