School physicals are a key time to get health checks and needed vaccines
The end of the summer is fast approaching and that means a return to school can’t be far behind. Get your child ready to start a healthy and successful school year by scheduling their annual school physical.
These annual exams are a good way to track your child’s growth, update immunizations and catch any developing health concerns early.
Routine school physicals may include:
- Height and weight measurement: Helps track changes from the previous year.
- Pulse and blood pressure: Helps diagnose high blood pressure or determine risk of heart disease.
- Eye examination/vision test: Helps diagnose eye infections and test eye reflexes.
- Ear examination/hearing test: Checks for ear infections and hearing sensitivity.
- Neck examination: Checks for abnormal enlargement or bumps in your lymph nodes and thyroid.
- Breathing examination: Checks for infection, wheezing or fluid in the lungs.
- Oral health examination: Checks for strep throat and viral infections in the throat. They also look at the tongue for signs of dehydration.
- Abdomen examination: Checks for gastrointestinal problems.
These simple examinations give your child’s doctor a good understanding of your child’s overall health and can help them intervene in the early stages of common issues.
During a school physical, your doctor can also make sure they are up to date on their immunizations. Vaccinations are a good way to protect children from commonly spread disease.
Overall, school physicals are an important way to get both a well-rounded check-in on your child’s health and to gain certain protections, through vaccines, against common illnesses spread during the school year.
Athletes
If your child is an athlete, many sports require physicals before your child can participate in practices or games. Sports physicals are available at the following locations for $35.
Walk-ins
Northwest Urgent Care 45th | 7200 SW 45th, Unit 14 | Amarillo, TX 79109
Appointments
Canyon Clinic | 301 N. 23rd Street, Suite C | Canyon, TX 79015
Primary Care Clinic | 5601 W. Interstate 40 Frontage Rd., Suite 100 | Amarillo, TX 79106