Annual Physicals and Your Child
Why do we recommend annual physicals for your child?
After a child's second birthday, we recommend a yearly visit for several reasons:
● it is an opportunity to identify problems early;
● many summer camps, sports activities, and schools require a health form from your child's physician, and we can only fill one out if we have done a physical in the previous year;
● it allows us to collect up-to-date information that can be used to triage phone calls and, potentially, reduce the number of office visits throughout the year; and
● it helps establish our relationship with your child, so that it is easier for your child during times of sickness.
What happens during an annual physical?
During the annual well visit, Dr. Moore. Dr. Aronow, or Andy will:
● take a health history, which consists of a series of questions concerning your child's physical and psychological health;
● measure your child's height and weight, and plot those measurements on your child's growth curve;
● check blood pressure; heart rate and pulses in neck, groin and feet; neck, armpits, and groin for swollen lymph nodes; heart, lungs and abdomen for normal sounds; reflexes; teeth, gums, tongue and throat; eyes, ears, nose and skin; fine and gross motor development; and spinal alignment for signs of scoliosis.
● perform screening tests, such as hearing and vision, as recommended;
● discuss health promotion activities, such as nutrition and exercise.
If you think your child will need a health form for a summer activity or to start school in the fall, we encourage you to call the office early. Appointments fill up quickly in the summer, and we would prefer to schedule you at a time that is convenient for you and with the provider of your choice.
Call the office at 734.475.4500 or e-mail Julie at
julie@mykidsdoc.org. (Please note that e-mail is not a secure form of communication and you should allow 2 business days for a reply)
