Your Family's Back-to-School Health Checklist: Everything to Schedule Before the First Day

As the new school year approaches, parents have a lot on their minds, from finalizing class schedules and shopping for supplies to coordinating after-school activities. Amid the back-to-school rush, it's easy to put healthcare on the back burner.  August is one of the best times to make sure your family is ready for a healthy year ahead.

Whether it's scheduling your child's pediatric checkup, catching up on immunizations, getting a sports physical, or establishing care with a pediatric primary care provider, checking these items off your list now can help prevent unnecessary stress and unexpected illnesses once the school year is in full swing.

 

Schedule Your Child's Pediatric Checkup First

One of the most important items on your back-to-school health checklist is scheduling your child's annual pediatric checkup. Even if your child seems healthy, these routine visits help your pediatrician

• Monitor growth and development
• Review milestones
• Discuss nutrition and sleep
• Address any concerns before they become bigger issues

Following the pediatric well visit schedule also gives you the opportunity to make sure your child is up to date on recommended screenings and ready for the school year ahead.

During a pediatric checkup, your provider may review your child's…

• Height and weight
• Vision and hearing
• Blood pressure
• Developmental progress
• Overall physical and emotional well-being

If your child plans to participate in school sports or other extracurricular activities, this is also a great time to complete any required physical forms and discuss injury prevention, nutrition or other age-specific health concerns.

Scheduling your child's annual wellness visit before school starts can also make life easier for parents. Appointment availability often becomes more limited once the school year is underway, and addressing routine healthcare needs now can help reduce missed class time and unexpected trips to the doctor later in the semester. Call 817-735-2363 to schedule an appointment with our pediatric clinic in Fort Worth before the rush.

 

Make Sure Immunizations are up to Date

As children head back into classrooms, sports teams and extracurricular activities, they're spending more time in close contact with classmates and teachers. Staying current on pediatric immunizations is one of the most effective ways to protect your child from vaccine-preventable diseases and help keep schools and communities healthy.

Depending on the time of year, your pediatrician or primary care provider may also recommend a pediatric flu shot to help protect against seasonal influenza.

 

Don't Forget About Teenagers

As teens become more independent, it's easy for annual checkups to fall off the family's radar, but adolescence is a time of rapid physical, emotional and social development, making regular preventive care just as important during the middle school and high school years.

Whether your teen sees a pediatrician or a family medicine provider, an annual wellness visit gives them the opportunity to discuss topics that become increasingly important during adolescence, including nutrition, sleep habits, mental health, sports participation and healthy lifestyle choices.

For older teens preparing for college or transitioning into adulthood, now is also a great time to establish care with a family medicine provider. Family physicians care for patients through every stage of life, making them a trusted partner as your teen becomes a young adult and begins managing their own healthcare. To schedule with a family medicine provider, call 817-735-2228.

 

Healthy Skin for a Healthy School Year

Healthy skin plays an important role in your child's comfort and confidence at school. While occasional scrapes and bug bites are part of growing up, ongoing skin concerns shouldn't be ignored. If your child is dealing with acne, eczema, warts, recurring rashes or another skin condition, a visit with a dermatologist can help identify the cause and recommend treatments that fit their age, lifestyle and daily routine.

Back-to-school is also a good time to check in on your child's skin health, especially if they've spent the summer outdoors. If you notice a new or changing mole, a spot that won't heal, or a rash that doesn't improve, it's worth having it evaluated by a skin specialist.

Whether your child needs help managing a chronic skin condition or you're simply looking for expert guidance, a dermatology clinic can provide care for patients of all ages. To schedule with a UNT Health dermatologist, call 817-735-7625.

Student Athletes, Musicians and Dancers Need Specialized Care too

School activities place unique demands on growing bodies. Whether your child is training for a sport, rehearsing for marching band, dancing several hours a week, or preparing for a theater production, repetitive movements and long practice sessions can increase the risk of overuse injuries.

Our providers offer specialized care for students with a wide range of activity-related injuries, including osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) to improve mobility, reduce pain and support recovery through hands-on treatment.

We also offer Performing Arts Medicine, a unique service designed specifically for musicians, singers, dancers, actors and other performers. By understanding the physical demands of each discipline, our team can create personalized treatment plans that help students recover safely and continue doing what they love.

To schedule with UNT Health’s OMM clinic, call 817-735-2235.

 

Don't Ignore Ongoing Health Concerns

The start of a new school year is a fresh beginning, but it can also bring health concerns that have lingered throughout the summer. If your child or teen has been experiencing frequent headaches, recurring stomach pain, seasonal allergies, asthma symptoms, anxiety or trouble sleeping, don't assume they'll simply "grow out of it" or that the problem will resolve once school starts. Persistent symptoms can affect concentration, attendance, academic performance and overall well-being.

Your child's pediatric or family medicine clinic is a great place to start. They can evaluate symptoms, recommend treatment and determine whether additional testing or a referral to a specialist may be helpful.

For example, ongoing abdominal pain, chronic reflux, constipation, or other digestive concerns may warrant an evaluation by a gastroenterologist. While persistent anxiety, mood changes or sleep difficulties may benefit from additional behavioral health support.

 

Care for the Whole Family

Back-to-school season is the perfect time to invest in your family's health, not only for the first day of school, but for the entire year ahead.

For assistance scheduling with any UNT Health primary or specialty care clinic, call 817-735-3627 or visit us online at unthealth.edu/patient-care/