Find out more about your child’s annual physical and why they are important for every child.

Have you scheduled your child’s next physical with our pediatricians at Riverside Pediatrics, LLC Dr. Karen Beckman, Dr. Alejandro Mones, and Dr. Beth Rosenberg? Making sure that your child gets their annual physical before going back to school or participating in sports is crucial for their health (and sometimes mandatory for some schools). Whether it’s mandatory or not, here’s why these checkups should not be missed. We proudly serve the residents of Riverside, and Greenwich, Connecticut.
 

What is a sports physical?

Sometimes referred to as a pre-participation physical examination (PPE), this simple checkup will determine whether or not your child or teen is healthy enough to be able to participate in sports. If your child is beginning a new sport or workout routine it’s always a good idea to speak with your Greenwich children’s doctor, and a sports physical is an easy way to ensure that your child gets the checkup they need and a clean bill of health from their doctor.
 

But my child goes in once a year for a doctor’s checkup. Isn’t that enough?

While it’s important for your child to see their doctor at least once a year (or more often, depending on their age) this won’t take the place of a sports physical. A sports physical is focused specifically on the parts of their health that impact their ability to participate in sports.
 

What happens during a sports physical?

There are several things that will occur during your child’s checkup. First, our nurses will come in to check their vital signs (e.g. heart rate; blood pressure) and record their height and weight.

After this, your doctor will go through your child’s medical history. It’s important to document any past illnesses, hospitalizations, surgeries, injuries or current symptoms they are experiencing (e.g. abdominal pain; wheezing). Any information you provide can help our doctor identify possible problems that may be exacerbated or lead to health complications as a result of physical activity.

Lastly, your doctor will perform your child’s physical exam. During this exam, we make sure everything is healthy and functioning properly. We will listen to the heart and lungs, check your child’s reflexes, examine their posture, and check everything we need in order to protect your child from potential health problems both on and off the field. After all, certain conditions could leave your child prone to injury if you’re not careful but a physical exam can safeguard against this.

Don’t let your child get benched because they didn’t get a sports physical in time. Call Riverside Pediatrics, LLC serving the residents of Riverside, and Greenwich, Connecticut to schedule their annual physical with us. Call 203-629-5800.