Health Checkups: The Essential Screening Schedule From Birth Through Adolescence

If you are a parent, you need to know how and when routine health screening is necessary for your child for proper growth, development, and safety against diseases. If you don’t know, worry not, we’ve got you. Read this article to learn the routine health screening schedule from infancy through adolescence to ensure you make an informed decision for your child’s development. Reach out to us on  https://doralhw.org/contact-us/ for a consultation with the best infectious disease doctors in Brooklyn, New York. 

Routine Health Screening for infants and toddlers (0- 2 yrs of age)  

Screening tests and vaccines are crucial for managing your child’s health because they allow for the early detection of infectious diseases and help to stay protected. Below are the guidelines for children from birth to age 2 for routine health screening from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). You can discuss with your pediatrician to determine the best schedule for your child. However, this plan can guide your discussion and allow you to make an informed decision for your child to stay up-to-date on what they need.  

Routine Health Screening for kids (2-10 yrs of age) 

From 2 to 10 years, these routine health screening tests can be expected: 

Assessment of your child’s weight and height to calculate body mass index (BMI), and plot the measurements on a growth chart. Checking your child’s blood pressure, vision, and hearing by using standard testing equipment.  

You may ask questions, address concerns, and be offered advice on how your child is: 

• Eating: Their eating schedule should be the same, including 3 meals and 2 healthy snacks a day. Children from 2 to 4 years might be picky eaters, so offer a variety of healthy foods for your child to choose from. Kids should be encouraged to try new foods, but don’t force them to eat them. For kids 6 years or older, you should give them 2 1⁄2 cups (600 ml) of low-fat milk daily, or other low-fat dairy products, or fortified soy milk. Make sure to limit foods and drinks that are high in sugar, salt, and fat. Don’t give them more than 4 to 6 ounces of 100% juice per day. Teach your child to pay attention to hunger and fullness feelings. 

• Bathroom habits: By the age of 4, most kids learn how to use the toilet. However, many preschoolers who are trained for potty during the day have a difficult time staying dry all night. It is very common for busy preschoolers to have this occasional daytime accident. If you notice the signs of holding it, encourage them to take regular potty breaks. You can also consult with your doctor if your child is not yet potty trained or previously trained but is having problems now. Bedwetting is also common in boys and deep sleepers, and usually it ends on its own in later years. But if not, you can consult your doctor about the problem.  

• Sleeping: Preschoolers should sleep around 10 to 13 hours a day. Many 4-year-olds may stop taking an afternoon nap, but you should ensure they get some sleep during the day. Kids from 6 years or older should sleep between 9 to 12 hours per night. Lack of sleep may cause behavior problems and difficulty paying attention at school. Set a bedtime that allows them to get enough sleep and have a relaxing bedtime routine. Turn off the TV and other digital devices like mobile phones or laptops at least 1 hour before bedtime. Make sure there are no digital gadgets in your child’s bedroom. 

• Physical activity: Children aged 6 or older should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day. Set limits on their screen time, including TV, video games, smartphones, tablets, and computers. 

• Development: There are some development markers you can check at different ages.
  • By 4 years, most kids are: 

• • • Able to pronounce 4 or more words. 

• • • Able to tell you one thing at least about their day.  

• • • Answer simple questions, like where they keep their crayon in their bag.  

• • • Ask for permission to play with other children.  

• • • Able to comfort others who are hurt or sad. 

• • • Able to adapt according to the place, like at a library or a playground.  

• • • Able to draw a person with 3 or more body parts.  

• • • Able to name some colors. 

• • • Able to catch a large ball mostly.  

• • • Able to unbutton some buttons. 

• • By 6 years, most kids are: 
    • Able to walk heel to toe.  

• • • Able to tie their shoes.  

• • • Able to start reading, spelling, and doing simple addition and subtraction.  

• • • Able to write their full name or short sentences.  

• • • Able to understand some differences between fantasy and reality.  

• • By age 8, most kids are: 
    • Able to show more independence from parents and family members.  

• • • Able to make friends, usually of the same gender.  

• • • Able to look up to their role models, such as actors, professional athletes, or superheroes. 

• • • Able to differentiate between right and wrong.  

• • • Able to enjoy reading.  

• • • Able to solve simple math problems.  

• • • Have longer attention spans and cooperate more.  

• • • Problem solved in a more organized and logical way.  

• • • Do more coordinated tasks like playing football in a team.  

Talk with your doctor if your child may not be able to meet one or more milestones, or if you notice your child may have lost a skill they had before.  

