As we prepare to send our children back to school, one of the most important things to do is to make sure that they are having a healthy start to the school year. How can you do this? Easy, by making sure your child has had their back-to-school health check. Yes, these visits routinely focus on the basic physical, they also help set the tone for a child’s overall wellness, focus, and performance during the school year. 

We all know that children grow and change quickly. These annual health check-ups help to ensure that a child is meeting their developmental milestones, are up to date on immunizations, and addressing any health, whether physical or mental, concerns before they impact their learning or everyday life. During a physical screening, a child’s doctor can detect vision or hearing issues that may affect classroom performance, identify potential concerns, provide an opportunity to discuss mental health, and even ensure that sports physicals are complete for student athletes.  

Before scheduling your child’s back-to-school health check, ensure that you bring school forms as many schools require specific health documents, prepare questions you may have about your child’s sleep, nutrition, behavior, or learning abilities, and be sure to keep a copy of all health record for your files.  

A child’s back to school health check is more important than you may think, it’s an investment in your child’s academic success and overall well-being. Stay one step ahead by addressing any physical, mental, or developmental needs now, because in hindsight you’re giving them the tools for a healthy and productive school year. 

What Happens at a Back-to-School Health Check? 

During a back-to-school health check your child’s doctor will focus on these key areas:  

1. Immunizations and Vaccines: Your child’s provider will review their vaccination record and recommend any necessary vaccinations. This also include required school-entry vaccines and optional, yet beneficial ones, like the flu shot.  

1. Vision and Hearing Screenings: Having clear vision and hearing are essential to a child’s growth in the classroom. Impairments can lead to difficulty learning, even mild cases. Early detection can make a difference in academic success. 

1. Growth, Nutrition, and Physical Activity: Your child’s height, weight, and BMI will be measured to monitor healthy growth patterns. At this time, you can also discuss your child’s diet, hydration, and age-appropriate physical activity.  

1. Mental Health: Starting school or starting a new grade can be stressful. Your child will be screened. For anxiety, depression, or other emotional challenges and your provider will recommend resources if needed.  

1. Sports Physicals: If your child participates in sports, this evaluation can identify any limitations and provide guidance on injury prevention.  

In addition to your child’s back-to-school health check, help your child start the year strong by establishing a consistent bedtime routine, encouraging daily physical activity after school, limiting screen time before bed, and offering healthy, balanced meals and snacks.  

The American Foreign Service Protection Agency (AFSPA) encourages families to schedule their child’s back-to-school health check. Those enrolled in our Foreign Service Benefit Plan (FSBP) have access to these services listed below:  

HOW AFSPA CAN HELP 

As a member of the Foreign Service Benefit Plan (FSBP), you and your dependent child(ren) also have access to Brightline, a virtual mental health service for kids and teens. Brightline offers multiple coaching programs for a range of ages to help the transition back to school. Learn more about their coaching programs here.  

The Foreign Service Benefit Plan has six different programs to help you with your mental health. Check out each program here. If you want to know more about coaching compared to therapy, check out our recent podcast with Teladoc Health on our YouTube channel.  

 On the most recent episode of AFSPA Talks, we discussed multiple back-to-school topics with Brightline. Check out that episode here.   

Routine immunizations are covered if you’re enrolled in AFSPA’s Foreign Service Benefit Plan (FSBP). FSBP covers immunizations and well-child visits at 100% when you visit an in-network provider or any provider outside the 50 U.S. FSBP has no age limitations on Influenza and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines. To learn more about this coverage, refer to.