Written by Dr. Aisha Harris
It’s that time of year again. Schools are opening after summer break. Children are going back to school to engage in dynamic education and build their foundations. And many students are gearing up to get their school physicals in time to tryout for their favorite sports or tryout a new sport for the experience.
School physicals are an important part of the health maintenance of children.
For some, it is another check in with their primary care doctor who they see on a regular basis for well-child exams, chronic care management or general acute visits.
But for others, the school physical is a touch point into the health system that they briefly interact with because of a variety of reasons.
It may seem simple to get your active child with no known physical problems to be seen by a primary care doctor before they play a sport they’ve been playing all summer or for years.
But, school physicals are very important and continue to save lives by asking questions that may not have come up otherwise.
Unlike well-child exams where doctors often focus on a child’s daily mental and physical health, school physicals dive a little deeper into health risks associated with playing sports in general, or a certain sport, based on the child’s medical history and family history.
School physicals are a focused time to make sure that the child can safely play sports for the first time or safely maintain the sporting activity based on new health changes.
For the hundreds of school physicals that are unconcerning and benign, there is one school physical that sparks a concern and need to pause participation on sports or have follow-up for further evaluation. Failing a school physical is unlikely, but it happens because of potentially an uncontrolled chronic medical problems or new medical problems that may be life threatening if ignored.
School physicals are best done by a child’s primary care doctor because of the history, knowledge and relationships that have been built.
But many students get school physicals at school physical clinics or urgent cares. Though convenient, these have limitations though the same forms are completed.
Please do not confuse school physicals with going to get a well-child examination, because they are not the same. A school physical can potentially be completed at a well-child check, if time allows, but a well-child exam cannot be completed at a school physical.
Every child needs a primary care doctor for screenings, acute care and chronic care management. Though young, children are not without their own medical problems and signs and symptoms that should be worked on. They are human and can develop medical problems that should not be ignored, and they are not “too young to be sick.”
Children have medical problems, too. So, please remember that school physicals are one time of medical evaluation. Regular primary care appointments are still recommended for children just like for adults.
Dr. Aisha Harris, MD, is a Flint native and board-certified family medicine doctor at Harris Family Health in Flint, Michigan. Harris Family Health is a membership-based clinic that provides personalized and full primary care to adults and children. Learn more about Harris Family Health by visiting www.harrisfamilyhealth.com.
Feel free to submit health questions to Dr. Harris via theflintcouriernews@gmail.com.
