We know: July isn’t even halfway done yet - surely it’s too early to start getting stuff together for your child’s first day of school! While you certainly don’t have to buy a new backpack or classroom supplies just yet, it’s definitely worth thinking about another important staple of the upcoming season: a doctor’s visit.
No matter what grade your child is preparing to enter, if they’re heading back to school, now is the time to work on scheduling their annual doctor’s exam. Annual exams are recommended for any child over the age of 3. Even if your child is happy, healthy and energetic, calling your doctor and booking an appointment is well worth your time - just to make sure they’re in tip top shape before they head back to the classroom and spend another year surrounded by their (sometimes contagious) peers.
Annual exams are important because doctor’s appointments aren’t just about helping children recover from an illness - they’re about helping children feel their best year-round. A visit with your Genesis family doctor helps make this possible for four big reasons:
- Regular exams help doctors keep an eye on things. A visit with your doctor is a valuable opportunity for them to monitor your child’s ongoing health. By examining their height, weight, vision, balance, and other basic functions, they can get a pretty good idea of what’s on track and what needs a little more attention as your child grows up. Remember: children can’t identify when they feel weird or if something is abnormal the way adults can. But doctors are trained to catch signs of trouble - and will ensure that any potential problems are addressed sooner rather than later!
- Doctors can check on big milestones during a visit. This is a big bonus for parents with younger children. Children five and under have a lot of milestones to hit as they grow emotionally, physically and socially. The insight and watchful eye of a doctor can be extremely helpful - and, as highlighted above, can ensure that any developing issues receive prompt and proper attention. They can also help parents and teachers alike tailor their interactions with specific children to better help them grow in a healthy manner.
- The more you visit a doctor, the better. Annual preventative visits are critical for good lifelong health. Not only do they let doctors help us before we feel unwell, but they give physicians a chance to learn about their patients’ families histories, to update immunization records, and to build a healthy, trusting relationship that helps patients feel comfortable opening up about health-related problems. The earlier that relationship is built with a child, they healthier their life as a whole will be.
- Some schools will require a doctor’s visit. It’s not that unusual for schools to ask for up-to-date records about the children walking in their hallways, so that they know which children are allergic to what substances, or which children may not be fully immunized against common illnesses. Athletic departments are also well known for asking parents to have children undergo a physical before they join a school sport. Finding out when schools may want a doctor’s visit, and for what reason, will help you ensure that you take your child to the right doctor at the right time.
There are lots of reasons to schedule a doctor’s appointment for your child today - the biggest one being that as the school year picks up, more parents will begin taking their child in for school sanctioned exams, or because their child does not feel well. Getting an annual physical out of the way now will ensure that your family can deal with “back to school season” with a minimal amount of fuss later. So go ahead: contact your family’s Genesis office today, and book an appointment at a time that works for your family.
Do you have a child that hates going to the doctor? Don’t worry: next time, we’re going to offer some of our favorite tips and tricks helping children overcome their fear of visits with us!
