Regular preventive pediatric examination before starting school

During this period, your child intensively acquires new knowledge and skills. Through playing and interacting with other children and adults, he/she enriches communication and builds team spirit, learns about numbers, letters and words. Social development is intense - the child makes new friends and establishes new relationships with the environment. He/she wants to take care of his/her own things and pets independently, practices responsibility and independence, build self-confidence and self-assurance.

Preparing for the visit 

  • Talk to your child about the upcoming visit to the pediatrician and explain to him/her why it is important to properly prepare for school and have a health check.  
  • Bring a book or thing your child likes to keep him/her busy while waiting.
  • Check if you have any medical records of your child that needs to be taken to the pediatrician.

Contents of the preventive visit

Growth monitoring

The child will be measured in his/her underwear and the body height and body weight measurements will be entered in the growth charts (graphs). At this age, the body mass index can already be calculated and the ratio of body mass (weight) to body height can be assessed, which can also be entered in the growth chart.  

Introductory interview

  • The pediatrician will check your child's growth and assess whether he/she is growing in line with the started growth curve.
  • Of course, the pediatrician will be interested in: the child's nutrition, physical activity, interests, behavior...
  • It is important to discuss the possible risks to the child's health, as this is also an opportunity to get a useful recommendation in case some changes in the child's behavior are needed.

Pediatric examination and developmental assessment

  • The pediatrician will perform a regular examination of your child in the usual order: skin, head, nose, mouth, neck, nodes in the neck; then he/she will listen to the heart and lungs, palpate the abdomen, check the condition of the genitals, check the posture. He/she will measure the blood pressure and perform an electrocardiogram.
  • During the examination, you can make observations, ask questions and seek advice.   

Additional examinations

  • At this time, it is necessary to perform a more detailed examination of the status of the senses: sight, hearing, speech development, check the condition of the teeth and the planned protection, check the posture. Therefore, the pediatrician will refer the child to an ear, nose and throat specialist, an eye doctor, a speech therapist, a dentist and a physiatrist.
  • He/she will order a complete blood count and a urine test.  
  • If you already got these referrals at a previous visit, bring the received specialist reports and laboratory findings to the examination.

Vaccination

At this age, your child receives the fifth dose (second revaccination) of the diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (DTaP) and polio (IPV) vaccine as a combined tetravalent vaccine* and the second dose of the trivalent vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR).

Final opinion

The final opinion and health certificate for enrollment in the first grade of primary school will be issued by the pediatrician on the basis of all the data collected as part of the preparation: medical history, clinical examination, specialist reports, laboratory findings and vaccination.  

In the event that a deviation from the usual findings is observed during a more detailed assessment, he/she will continue to monitor and check the child's progress until he/she transfers to the school doctor. 

Your child is about to take a big step in life. Try to understand him/her, respect his/her feelings and try not to pass on your fears to him/her, but rather provide encouragement and support. If you have any doubts, use this opportunity to exchange opinions with health professionals.