Set Your Kids Up for a Healthy School Year With a Back-to-School Physical

While summer may be in full swing, fall is just around the corner, along with the new school year. Whether your school requires a physical or not, it’s always a smart idea to make sure your child is in good health before they launch into another year of learning and growing. 

And this is especially true if they’re going to participate in sports. Nearly 27 million American kids do play sports, and most sports programs require a preparticipation physical evaluation.

So now is a good time to schedule these important visits with our pediatric team here at LaSante Health Center. If you give us an hour, we can check all of your child’s health and wellness boxes to set them up for a year of success.

What we check during a school or sports physical

If your child is going to be a new student, New York City public schools require a new admission examination. 

If your child has already been through this process, you’re no longer required to undergo this examination, but you likely need one if your child is going to participate in organized sports.

Whether a back-to-school physical is required for your child or not, these visits are incredibly important in tracking your child’s health year over year and for making sure that their development is on track. During a back-to-school exam or sports physical, we:

• Review their medical history 
• Record their height, weight, and blood pressure
• Check that their vaccinations are up to date
• Perform a vision exam
  Perform a physical exam (joints, muscles, and bones)
• Check their heart and lungs
• Perform a brief dental exam
• Evaluate their nutrition
• Conduct a developmental assessment
• Administer a hearing exam

We can tailor the exam to your child’s specific needs, as well. For example, if your 8-year-old wants to play flag football, we keep this in mind as we conduct the physical. We check to make sure their developing body is up to the rigors of their sport of choice.

These annual exams also track any potential hereditary issues, such as sickle cell trait. As well, we spend some time assessing their mental health, as issues like depression and anxiety are rising in kids.

Promoting preventive care

Another goal of our back-to-school exams and sports physicals is to spend some time with your child to discuss safe practices to prevent illness and injury down the road.

Our pediatric team understands that kids can be reckless and don’t truly appreciate consequences. We emphasize the importance of practicing good habits so they remain in good health.

The bottom line is that this brief interruption in your summer fun is well worth your while. Back-to-school and sports physicals are a fantastic way to ensure your child grows into a healthy and strong adult.

To schedule your child’s back-to-school exam or sports physical, please book an appointment online or call us at our Brooklyn, New York, office at 718-246-5700.

We serve the Flatbush and East Flatbush, Crown Heights, Park Slope, Little Haiti, Little Caribbean, and Prospect Lefferts Gardens communities.