Back to school! What health checks are needed for a successful school year?

A new school year for many parents means checking their child’s physical health before returning to the classroom. This can include vision and hearing checks and making sure students are up to date on vaccines. Isabel Valdez, an associate professor and physician assistant at Baylor College of Medicine, explains what parents should be on the lookout for to ensure their child has a successful school year.

“A student’s vision and hearing can have a big impact on their ability to learn and retain information. Children may not show or voice their difficulty with hearing or seeing in a way that an adult would,” Valdez said.

The state of Texas mandates that hearing and vision screenings are required for all children of 4 years of age, enrolled in school for the first time and those entering kindergarten, first, third, fifth and seventh grades. Can they hear their teacher clearly? Will they be able to see the board and read instructions?

Vision

For your child’s vision, look to see if they:

• Stand too close to the TV.
• Look too close to their laptop or computer screen.
• Have unexplained headaches after doing intense work or reading.
• State that images are blurry or moving.

“Also, if you see them squinting or rubbing their eyes a lot while reading something on paper or on screen,” Valdez said.

If you notice these signs, get your child’s vision checked by an ophthalmologist or an optometrist. You also can outwardly ask your child if they can see certain objects or words.

Hearing

Valdez says that it may be hard to tell if your child has difficulty hearing due to their earbud or headphone usage but those devices can also offer clues.

“If you can hear what your child is hearing through their headphones, then it’s really loud,” Valdez said. “Be proactive and ask your child if they are having difficulty hearing and why what they are listening to is so loud.”

Based on their response, an audiologist or an ENT physician can help and check their ears.

“It could be something as simple as earwax buildup, but sometimes it could be a sign of something more internal, such as fluid behind the eardrum, or true hearing loss,” Valdez said.

When it comes to your child’s hearing, notice if:

• There are delays in their speech or language.
• Mispronunciation of words. This could be because of how they are hearing a word and could be a sign that their hearing is affected.
• They hear ringing or buzzing.
• They complain of ear pain or feel like they are underwater.

Vaccines

The state of Texas has a list of vaccines students must have before attending school. Valdez suggests checking your child’s vaccine records to catch anything that may be due based on age and the entering grade. When in doubt, check with your child’s pediatrician or family care provider for the recommended vaccines for each age group such as the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, the flu vaccine and the COVID vaccine as needed.

By Taylor Barnes