With your little ones in school again, it’s time for a return to everything they love about this time of year: seeing their friends and classmates, showing off some stylish new threads, and getting back to the rough & tumble world of school sports! Athletics are one of the best activities a child can do — it teaches them how to work with a team, gets them moving and expending energy, and even shows them valuable life lessons about winning, losing and competition.

And since school sports require a physical checkup before children are allowed to suit up — many parents also feel like these appointments are interchangeable with their pediatric well child visit. But the fact is, both of these visits can serve different, but very useful purposes. Let’s talk about it in more detail, shall we?

What is a sports physical?

First things first, let’s define our terms. A sports physical exam focuses on a review of the child’s overall health status and medical history, with the aim of determining their ability to play a certain sport. Your doctor will usually begin with a short conversation about how your child is doing overall, whether they’ve gone through any physical changes, and any questions you may have in terms of their well-being.

During this visit, the pediatrician will measure several common metrics to see how your child is developing, these include:

Sports physicals are designed to assess your child’s ability to play tennis, baseball, football or soccer, among other activities. And since so many childhood injuries stem from playing sports, it’s absolutely vital to get your child checked out to make sure they’re in optimal physical condition before hitting the field, court, pool or wherever they play.

What is a well child visit?

A well child exam, on the other hand, assesses aspects of the child’s overall physical health, but their mental health, too. This can include:

• A review of the child’s sleep routines, dietary habits, and immunizations
• A series of blood tests including cholesterol and anemia, among others
• A look into the child’s genetic makeup and family history, reviewing any possibility of problems appearing in the future
• How the child is coping with the pressures of school, as well as managing stress and anxiety
• A discussion about their overall mental health and the family atmosphere they’re experiencing at home
• An inquiry into the child’s social life, with suggestions on interacting with their peers

And above all else, well child visits are an important opportunity for pediatricians and patients to establish a unique, trusting bond with one another — teaching the child that they will always have a warm and comforting presence in their lives, who they can lean on for answers, kindness and support, through adolescence and beyond.

So, which should you schedule?

The answer to this is…both! A well-child visit is an excellent way to get an overview of your child’s well-being, but may not include vital checkups necessary for playing a particular sport. So, be sure to schedule an annual well child visit, as well as a sports physical leading up to your kid’s athletic season.

And to help you, all of us at Ocean Pediatrics are proud to offer sports physicals for a flat rate of only $75! Whenever you’re ready, visit us at ocean-pediatrics.com to schedule your child’s exam — our passionate team of expert pediatricians and caring medical professionals will be right here waiting to help get your kid back in the game!