Physical exam:  They perform an exam by checking their heartbeats, lungs, observing motor skills, and talking to your child to check their speech and language development. In some children, as early as the age of 7, they start showing signs of puberty, so they check their pubertal development. A parent or caregiver should be present during these exams.  

Update vaccines: The doctor will check your child for the necessary vaccines under the routine immunization schedule to ensure they receive all necessary vaccines promptly. Make sure you take your children for vaccination from time to time according to their schedule and discuss the timing.  

Order tests:  In some cases, a doctor may check for anemia, lead, high cholesterol, tuberculosis, and other tests, if needed.  

Routine Health Screening for tweens and pre-teens (11-13 yrs of age) 

From 11 to 13 years, these routine health screening tests can be expected, including: 

• Physical health Assessments: Regular physical exam to check the teenager’s growth, weight, and overall physical development. It also allows the doctor to check for conditions like scoliosis, which develops during adolescence.  

• Vision and hearing screenings: Any changes in vision or hearing occur gradually and may go unnoticed without regular screenings. Identifying these issues early helps to manage with the right measures, such as glasses or hearing aids, to support their academic and social success.  

• Mental Health Evaluations: This screening allows us to see how teens handle their emotions and mental health and take timely measures if the signs of anxiety, depression, or other mental health concerns are noticed.  

• Immunization Updates: This screening is used to check that teenagers are up to date with their vaccinations. Vaccines help to protect against serious illnesses like meningitis, HPV, and whooping cough, and help teens to stay healthy as they grow.  

• Screening for chronic conditions: Based on a teenager’s medical history or risk factors evaluation, additional screenings may be recommended, which include blood pressure checks, cholesterol tests, and screenings for conditions like diabetes.  

Routine Health Screening for adolescents (13-18 yrs of age) 

From 13 to 18 years, these routine health screening tests are done, including: 

• Screening for chronic conditions: Based on previous medical history, your doctor may perform screening for high blood pressure, obesity, eating disorders, and, if indicated, hyperlipidemia (excess levels of cholesterol in the blood). A test for tuberculosis may be performed if a teen is at risk of getting infected.  

• Vision and hearing screening: This helps to detect any vision or hearing issues, along with scoliosis (curved spine), if needed.  

• Sexual health screening: When teens are going through puberty, their sexual health needs to be addressed. For girls, they are referred to a gynecologist for their sexual health, while boys will be checked for hernias and testicular cancer, and how to examine their testicles themselves. 

• Mental and behavioral screening: The Doctor asks different questions for behavioral and mental health assessment. Based on the result, doctors provide counseling for risky behavior and other issues, including:  

• • • Sexual activities for fun, which result in unintended pregnancy and STDs.  

• • • Use of alcohol and other substances, including drugs or anabolic steroids.  

• • • Use tobacco products for vaping, smoking, etc. 

• • • Drink and drive. 

• • • Understand the importance of using helmets, seatbelts, and protective sports gear. 

• • • Learn how to resolve conflicts without violence, including how to use words instead of weapons.  

• • • Learn how to solve problems and difficulties at school. 

• • • Importance of regular exercise or physical activity, like playing sports. 

• Vaccines check: By age 13, most teens should have been vaccinated with these vaccines, including: 

• • • Chickenpox vaccine (if they haven’t had chickenpox). 

• • • Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. 

• • • Hepatitis B (HBV) vaccine series 

• • • Hepatitis A (HAV) vaccine series 

• • • Meningococcal vaccine 

• • • Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine 

• • • Polio vaccine (IPV) 

• • • Diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine.  

Other vaccines should be taken as needed, like the flu vaccine, the COVID-19 vaccine, or the RSV vaccine, etc.  

Other than that, if your child has sports injuries, headaches, or any other concerns, your doctor will evaluate them with additional testing and offer the right treatment. 

A routine health screening schedule is very crucial for children from birth to their teenage years because they are vulnerable to many health-related issues and diseases that need to be addressed earlier. Make sure you use the above-mentioned routine health screening schedule to talk with your doctor to make an informed decision for your child.  Need help with routine health screening for children? Visit our clinic in Brooklyn to get professional medical help. Book your appointment now, call us on + 1-718-367-2555 to get treated! Learn more about infectious diseases at www.doralhw.org.   and stay up to date on current health topics and new research, on recent infectious diseases like COVID-19. If you need help, register your information and make direct contact with our doctors at https://yuz88hfiyh7.typeform.com/Doralintake. Or visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212.