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I'm surprised to hear that a blood test is sometimes considered routine for annual physical. And would a routine annual physical check for lung function unless it was mentioned there was a problem? Again surprised.
I'd hate to tell a child we were going to the doc just to make sure everything is fine and "Don't worry, it will be painless" only to have to then tell them a blood draw was necessary. That would be unfair I think.
This rising 6th grader is especially poor at dealing with pain. Getting her flu shots is always traumatic. I surely do hope they don't decide to draw blood for this "routine physical". She's already a bit anxious about the necessary shot and a blood draw takes longer and sometimes they don't get "in" the first time.
With my docs, when it comes to blood work, we have to schedule it in a lab, separately. So it's never a surprise...
Shots, they tell me when I schedule the appt if either kid is due for shots that day.
I honestly don't remember going to the dr every year when i was a kid. I think preventative maintenance is the norm nowadays, and insurance companies PUSH for that annual exam. Not that there's anything wrong with it, we always have questions at our annual physicals for the dr.
I'd hate to tell a child we were going to the doc just to make sure everything is fine and "Don't worry, it will be painless" only to have to then tell them a blood draw was necessary. That would be unfair I think.
This rising 6th grader is especially poor at dealing with pain. Getting her flu shots is always traumatic. I surely do hope they don't decide to draw blood for this "routine physical". She's already a bit anxious about the necessary shot and a blood draw takes longer and sometimes they don't get "in" the first time.
Blood draws will vary by doctor and plan. In my experience they are outside what is typically covered/performed by the doctor. However, I frequently get the blood draw request to take to the lab. Same with my wife.
Now for her OBGYN appointments, they occasionally will require blood and there is a lab onsite.
Best to get over the fear of shots/needles. You never have to like them, but you have to accept them. Just because they take blood doesn't mean that there is something wrong or it's not routine to get your blood levels checked.
I know my cholesterol is being monitored. It's not at a concerning point, but is frequently "slightly elevated". At this point there is nothing "wrong" or any action that needs to be done - the bloodwork helps keep an eye on this from year to year. Kind of like a visual inspection that I take of a couple of moles.
I also completely get about times changing ..... our kids were born 18 months apart and even within that time what was the accepted norm shifted a couple of times ..... which is also another reason I like being in touch with the medical community/doctors, so I can ask about these changes and stay current
I've honestly never heard of annual physicals for kids. I got them in high school just so I could play sports. However, it was mainly just a nurse checking my bp and heart rate. Vision was done because we all have bad vision, and hearing was done in certain grades through the schools.
I get what you are saying, but our schools require copies of shot records so often, we really have little choice. In Kindergarten, 6th grade, and 9th grade. More often if your child plays a sport.
Here there are county clinics where a nurse gives the vaccinations and you don't have to pay for an exam of any kind.
Definately I think children should see a doctor if they have pink eye, strep throat, headaches. One of mine had anisocoria but seemed fine otherwise but I ran him straight to a pedi neurologist.
I've read that there is no difference in longevity between those who go to doctors routinely versus those who go for symptoms.
This thread is really enlightening. I always take my kids for physicals, they are hardly ever sick and I figure a visit at least a year is a good thing. I'm usually curious about some issue or another too so a quick visit is useful.
This thread is really enlightening. I always take my kids for physicals, they are hardly ever sick and I figure a visit at least a year is a good thing. I'm usually curious about some issue or another too so a quick visit is useful.
Plus, it is good that the kids get to know their doctor without every visit being about some shot or problem. Getting to know the staff also goes a long way in making kids comfortable in a medical setting.
I did notice that my sons hated going to the pediatrician once they reached their pre-teens. They didn't want to be in the waiting room with a bunch of babies and toddlers. I think that had something to do with stopping the yearly check-ups on my end. When they had to go back for sports, I found a family practitioner.
When I called to get an appointment for my rising 6th grader her necessary shot I realized this 11 year old child had not been seen by a physician for 3 years. Is that so terrible? Now if she had been sick, or course I would not hesitate to get her ASAP to doc. She had all her well baby checks and shots, what she needed for starting school, etc. But I figure if it ain't broke why fix it. She is growing fine, weighs what she needs to, all systems are working fine, skin clear, no bruises, no aches or pains.
I was told she had to have a physical and could not just get a shot. Well I guess I don't mind but it got me to thinking what do other parents do? Do you take a healthy kid to get a physical just cause somebody says (doctor lobby?) it has to be done every 12 months?
My first 2 kids are well grown and I never had physicals for them unless they were sick of needed it for sports team, etc. And they turned out great. When did this every 12 month stuff start?
I grew up in a military family. We all had annual physicals from the time we were babies. What's the big deal? I still get them and I'm in my 50's. I take my cat in for annual exams too, because I care about him.
Even adults are supposed to get annual physicals. This is what they have been talking about with preventative care and now how insurance companies give 2 free office visits a year I think.
Growing up I always had annual physicals plus if I got sick. Also twice a year to the dentist. Even now as an adult my mom will ask me if I have had my checks.
We've never taken our children for annual physicals...no way..we only go to Docs if we know we have to (broken leg,etc), and even that's been very rare..."Well baby" visits (what I think)) are more like "make the baby sick" visits..especially when baby is already doing fine without them...I see them as just a way for the doctor to line his/her pockets.
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