What Are School Physicals?

Routine physicals help make sure your child is safe, healthy, and prepared for school, sports, and any other extracurricular activities.

Schools and school sports teams require documentation that your youngster has had their annual well-child physical within the past year. This check-up is usually scheduled with your child’s primary care provider, whether it be a pediatrician or your family doctor.

A well-child check-up is a complete annual physical, with both review and clearance for school, daycare, and sports physical paperwork, when needed. They can be completed anytime throughout the year, but most families choose to schedule these school physical appointments during the summer, before school starts, or around their child’s birthday to serve as an annual reminder.

In most states, children who attend childcare centers or are enrolled in school must show their immunization records to attend facilities licensed by the state. The following guidelines usually apply:

  1. Hep A to protect against hepatitis A.
  2. Hep B to prevent hepatitis B.
  3. DTaP to protect against Diphtheria, Tetanus, lockjaw, and Pertussis, whooping cough.
  4. Flu to protect against influenza, yearly.
  5. Stethoscope.
  6. Hib to protect against Haemophilus influenzae type b.
  7. IPV to prevent polio.
  8. MMR for measles, mumps, and rubella, German measles.
  9. Pneumococcal to protect against pneumococci, which cause pneumonia and other diseases.
  10. Varicella to prevent chickenpox.

School Physicals

School physical exams are mandatory for most children. School district health requirements necessitate physicals for students entering preschool, kindergarten, 6th grade, and 9th grade, or if your child is transferring from another school. Consider doing the following to help prepare you and your child for their back-to-school physical:

  1. Talk with your child about what happens during the physical to help them feel comfortable.
  2. Write down a family medical history to share with the doctor.
  3. Bring a list of any medications your child is currently taking for the doctor to document.
  4. Address any changes in your child’s health that you have noticed since their last checkup.

Sports Physicals

If your child wants to participate in school sports, they will also be required to have a sports physical. Sports physical exams are a safety precaution. They allow your doctor to identify any restrictions or areas of concern, or to suggest that your child should avoid any specific sports or activities. Physicals also help the doctor find any noticeable changes in your child’s health.

A doctor will do the following during your child’s sports physical:

  1. Review your child’s medical history.
  2. Measure their height, weight, blood pressure, and pulse.
  3. Check your child’s eyes, ears, nose, throat, heart, lungs, lymph nodes, and abdominal area for any abnormalities.
  4. Assess the condition of your child’s neck, spine, shoulders, arms, wrists, elbows, knees, legs, and feet.
  5. Make sure all their immunizations are up to date.
  6. Ask both you and your child about any concerns you might have about their well-being.

At the end of the physical, the doctor will sign any of the required forms that your child needs for both school and any sports. Your doctor may also be able to suggest specific exercises to help your child avoid any sports injuries.

Related Article: What Happens During a School Physical?