CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – Want to get ahead and get your back-to-school physicals done early for next school year?
Clay County Parks and Recreation and Ascension St. Vincent’s are offering free school and sports checkups for children and teens ages 4-18.
The event will start at 10 a.m. on Saturday at Hunter-Douglas Park, at 4227 Longmire Road in Middleburg.
A parent or guardian must be present, and an FHSAA form is required for sports physicals.
Willie Roberts, a nurse manager and one of the organizers of Saturday’s event, said it’s never too early for children to be checked by a doctor.
“Physicals are very, very important because a lot of kids No. 1 don’t have insurance to access medical care so we want to identify early any health issues or problems that these young kids may have,” she said. “It’s all about prevention. So the earlier we identify any serious problems, life threatening issues the better the outcomes are.”
The Children’s Medical Center says back-to-school physicals have three key benefits:
- Detecting any issues
- Preventing future health problems
- Monitoring and managing chronic conditions
“We advocate every year that a child should see a pediatrician to be evaluated,” Roberts said. “Especially when we’re talking about physical growth and development as well as emotional. That’s part of the assessment that we’ll be able to do on-site here on Saturday.”
Saturday’s exams will include height, weight and blood pressure measurements. Children will even get a quick eye test.
“When we have healthier kids, they’re more apt to learn better. They’re more apt to integrate with society,” Roberts said.
Parents can get their children any necessary immunizations. Ascension St. Vincent’s asks that you call ahead so they can have those set up and ready to go.
You can call them at 904-308-7558 to set that up or get additional information about health care resources available to you.