Mayo Clinic pediatrician gives health advice to parents

What you should know about your child's appointment

With school starting you have a checklist of things you need to get done. Don't forget your child's physical.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It's time for back-to-school physicals, and not just because of the mandatory paperwork every child needs to attend school.

That's what Mayo Clinic pediatrician and family medicine physician Alva Roche'-Green told Alicia Booth on "The Morning Show" Saturday.

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Roche'-Green said it's important to make sure kids' vaccines are up to date.

She said the ages most likely to need new vaccines or boosters are 4, 11 and 12.  

She also recommended college-bound students get the meningitis vaccine.

The back-to-school physical is not just about vaccines, though.

"Also for us to give out some health physical information about healthy eating and healthy lifestyle," she said.

Roche'-Green said pediatricians can help spot issues that may affect a child's ability to learn.

"If a child's not hearing well or seeing well, we want to catch those things before they get behind in school," she said.


About the Author

Storytelling is at the heart of what Alicia loves most about television news and she is thrilled to be a part of the News4Jax team.

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