Teaching Elementary School Health Education/Personal Health and Physical Activity/Physical Examinations

A physical examination is a series of tests that measure health status.

Main Points

Physical examinations may be performed by a physician with assistance from other health care professionals.

A person should have a physical examination at least every two years. -Ideally school-age children should have a physical exam each year.

Physical exams are important because they give parents an opportunity to determine their child's growth and development.

A physician should be contacted when a person has any of the following symptoms:
 * Shortness of breathe
 * Loss of appetite for no obvious reason
 * Blood in urine
 * Blood in mucus or saliva
 * A constant cough
 * Swelling, stiffness, or aching in the joints
 * Severe pain in any body part
 * Frequent or painful urination
 * Sudden weight gain/loss
 * Dizziness
 * Any warning signs of cancer
 * Any warning signs of heart attach or stroke