05/01/2026
Why is it important to see your pediatrician for school, sports and camp physicals with Dr. Howard
School physicals (NOW OFFERED ON SATURDAY'S)
Allows for an opportunity to check your child’s overall health! This is a time that both physical and mental health can be addressed- which are BOTH vital for overall well-being year long.
Screenings for health problems! This is at times where areas of development, vision, hearing, mental health, risks factors assessed high cholesterol, anemia, exposures to lead/tuberculosis can be evaluated and discussed.
Allows for referrals to other health specialist (eg ophthalmologist if eye problems are detected, to the dentist if cavities noted, or early intervention specialist).
Preventative health! This is a time where you can get guidance on healthy habits eg nutrition, sleep, exercise to allow your child to thrive! Establishing healthy habits early on can over time reduce various disease processes (eg diabetes/cardiovascular diseases/high blood pressure/high cholesterol/STIs).
Ensures immunizations are up to date. This is a time that vaccines can be caught up or plan put in place to get up to date!
Allows time to get required school forms completed and any necessary new medication forms that your child may need for school/daycare
For older children this allows time for them to get a sense of awareness of their health and also enables them to get comfortable with going to the doctors office. This can allow for easier transition to adult care when needed.
Sport/Camp physicals
Ensures your child is healthy enough to participate in their extracurricular sporting or camp activities. Sports and extracurricular activities can promote exercise, emotional health and time for your child to interact with peers.
You can get advise on healthy eating and injury prevention (eg overuse, concussions, dehydration).
Enables the pediatrician to identify any new issues that have started that may negatively impact their participation; this allows for prompt referrals and further testing if needed (eg heart palpitations with sports or specific joint pains with activities).
Allows time to get all sport/camp forms completed in a timely fashion as to not delay the start of their activity!
