A HEALTHY STUDENT BODY SCHEDULE IMMUNIZATIONS, SPORTS PHYSICALS

While schedules and supplies are top of mind when preparing for the new school, don’t forget to address a student’s health, too. Scheduling a well-child visit will allow both parents and physicians to track a child’s growth and development, including physical, cognitive, emotional and social progress.

Another advantage of well-child visits is preventing injury and illness. When parents come in for these visits, the staff will likely go over the appropriate safety protocol for that child’s age and milestone. This may include car seat safety checks, preventing falls, choking hazards and school safety.

Yearly physical exams are also opportunities for screening tests, physical examinations and vaccinations. Exams typically involve checking blood pressure, vision, hearing and general blood tests and urinalysis. Many parents use checkups as an opportunity to ask questions about development and ensure that children are safe to participate in school sports and extracurricular activities as well.

Sports Physicals

To ensure a child is healthy enough to play the sport they love, the state requires that athletes have medical clearance to participate prior to the start of the school year.

Fortunately, a sports physical is similar to a routine well-child check up.

Parents will need to provide medical history before the exam. The physician will record the child’s height and weight, as well as blood pressure. Next, the doctor will examine the head, eyes, ears, neck and throat, heart and lungs and the abdominal region.

Finally, the child will be asked to perform a couple of actions to test strength and flexibility. If the child is healthy enough to participate, remind the physician to fill out the required clearance form for the school the child attends to submit with the student’s registration.

Immunizations

State law requires that children who attend child care or public and private schools to be vaccinated against several preventable diseases, unless a certificate of exemption is filed.

In addition, various vaccinations are recommended to protect children from additional communicable diseases. These immunizations should be administered according to schedule to be most effective.

K-12 Students must be vaccinated against:

Varicella (chickenpox)

Hepatitis B (Hep B)

Polio (IPV)

Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)

Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTaP, DTP, Tdap)

The following vaccines are also recommended, but not required: hepatitis A, influenza, meningococcal disease and human papillomavirus. To learn more about vaccinations, https:// cdphe.colorado.gov/ schoolrequiredvaccines. To access the vaccination exemption form, https://cdphe. colorado.gov/ vaccineexemptions.