Encouraging Healthy Living

Physical Examinations by a Pediatrician or Medical Home

Many parents take their young children for complete physical examinations every year.  These examinations include an assessment of the child's health and development by a licensed health practitioner or advanced practice nurse.   As children get older they are often only seen when they are sick or injured.   This type of visit to the doctor is not a complete physical examination.

The New Jersey Department of Education as well as the State Health Department requires every student who enters Highlands Elementary School have a complete Physical Examination upon enrollment.    These agencies also recommend that all children have a complete physical examination at least once during each of a child’s developmental stages. These stages are defined as early childhood (pre-school through grade 3), preadolescence (grade 4-6), and adolescence (grades 7-12).  

It is suggested that when a child has a routine physical examination that a report of this be given to the school nurse to record on the child’s health record.   This helps identify any physical problems that may interfere with his/her learning potential.    The doctor or nurse practitioner is asked to certify that the child free of communicable disease and able to fully participate in the school program. A Physical Examination form can be obtained by calling the nurse or downloading it from this web site.

A full assessment of a child’s health at the prescribed intervals is one way to address any road blocks to a child’s continued well being.