Back to school means going back to the doctor. If your child skipped their annual check up last year because of the pandemic, they’re not going to want to miss this. Getting your child a physical before the school year begins is going to help them prepare for the unexpected colds, flu, injuries, and help diagnose any underlying issues that may be lying in wait.
It’s called an annual physical for a reason. You want your child to build a medical file so that incase of the unexpected, a doctor can treat them right away.
Whether your child plans on joining a fall sport or needs to renew their vaccinations, a back to school physical will cover all of this at AFC Urgent Care Worcester.
An Annual physical can build up your child’s medical history
Children and adolescents need to build a medical history for two reasons:
- To monitor their growth and development
- To provide treatment in case of the unexpected
A medical record often contains information like weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, recent vaccines, asthma and any other health conditions. Getting a back to school physical can document all of this making it easier for them to get treatment if there were ever an issue.
Elementary school students may need vaccines during their physical
Depending on your child’s recommended vaccine schedule (ages 0-18), vaccines may be needed during their next physical. A vaccine helps build up your body’s natural immunity to a disease so that it can help prevent them from getting one and/or spreading the disease.
By law all 50 states require vaccinations before enrollment unless certain exemptions are met. All schools want your kids to be safe and to prevent any disease that can spread to others. Common vaccine preventable diseases that schools may require are influenza, meningitis and hepatitis B.
Other disease preventable vaccinations that schools may require for back to school health forms are:
- Tetanus
- Diphtheria
- Pertussis
More vaccine preventable diseases required by schools can be found for each state when getting vaccinated.
If you are unsure of what immunizations are needed AFC Urgent Care Worcester can help vaccinate and answer any questions needed if your child is going to school in another state or country.
Incoming college freshmen will also need vaccines!
Check with the particular school’s Health Services dept’ he/she is attending to find out their vaccination requirements; they are not always the same. Usually the requirements are listed on their website.
Here is a list of the most frequent vaccinations required by most colleges and universities:
- Meningitis
- Hepatitis B
- Influenza
- Tetanus
- Diphtheria
- Pertussis
A COVID-19 vaccine may be required before going back to school
According to the CDC, ages 12 and up are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. It’s currently the best safeguard against COVID-19.
Some colleges and universities are mandating the vaccine as a requirement to help reduce the spread and to protect others. Many colleges and universities in Massachusetts are requiring the vaccine if you live on campus, although with the Delta variant on the rise, we suspect that these numbers will increase as we get closer to the fall.
If you are going abroad, take a look at this list of state to state colleges and universities mandating the COVID-19 vaccine.
Back to school physicals at AFC Urgent Care Worcester
Get your child's physical on your August to-do list. If your primary care doc can’t see your child for months out, come see us instead! Seriously, don’t wait. We take walk-ins 7 days a week with no appointment needed.
AFC Urgent Care Worcester is your number one go to urgent care in central Massachusetts. We can help your child with immunizations, back to school physicals and questions concerning the new school year. We are located at 115 Stafford St, Worcester, MA. We also accept most insurances.
