What Occurs During a School Physical

Find out why every child will need to undergo a physical before the new school year.

By the time your child is old enough to go to school they will need to visit our Westchase, FL, pediatricians for annual back-to-school physicals to make sure that they are healthy. This doesn’t just protect your child’s health but also the health of others. If this is the first time your child is coming in for a school physical then it’s normal to have questions. Here’s what to expect at routine school physicals.

Reviewing Your Medical History

Since genetics often plays a key role in the development of certain health problems, it’s important to know the details of your child’s medical history including family history of certain chronic conditions including heart disease, asthma, and high blood pressure.

By understanding your child’s genetic makeup and medical history, our Westchase, FL, children’s doctor can provide more thorough and tailored school physicals to assess your child’s risk for developing these health problems. With conditions that are preventable, we can help your child reduce their risk by helping them make certain lifestyle changes.

Checking Height, Weight, and Vital Signs

When you come into the office we will also want to record your child’s height and weight, as well as check their heart rate, temperature, and blood pressure. Nearly one in every three children or teens in the US is overweight or obese, which can have a serious impact on your child’s health. From hypertension (high blood pressure) to high cholesterol, these issues need to be monitored. We can also provide you and your child with tips for how to get regular exercise and improving their diet to help them maintain a healthy body weight.

Performing a Physical Exam

The main purpose of a school physical is for our Westchase, FL, pediatrician to be able to examine all parts and areas of your child’s body to be able to check for past injuries, issues, symptoms, developmental problems or abnormalities. Since many kids are undergoing physicals in order to participate in sports, we will also want to make sure that they are healthy enough for their chosen sport and that certain conditions such as asthma are being properly managed through medication to prevent complications and issues from arising.

Administering Immunizations

Children and teens will also need to follow a strict immunization schedule. Florida law states that there are certain vaccines that children and teens will have to get before they can go to school. Check Florida’s vaccine requirements and make sure that your child is up to date before the school year begins.

Clearwater Pediatric Care provides comprehensive pediatric medical care to children living in and around Clearwater and Westchase, FL. Call us today at (727) 461-1543 for our Clearwater, FL, office or (813) 818-1543 for our Westchase, FL, office to schedule your child’s upcoming school physical.