School & Sports Physicals

Schools, sports, and camps often require physicals to be performed by your child’s pediatrician and forms to be filled out. Oftentimes, your child’s annual well-child checkup can double as his or her school, sports, or camp physical. If your child has had a checkup within the past year and there have not been any major changes in your child’s interim medical history, we wouldl be happy to fill out your child’s physical forms. However, sometimes your child’s school, sports group, or camp requires that the physical be performed after a particular date. In these instances, we can schedule a visit for a separate physical to meet these requirements.

Although your child may not participate in a school or club sport, that does not mean your child does not need a physical. All children are athletes! Whether your child is on the football, gymnastics, or swim team, or is one of the kids who plays a game of pickup basketball or rides bikes through the neighborhood, all kids are active!

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that your child see his or her pediatrician for the school or sports physical. The AAP is against mass physicals, such as those performed in school gyms, and physicals performed at urgent care clinics. In these settings, the physicals are performed by someone who is unfamiliar with your child’s history. Additionally, mass physicals lack privacy for your child that would allow a thorough examination of all body parts. Your pediatrician’s office provides your child with privacy and an opportunity to discuss confidential matters. Because your child’s physician is already familiar with your child’s medical history, family history, previous lab results, and reports and recommendations from any specialists, your pediatrician can make recommendations on what can be done safely. The physical is also a good time to discuss increasing physical activity for those who are not active at all.