Your back-to-school medical checklist for kids and student athletes

Monday, August 6, 2018
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The back-to-school checklist should include a doctor's visit for a physical and to make sure kids are up-to-date on vaccines.

Also, it's recommended kids get a comprehensive eye and vision exam at least once a year. You want to make sure they can see clearly so they can learn.
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A few weeks before school starts is a good time to slowly start adjusting sleep and wake-up times and it's also time to talk about screen time.

"Summertime is a big time to be playing on the iPads, video games and watching a little more TV than usual. You do want to try and scale back on some of that and start talking about guidelines as the school year comes around," said Dr. Tina Ardon from the Mayo Clinic. "If your child plays sports, it's also good to talk to their doctor or their coach about doing a baseline concussion impact test."

Screening for potential heart problems can also help detect rare conditions. If you're concerned, talk to your healthcare provider about what's best for your student-athlete.
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