Before you start shopping for back to school supplies and clothes, get your child a physical first! A back to school physical gives your child a healthy advantage in the classroom. It reviews their medical history, vaccinations, they’re overall health and will help clear them to play sports this school year.

If you’re getting your child ready for the school year, AFC Urgent Care Norwalk is here to help guide you on what you need to know about back to school physicals.

Don’t forget to bring your forms!

Review your child’s medical history during their physical

Start your child’s school year on a healthy foot. There is an advantage to getting a physical before going back to school. You get to review your child’s medical record so that you and their doctor can plan ahead for the school year.

Do they need inhalers in case they have an asthma flare up this winter? How is their weight? Is their bad cholesterol high? These are all common questions you may have for your child’s overall well being. All of this will be covered in a FULL physical at AFC Urgent Care Norwalk.

Although schools are sticking to COVID-19 safety precautions, it doesn’t mean your child won’t get sick. Life is full of surprises and if your child has asthma, diabetes, or any other health conditions, it would greatly help a doctor know what to do next in terms of treatment, if they had this information on file.

So, don’t skip out on this doctor’s visit!

Your child may need to get vaccinations for the school year

Everyone has a vaccine schedule. Specifically, children in elementary and teens in middle school and highschool should follow their recommended immunization schedule.

The CDC lists the most common vaccinations a child has to get from ages 0-18. Here are the most frequently required immunizations from schools around the country:

• Meningitis
• Hepatitis B
• Influenza
• Tetanus
• Diphtheria
• Pertussis

What about college physicals?

Colleges also follow similar requirements to the list above. Vaccination requirements might slightly differ from college to college for incoming college Freshman who will be living in the dorms. If you don’t know what’s required for your child’s particular school we suggest that you look on the college’s website for Health Services where the requirements will usually be listed. If not, contact them directly.

Does my child, or my college student,  need to get COVID-19 vaccinated?

At this time, The CDC recommends ages 12 and up to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Although the United States is roughly around 57% vaccinated with at least one of the doses of the COVID-19 vaccines, there are still plenty of people who are not vaccinated.

At this time, only select colleges and universities around the U.S are mandating the COVID-19 vaccine for college students when returning in the fall, although with the Delta variant on the rise, we suspect that these numbers will increase as we get closer to the fall

This state by state list is here.

*And just so you know, the majority of colleges and universities in Connecticut are requiring it.

My child already got a sports physical for camp. Can they skip their school physical?

In short, no. A sports physical only covers the athlete's capability to participate in sports: their physical fitness such as their heart rate, weight, height, flexibility, posture, lungs, blood pressure, etc.

A physical on the other hand, is more comprehensive. You can have both a sports physical and physical done in SAME visit. A full physical will cover sports, and everything else unrelated to sports, like lab work, testing, vaccinations and overall well-being.

Make the most out of your child’s doctor visit by requesting both.

Get your child’s yearly physical at AFC Urgent Care Norwalk

August is the time to get your child a back to school physical.

Many doctors book up months in advance, so getting in to see your regular doctor for a routine checkup isn’t always easy. If you’re looking for a quick, convenient and reliable place to get your child a physical, come see us any day of the week.

AFC Urgent Care Norwalk  is open 7 days a week with extended hours on the weekdays from 8 am to 8 pm and we have weekend hours from 8 am to 5 pm. There is no appointment needed when visiting our center. Just bring your school forms and any sports forms and we'll take care of the rest! We also accept most insurances.