Why it’s Important to Book your Child’s Physical Early
It’s that time of year when we wave goodbye to summer and embrace the start of the new school year. For many parents, schedules shift from a laid-back pace to a structured daily routine – making it easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the back-to-school rush. From last-minute supply shopping to organizing carpool schedules, we know you have a lot on your plate. As your child’s pediatrician, we endeavor to make your back-to-school physical appointment simple and hassle-free. Scheduling early is a great way to prevent last-minute appointment conflicts, ensuring your child starts their academic and athletic year with good health and confidence.
Safety for Child Athletes
In previous pediatric blogs, we have discussed the importance of sports physicals for both student athletes and active children alike. In fact, many schools require student athletes to obtain a yearly sports physical before the start of the athletic season. During your child’s appointment, your pediatrician will assess specific areas such as heart health, emotional well-being, and issues specific to student athletes, ensuring they are healthy enough to participate in their chosen sport. Scheduling your child’s sports physical early is imperative, as organized sports operate on a fixed schedule. The last thing any parent or student athlete wants is to miss out on games and practices because of a delayed physical.
Sharing Important Health Information
Just like sports physicals, many schools require students to obtain annual physicals before the start of the school year. From ensuring your child receives their required vaccinations, to monitoring overall growth and development, an up-to-date physical provides schools with important health information. This information is critical for responding to your child’s needs, especially in the event of an emergency. By scheduling your child’s physical early, you will have plenty of time to address any health concerns that have arisen.
Encouraging Mental and Emotional Well-being
The pressures of athletic, academic, and social performance will affect each child differently. A back-to-school physical is a great time for your pediatrician to assess your child’s mental and emotional well-being in a safe space. Identifying and addressing early signs of depression, anxiety, and poor eating and sleeping habits will lead to a healthy start to the school year as we can offer assistance in these areas.
Back to school physicals are more than a required task – they are an investment in your child’s future. Scheduling your appointment early will give you and your child time to address any potential concerns and offers you peace of mind that your child is ready to tackle the new school year safely, and in good health. Contact Briarcliff Pediatrics today to schedule your child’s back to school physical with Dr. Raymond Deeb, Dr. Rebecca McCoy, or Dr. Nicholas Kelly. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more health tips and updates.
