Find out when your child will require a school or sports physical.
For your child to start the school year or participate in sports, they will be required to undergo school and sports physicals with our Milwaukee, WI, board-certified pediatrician Dr. Devang Gandhi each year. But what are these two types of physicals, and does your child require both? Here’s what you should know,
What is a school physical?
While a school and sports physical are pretty similar, a school physical will evaluate all aspects of your child’s health, from their developmental milestones to their social and emotional wellbeing. Our pediatrician will perform a comprehensive physical examination and go through your child’s family history and medical history.
We will also ensure that your child is up to date on their shots and has complete bloodwork to look at their health during a school physical. We can also answer questions regarding everything from nutrition and exercise to sleep habits and eating disorders.
What is a sports physical?
A sports physical helps our Milwaukee, WI, pediatrician determine how fit your child is and whether they are healthy enough for the sports they wish to participate in. Our team will evaluate your child’s total health, including medical background, to determine if any risks could impact their ability to play sports. This includes evaluating,
- Muscle and bone health
- Height and weight
- Vision and hearing
- Heart health
- Lungs
- Blood pressure
- Strength
- Flexibility and range of motion
What is the main difference between these two physicals?
While a sports physical will look to make sure that you are physically healthy enough for your chosen sport, a school physical is a little more comprehensive in that it looks at your child’s physical and mental health and wellbeing to ensure a great start (and finish) to another school year.
Remember that you’ll want to schedule your child’s school and sports physical with our Milwaukee, WI, pediatricians about six weeks before the school year starts so your child has enough time to come into our office. To schedule your child’s next school and sports physical, call Pediatric Care Clinic at (414) 442-6970.