I drove 45 min each way to get a copy of the physical from the pediatrician to give to Chickpea's new school. The secretary just left me a message that the physical is over a year old and has expired. Huh?
Turns out that the pediatrician's office copied the wrong record. My daughter had a physical a few months ago, but they grabbed the May 2012 record by mistake. Still it occurs to me that, while my insurance covers an annual for kids under 12, some families can't afford yearly physicals. If the child isn't due for shots, doesn't have a chronic illness, and doesn't have a history of illness-related school absences, are annual physicals really necessary for school attendance.
Has anyone else ever been told that their school physical "expired" because it was over a year old? Were you able to get the school to accept the "stale" physical?
Thanks to everyone who responded. It is good to know that there are options for families who don't have this covered by insurance. It's a private school so I actually didn't dare grumble to the secretary anyway, but learning that new students are usually expected to have a recent physical puts the situation in a new light.
I hope you don't drive 45 minutes again to get the right copy. Just have them mail it.
Don't feel bad. I moved to another state when my son was in 8th grade, and they made me get him another MMR shot because his first one was just before his 1st birthday. Every other school had accepted it. The doctor gave him the shot then without saying it needed to be after his first birthday. That was REALLY irritating...
Children in my district are not required to have an annual physical. They do need one before entering kindergarten, as well as a dental exam, but that's it.
If you are in public school, they cannot require you do to something you can't afford. If it is a requirement and you really can't afford it, they have to provide it to you or accommodate you in some other way. Public school is free - they can't require you to spend money you don't have.They can give you a hard time, but they can't kick the kid out of school.
It has been my experience that any "new" student has to provide a current physical.
However, every county health department will do them for free. It's a hassle and you have to go wait in a long line and it takes the better part of a day.
But it's free.
Public school IS free - but they have to have current health records on file. It covers them from a liability standpoint as far as their insurance is concerned.
Our kids don't have to have a school physical at all. They just have to be up to date on shots. Yearly school physicals are required for sports. Why can't your doctor's office just fax it to the school so you don't have to drive so far?
Our schools don't require physicals. However, as a medical professional, I do agree with having a time limit. In my work, medical documentation that is older than 6 months is considered not current. We'll ask a patient to obtain more current documentation, even if that requires an appointment.
Physicals in my work also expire in 1 year, as do dental exams.
A LOT changes for a child in the course of a year. I don't think it's too much to ask that a child get a checkup yearly.
Our school does not require an annual physical. I think they required one for Kindergarten. My daughter has not had a physical yearly - she's never sick, no issues, growing normally (more than normally!) so I saw no need.
As others have mentioned, it's only certain years (determined by your state) and when a student transfers. Because of this requirement, when my SD moved in with us we learned that she hadn't had a physical in 7 years (she was 13) despite the fact that she was on my health insurance and we were told that she was getting regular medical care. I guess you can get required immunizations without a physical. Not sure why someone would do that other than being uninsured, but there you go.
Our school system offers $35 sports physicals for high school athletes, who are required to be cleared to play sports each year.
While I'm personally opposed to them annually unless there is a good reason, our school did require them annually for sports (which makes sense I suppose). Otherwise we didn't need them every year (this was private school though).
At my older son's former high school we would get emails about a clinic that offered them for $25 right before school started (most kids needed them for fall sports). $25 seems reasonable though I don't think that included vaccines.
Most schools will let you slide on the "expire" date if you are already enrolled and just waiting for the next appointment but when first enrolling to a new daycare or preschool or for the first time in public school (like Kindergarten) they need a current physical and shot record. Pretty standard. They will take one temporarily that has expired but if they get an inspection and it's too far expired they can be in trouble for letting your child attend.
growing up I had to have an annual for school and sports and of course summer camp programs required them.
My kids are in the same boat for camp and sports, but they didn't require anything other than updated shot record and that was from 2012, but complete so no issue.
so no, physicals weren't required for my boys for school.
BUT Care now and other type of clinics do offer them for summer programs for $15 or less at certain times of the year, so they are readily available if you don't have insurance.
Call the doctor and ask them to fax the correct one to the school nurse.
Yes, New York requires a physical. And requires it for certain grades and new students. If I gave them one that was over a year old I'd be required to obtain a new one.
If you were to have an issue with payment, the nurse would point you in the right direction.
My doctor will just fax that info to the school once I sign a release form giving my permission. I'm sorry you had to drive so far for nothing. Can they just fax or email it instead? My child's school does not require a physical but you do need to have your vaccinations up to date. (Or go through the hoops to get permission if you are a family that does not do vaccinations...but I have no idea what those families do)
Our school system never required a physical, just a copy of her vaccination record.
Our state only requires immunization records, and even then, one may have a 'religious/philosophical' exemption.
For school (public) we just needed proof of immunizations, for sports (middle/high school) we need the yearly physical.
I hope since it was your doc that made the mistake they mailed, or faxed it directly to the school?
My daughter always had to have one annually to be cleared for softball. No exceptions.
I believe where I work the school asks for physicals for K, first, third and 6th. They need to be current. There are free clinics for those who cannot pay/don't have insurance.
My kid's school actually had a pediatrician come out and do a quick well check up for those who lacked physicals from a dr. and had parent permission.
In our district a physical (no more than a year old) is required when a child enters Kindergarten, and then again in 7th grade, and if a student is entering from a different district. A yearly physical is also required if a student wishes to play a sport. If you cannot afford a physical, you are referred to a clinic which provides them free or very low cost. Our schools also require dental screenings and vision screenings (if you don't have one, the school does it for you). Our local preschools provide free dental screenings and vision screenings so most children have completed the process prior to entering Kindergarten.
Once a student enters 6th grade, they have to sign a "physical activity contract" which states that a student must engage in a minimum of 120 minutes of physical activity during school weeks. They have to indicate how they will do so (basketball, soccer, yard work, etc.).
It's annually here as well.
I have never heard of a school requiring an annual physical, just ones for specific events or years. Still if one is required for fifth grade and you give them one from fourth it defeats the purpose doesn't it?
Our school only required one for Kindergarden.
Our general health physicals for kids, are 'good' for 1 year from the last one. So a physical given on Jun 1, 2012, is valid for school, sports, etc. until May 31, 2013.
children need current physicals for k, 5th and 9th grade. at least in the state of illinois. unless they are doing a sport. in which case a sports physical is required. so unless your child is doing a sport then a yearly physical is not required. except in daycare settings.
