Have A Very Healthy New Year!

Don’t give up. Making small changes that become regular habits is the key to a healthier 2006.

Keep Up the Checkups

Until age 5 or 6, most kids make it to the doctor for recommended checkups. Infants and toddlers come in for immunizations, and most schools require a physical for kindergarten entrance, says child wellness specialist Ravinder Khaira, M.D. After that, however, some kids fall through the cracks.

Unless your child recently had a pre-participation physical for sports or summer camp – or you always schedule your children’s annual physicals – it’s probably time for an annual checkup.

“It’s the kids who don’t come in for sports physicals and camp physicals who need them most. They tend to be more sedentary,” says Khaira. Help your child make a list of written questions for the doctor, and bring it with you, he advises.

The appointment is a good time to talk about forming healthy habits, Khaira adds. “Children are impressionable. You can teach them fairly early in life and help them form habits that last a lifetime.”