By Megan Wehring
HAYS COUNTY – Now is a good time for parents to look into having their child go in for a physical or wellness exam.
During the past two years, many children missed necessary check-ups and recommended vaccinations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Following disruptions from COVID-19, the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend children catch up on routine childhood vaccinations.
Well-child visits and recommended vaccinations are essential and help make sure children stay healthy, the CDC said.
Students who are in sports must also undergo a physical exam to participate in athletic activity.
Well-child visits can be used to approve the child’s participation in sports as long as the visit is scheduled within six months prior to participation, and then the pediatrician can sign the necessary paperwork without a second visit, according to Baylor Scott & White.
While some schools do offer group physicals for student athletes, it may not assess the overall health of the child.
“That’s usually organized by schools through their trainers,” said Dr. Emily Fisher, Baylor Scott & White in Buda. “They do whole teams where they say, ‘alright, everybody come in and let’s get checked up on everything. That doesn't totally replace coming in [to the doctor’s office] with a parent to make sure that everything else is up to date. But it is great to get kids back safely into activities so they can participate.”
Fisher recommends late spring to summer for children to get their check-ups done.
“Typically, summers are a big time for families,” Fisher explained. “I think they have a little more scheduling flexibility and it’s less disruptive. But it’s also a really good reset between school years. So if there were academic troubles, behavioral issues or missed days due to illness, summer is a good time to reflect and play up for the next year to be even better and healthier.”
