Preventive physical exams are necessary components of your child’s healthcare. Your pediatricians make these in-office assessments relaxed yet informative and productive for the family and the provider.
Let’s look at the components of annual adolescent physical examinations, how they benefit young patients, and where you can go for your child’s physicals in Purchase, NY.
The Well-child Visit for Adolescents
The well-child visit is the gold standard for preventive adolescent healthcare. Scheduled during the summer months during summer break or when it’s most convenient for families, the annual check-up allows the pediatrician to:
- Assess another year of the adolescent’s growth and development
- Check weight, vital signs, muscular strength, balance, and reflexes
- Test hearing and vision
- Screen for mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety
- Assess the stage of puberty (using the Tanner scale of physical characteristics)
Your child’s doctor will update all necessary vaccines according to the schedules published by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control. These important preventive medicines build on the immunity started at birth and help prevent many potentially dangerous communicable diseases, such as the flu, pneumonia, polio, chickenpox, and more.
Finally, your pediatrician will review your child’s health history, including how well-managed chronic conditions, such as diabetes, asthma, and allergies, are. She will update the paperless electronic record, sign any documents needed for school or sports and give you a copy of the vaccination record if you want one.
As needed, your child’s doctor will order blood and urine tests. These can be important for kids with diabetes and to check for anemia and other chronic disorders.
Education on Health-related Issues Important to the Adolescent
Our healthcare providers wish to foster a spirit of independence and responsibility in young patients. So, we work hard to provide a safe space where teens can ask questions about whatever may be on their mind, including:
- Online Safety
- Bullying and peer pressure
- Academics, including difficulties and goals
- Aesthetic issues, such as acne
- Diets and nutrition
- Sexual behaviors
- Substance and alcohol abuse
- Driving
- College and career paths
- Sleep patterns
- Exercise habits
And, while no topic is off the table with our young patients, we assure our parents that their responsibilities are well-respected. In fact, we encourage parents to bring a short list of questions to discuss with the pediatrician. We wish to partner with you in your child’s physical, emotional, mental, and cognitive health.
Children’s Physicals in Purchase, NY
At BridgeSpan Medicine, we have six board-certified pediatricians invested in the health and well-being of their patients and their families. We want adolescents to be as healthy and happy as possible as they travel on the journey toward adulthood and independence.
To schedule your child’s next annual physical examination, call us today at (914) 698-5544, or you may use our secure online appointment request form. We look forward to our next visit with you and your child.
