Now's the Time To Schedule Your Child's School Physical

One of the main reasons that schools require annual physicals is so your children’s vaccines are up to date to prevent them from contracting a contagious illness and spreading it to other students.

Doctors say the best time to come in for your child’s physical exam is in the summer before their school term begins. And since it’s almost time for school to start, you’ll want to get it scheduled as soon as you can.

Here at Casa de Salud, Dr. Afshin Akhavan and our compassionate primary care team provides pediatrics care. We’ve compiled this helpful guide about children’s school physicals.

What happens during a school physical

During your child’s physical, we measure their height and weight, then take their temperature, pulse, and blood pressure to make sure that all of their vitals are within a normal range. If they’re not, we can try interventional methods like lifestyle changes, medications, or referrals to specialists to ensure that your child stays healthy.

We also check your child’s throat, nose, ears, and eyes to make sure that there aren’t any issues or signs of infection. The doctor also listens to their heart and lungs, feels their abdomen, and checks their reflexes. 

We ask your child some questions, discuss their overall health, and answer any questions that you may have. Finally, we make sure that your child’s immunizations are up to date and give them any vaccination that’s due. 

Fall sports physicals are due, too

Another reason to make sure that your child completes their physical is if they’re active in sports. Since schools require that your child complete one before the season begins, you’ll want to get your child’s exam scheduled before the first practice begins.

In fact, we recommend you bring your child in for their school sports physical about 6-8 weeks before the playing season begins. This is so that if we find an issue during their physical, we’ll have time to address and treat the problem so they have the best chances of passing their exam by the time the season starts. 

For example, if your child has asthma, we can get them started with an inhaler and any other necessary treatments so that their condition is well-managed. We can provide a prescription for an extra inhaler to keep in the trainer’s bag in case your child needs it during practice or competition. 

We tailor your child's physical exam to address their unique needs. So if you have anything that you’ve been concerned about or any health issues your child has that you may want to address, let us know. 

To learn more about school physicals and sports physicals, contact one of our Los Angeles area offices by phone. You can also request an appointment through our convenient online booking system anytime.