School and Sports Physicals in Maui, HI
At some point, your child’s school or sports team may require that you schedule a physical. This is an important appointment with a pediatrician that can help determine details about your child’s overall health, and specific medical conditions and to get any therapy or medication they need for optimal performance. Learn more about school and sports physicals and how you can schedule one with Dr. Frank Baum in Maui, HI.
What is a Physical?
The point of a physical is to evaluate the general health and condition of a patient to determine if they are viable for physical activity, including sports. The most common types of physicals are for children in school and team players of school or professional sports. Physicals may include the following tests:
- Recording of the child’s height and weight.
- Review of the child’s medical history.
- Vision check.
- Physical examination of the ears, head, neck, and throat.
- Blood pressure, heart rate, and vitals check.
- X-rays or ultrasounds.
- Blood tests.
- Urinalysis (testing urine).
- Required immunizations.
School Physicals
Schools must manage a variety of responsibilities and potential liabilities regarding the children who attend their institutions. For instance, a child may have a severe allergy that requires them to carry medication in their school bags at all times. They may also have physical limitations that gym teachers must know in advance. For these reasons and general concerns about the child’s welfare while away from home, you will likely need to bring your child to your Maui, HI, doctor for a school physical each year or semester.
Sports Physicals
Before child athletes at any level are eligible to play sports, they usually need to visit a doctor for a physical. This is called a preparticipation physical examination or PPE. Some sports are very physically demanding and present a serious risk of injury, which is why the child needs evaluation of everything from the condition of the bones and muscles in the feet, hands, and legs, to the risk of asthma attacks while running and jumping.