Back to School Health Check

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Author: Russell Durkee, MD

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At Oakleaf Clinics, we have specialized in whole-family care for the past 30 years. A cornerstone of our approach is prevention - helping patients stay healthy rather than simply treating illness when it occurs.

One important prevention tool we offer is the Back-to-School Health Check, often referred to as a sports physical. However, it is much more than a clearance exam for athletics.

This visit provides an opportunity to assess a child's overall well-being, including physical health, mental health, school performance, growth and development, and other important health measures. It includes a comprehensive physical examination, a review of health concerns, and a discussion of vaccines and disease prevention.

Our goal is to partner with families to identify concerns early, support healthy development, and help every child start the school year ready to succeed.

A back-to-school health check is an opportunity to review a child's overall health, growth, development, and readiness for the school year. Typical components include:

History

• Current health concerns
• Chronic medical conditions (asthma, diabetes, ADHD, allergies, etc.)
• Medications
• Previous illnesses, hospitalizations, or surgeries
• Family medical history
• Diet, exercise, sleep, and screen time habits
• Mental health and emotional well-being
• School performance and social interactions

Immunizations

Review and update vaccines according to the current schedule, including:

• Kindergarten, middle school, or high school entry requirements
• Annual influenza vaccine
• HPV vaccine
• Meningococcal vaccine
• Tdap booster
• Opening discussion is encouraged

Physical Examination

• Height, weight, and BMI
• Blood pressure
• Vision screening (when appropriate)
• Hearing screening (especially in younger children)
• Complete physical exam

Sports Participation (if applicable)

• Cardiac screening questions
• Musculoskeletal exam
• Review of prior injuries or concussions
• Completion of sports physical forms

Age-Specific Topics

• Nutrition
• Physical activity
• Safety (helmets, seatbelts, water safety)
• Puberty
• Mental health
• Social media and internet safety
• Mental health screening
• Substance use screening
• Sexual health counseling
• Driving safety

Common Screening Tools

• Depression screening
• Anxiety screening
• Social determinants of health
• Vision and hearing screening
• Developmental screening

For a family medicine or pediatric clinic, a back-to-school visit is also a good time to ensure school medication forms, asthma action plans, allergy plans, and sports forms are completed before classes begin.