When you have a child, prevention is the key to keeping your child healthy. One of the easiest, most effective ways to prevent illness or injury is to bring your child to visit the pediatrician for a school or sports physical. Dr. Syed Husain and Dr. Sumbul Naqvi at Valley Pediatric Clinic provide comprehensive children’s medical services, including sports and school physicals. They have two convenient office locations in Mission, and Edinburg, TX.
What You Need to Know about School and Sports Physicals
A school physical is required for your child to attend school. School physicals are important because they:
- Help identify potential medical issues early, so they can be treated
- Help identify behavioral or developmental disorders through regular behavioral and developmental screenings
- Provide an opportunity for you to discuss health concerns with the pediatrician
A sports physical is required for your child to participate in a sport. Sports physicals are important because they:
- Help identify potential physical problems, to help prevent injuries
- Ensure your child is healthy enough to participate in a sport
- Help determine how your child will be affected by physical exertion
During a school physical, your pediatrician will:
- Measure and record general information including your child’s height, weight, blood pressure, pulse, and temperature
- Perform a comprehensive physical examination including extremities, eyes, ears, nose, throat, and ears
- Perform a vision and hearing screening
- Perform a behavioral and developmental screening
- Order laboratory testing and/or imaging studies if necessary
A sports physical consists of many of the same steps as a school physical, and your pediatrician will also check your child’s:
- Muscle strength
- Breathing
- Flexibility
- Balance
- Reflexes
During a school and sports physical, your pediatrician will also ensure your child is current on immunizations. These are the current required immunizations from birth to age 18, according to the Centers for Disease Control or CDC:
- Hepatitis B
- Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis
- Haemophilus influenza type B
- Polio
- Pneumococcal conjugate
- Rotavirus
- Measles, mumps, rubella
- Chickenpox
- Hepatitis A
- Human papillomavirus
- Meningococcal conjugate
- Flu
- COVID
Want to Know More?
To find out more about the importance of sports and school physicals and how they can help your child, Call Dr. Syed Husain and Dr. Sumbul Naqvi at Valley Pediatric Clinic. You can reach them in the Mission, TX, office by calling (956) 424-7100, or in Edinburg, TX, by calling (956) 383-9300, so call today.