4-year check up question

[alison]

Dd has her 4-year well child visit tomorrow. I'm supposed to bring a doctor's report from her school (she's starting pre-k on Wednesday). Of course I just printed out the form and read it. I was surprised to see that they want a urinalysis, hematocrit, and TB test (ok, that last one doesn't surprise me so much). Is this normal??

I'm glad I moved her 4-year shots to Friday, so that she has a weekend to get over them, but does she really need a blood draw and a TB prick to enter pre-k?

Anyone know? TIA

[weeniegeniewife]

Wow, I have never heard of that. Seems a bit excessive to me.

[alison]

I don't know whether to call the school first and ask if she's really required to have all this testing done (the school is pre-k through 5th grade) or talk to the pediatrician about it. If dh is out of work in time, he'll make it to our 5:45 appointment and he can maybe discuss a way to fill out the form. Maybe fill in N/A or something. . I don't know... It does seem excessive to me.

[MrsK]

What are the 4yr shots? I just made an appointment for K1's 4yo exam and they said that he didn't need any shots at that exam.

[alison]

Ask.

Dd's getting at least 3. Tetanus, mmr, and at least one other.

[migirl]

Seems excessive to me, too. None of my kids needed to have any of those tests done to enter school.

[Michele]

D had those tests done at his 4 y checkup in Dallas. He thought it was *soooooo* cool that he got to pee in a cup. The blood draw, not so much. But I think they ran a more complete panel than just a hematocrit.

Shots, we were on a wacky schedule so my kids have had vax at random times.

K (4.5y) has a school physical on Wednesday. No idea what the new doc here does. But I had the doc in Dallas run full labs on him when we were there (2y).

ETA: D wasn't starting school then...he didn't start until the next year....so it wasn't school related.

[SuzySunshine]

School requirements are usually state specific , right? My kids just had to be current on their vax, nothing else.

[Pollyanna]

Those vax she is getting have typically been done at the 5 year visit for us but I think it's also reasonable to do them at 4. The MMR will sting very badly so be prepared for some tears. I would call and ask about the other stuff. Maybe it's a state requirement?

[GreyhoundsRUs]

What Pollyanna said! Here is a handy chart: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/...sch-0-6yrs.pdf


Wife of a PGY-4 Orthopod

[HouseofWool]

Our clinic has this little device that has a cold pack and vibrates that they use to numb the injection site, aptly name Buzzy. Takes about 15 seconds to numb it and the injections are much easier.

[Deebs]

If you're in a state or area that has many who are medically under served, it doesn't surprise me. I'm guessing they're looking for undiagnosed diabetes and other chronic issues. In IL, every child must have a dental exam before Kindergarten entry and before report cards are released each year. The ADA has a good stronghold there, and it has helped facilitate more free dental clinics.

[poky]

If hematocrit's the only thing they need blood for, do they really need to do a draw, or can they just do a prick and capillary tube(s), like they do when you give blood? I was always borderline on the drop test when I gave blood, so they always had to spin mine, and they just get a few tiny little tubes and put it in the centrifuge right there in front of me.

[spotty_dog]

School requirements are usually state specific , right? My kids just had to be current on their vax, nothing else.

It's not a state requirement. It might be school or county specific though.

[alison]

Thanks for your insights. I'll call the school this morning. Can't help to ask.

Just called, and was told to ignore the urinalysis, Tb and hematocrit testing. It's for the doctor to fill out IF the information for those tests is available (ie dd already has had those tests for whatever reason and they're applicable to her). SO confusing!