Do you need to schedule a sports physical for your child with Dr. Ayotunde Faweya, your pediatrician in Conroe, TX, at Northside Pediatrics Associates? Sports physicals are crucial for young athletes and help ensure that your child is healthy enough to participate in sports.
How sports physicals protect your child's health
Health problems aren't always obvious. Without a sports physical, you may not know that your child has a heart problem, asthma, a joint condition, an injury that hasn't healed completely, or another issue until he or she experiences a medical problem during a game or practice.
Sports physicals identify issues that could affect your child's safety. Although a severe issue could mean that your child isn't healthy enough to play sports, many issues uncovered during a sports physical can be successfully treated. Once the problem is treated or controlled, your child will be cleared to play.
What happens during a sports physical?
During a sport physical in the Conroe pediatrics office, your child's pediatrician listens to your child's heart and lungs, checks vital signs, and notes height and weight measurements. He'll also take a look at your child's ears, eyes, nose, throat, and abdomen.
Your child will participate in hearing and vision tests during the physical. If any issues are noted, he or she will receive a recommendation from the appropriate specialist.
The exam will include a review of your son or daughter's medical and immunization history, in addition to a discussion about diseases and conditions. The doctor will want to make sure that chronic conditions, like asthma, bleeding disorders, and cystic fibrosis, are properly managed and treated and won't put your child at risk when playing sports. If your child hasn't received a particular immunization, it can be provided during the physical.
An assessment of your child's bone and joint health will also be part of the sports physical. The pediatrician will evaluate your child's flexibility and look for signs of joint instabilities or scoliosis, a condition that causes an abnormal curvature of the spine.
Sports physicals help keep student-athletes safe. Call your Conroe, TX, pediatrician, Dr. Ayotunde Faweya of Northside Pediatrics Associates, at (936) 270-8655 to schedule your child's appointment.