Come August, your child is going to be needing their annual physical to prepare for a new school year. It’s the most important physical of the year and it covers a whole lot more than a sports physical or check up.

And, guess what?! This school year is going to be In-person. So, if your child skipped their physical last year, you don’t want them to miss this. An annual physical will help evaluate your child’s physical health from head to toe.

If you got your child a sports physical for summer camp or summer sports, this does not mean you can skip the back to school check up. Annual school physicals are more comprehensive and will help your child prepare for common sicknesses kids get during the school year. A Full physical will cover all of this at AFC Urgent Care Springfield.

Here’s what you need to know about getting your child an annual physical before going back to school.

A Physical builds your child’s medical record

Did you know that getting a physical is the first step to building your child’s medical history?

By getting an annual physical, especially before going back to school, it allows for your child to build their medical history in the system. Not only will this help detect early health problems, but it will also help you stay informed about your child’s history of past illnesses, injuries or immunization records.

Think about the time you can save for your child when they grow older. If they need prescription refills or they have medical conditions like asthma, it’s all in the system ready for a medical professional to help them get the treatment they need.

Back to school physicals mean more than vaccine shots

It’s not just about you. Vaccinations can help protect your kids, your family relatives and everyone else around them. Life threatening diseases often have unfortunate long term effects. Even if we don’t come into contact with some of these life threatening diseases, we should still take precautions.

Here is a list of vaccinations schools will require for the school year:

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

Everyone has a vaccination schedule. The CDC lists the most common vaccinations a child has to get from ages 0-18. If they skipped a physical in the past year or two, it’s time to get them back on track for their vaccines!

What about college students?

Vaccination requirements can often differ from college to college. It’s also important for them to not miss out on these vaccinations, especially if they plan on living in a dorm. If you don’t know what’s required for your child’s particular school you look on the college website for Health Services where the requirements will usually be listed. If not, contact them directly.

Does my child need a COVID-19 vaccine for school?

At this time, many 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.

Although as of July 28  the United States is around 49% fully vaccinated, there are still plenty of people that are not vaccinated. In Massachusetts, only 63% of the population is fully vaccinated. So, there are still people that are at risk across the state….though we’re doing better than much of the country!

Right now, The CDC recommends ages 12 and up to get the COVID-19 vaccine. You can either have them get one dose of Johnson & Johnson or two doses of Moderna & Pfizer. Ultimately, this is the best safeguard at this time.

My child already got a sports physical.  Do they need a back to school physical as well?

Yes, they do! Sports physicals are not a substitute for an annual physical.

Sports physicals only focus on the athletes health and ability to perform physical activities while an annual physical is more comprehensive and covers a patient's full medical history.

If you didn’t have a sports physical done this summer and your child is planning on doing a fall sport, they can do both a sports physical and annual physical in the same visit.

Bring your child’s health forms before getting them a back to school physical!

Don’t forget to bring their forms with you!

AFC Urgent Care Springfield at 415 Cooley St. #3, Springfield, is ready to answer any questions or concerns regarding physicals, vaccines and fall sports! We are open 7 days a week, 8am-8pm Monday-Friday and also 8am-5pm on the weekends. We also accept most insurances.