If your child needs a school or sports physical, Twenty First Century Pediatrics of Willowbrook and Lisle, Illinois provides comprehensive medical and physical exams, as well as the documentation your child’s school or sports program needs to get them enrolled.
School-age children need physicals for entry into school and to participate in sports. These physicals ensure that your child is able to safely participate in gym class as well as sports activities. Physicals can also reveal any potential condition or problem, such as asthma or a cardiovascular issue. Getting regular school and sports physicals from childhood to young adulthood is not only smart but also good for your child’s health.
Parents need to remember, however, that a standard school physical is very different from a sports physical, and your children need both for very specific reasons. Learn the difference below:
Sports physical vs. school physical
In short, a sports physical is an exam that may be required by your child’s school to determine if it is safe for them to participate in a particular sport. That is, it focuses on your child’s well-being as it relates to a specific sport, and it can you help you identify potential health problems that might interfere with their participation. Sports physicals are more limited than a regular physical but more specific when it comes to athletic issues.
In a regular annual school physical, however, pediatrician Dr. Susan Sankari typically addresses your child's overall well-being, including issues unrelated to sports. It is much more comprehensive and should be done according to schedule. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends physical examinations at ages 5, 6, 8, and 10 and then yearly through adolescence. The annual physical also offers pediatricians an opportunity to keep in touch with patients and assess not only their physical development, but also their psychological, and social development. Here’s what to expect when your child comes in for a physical:
1. Medical exam
Dr. Sankari will look into family history for any serious illnesses or medical conditions such as type 1 or type 2 diabetes, asthma, cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, epilepsy, etc. It is unsafe to participate in sports or other rigorous physical activity if your child is experiencing or has experienced in the past:
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Fatigue
- Heart murmurs
When pre-existing conditions are discovered or brought up in the examination, Dr. Sankari can prescribe medication or an improved medication, particularly for asthma.
2. Physical exam
During the physical exam, Dr. Sankari will:
- Measure your child's height and weight
- Take blood pressure and pulse
- Check heart, lungs, abdomen, ears, nose, and throat
- Evaluate posture, joints, flexibility, and reflexes
- Do a urinalysis (usually recommended once during the older teenage years for sexually active boys and girls)
- Check blood count (to check for anemia once or more during adolescence, especially in girls after the onset of menstrual cycles)
Following the exam, Dr. Sankari will either sign the OK for participating in physical activities, or she may request a follow-up exam, additional testing, or specific treatment for a medical problem.
Downloadable Forms
Please complete the downloadable Illionois Required Form for sports and/or school physical prior to your office visit.
Please note: It may take a few minutes to load the forms if you are using a dial-up internet connection. If you are unable to view the forms, you may need to download Adobe Acrobat for free by clicking on the icon below.
At Twenty First Century Pediatrics, our physicals allow your child to safely participate in school or sports activities, while comforting you, the parent or caregiver, at the same time. The next time your child needs a school or sports physical, schedule an appointment with our pediatric specialist in Willowbrook at (630) 920-1800 or in Lisle at (630) 778-8800 or request an appointment online.
