As it does every year, this summer is bound to fly by. Today you are out enjoying the sun, taking the kids to the beach, but before you know it, it will be time to stock up on pencils, rulers, and notebooks and send them right back off to school.

Before you get caught up in the back-to-school hustle and bustle, don?t forget to schedule your children?s school physicals with the family doctor.

School physicals present the perfect opportunity to discuss your children?s health and development with their pediatrician, especially if you visit the same doctor year after year. Establishing a good relationship with the doctor is essential so that he or she is familiar with your children?s medical history, past injuries, and can follow their progress over the years.

Between the ages of two and five, annual physicals are extremely important. Before a child starts kindergarten, their doctor will make sure they are up-to-date on all vaccinations and immunizations required by the school. Everything from the measles, to tetanus, to polio, to rubella should be covered. While the flu vaccine is not mandated for public school entry, it is always recommended.

Annual physicals are just as important for students reaching adolescence. The doctor can discuss with your child topics like puberty, healthy lifestyle choices, sex, drugs, and drinking. The doctor can also monitor your child?s mental health as he or she goes through all of these big changes.

Student athletes are also required to have sports physicals every year. The doctor will determine whether or not your child is physically capable of participating in his or her particular sport.

Your child?s health care provider will also be your ally in promoting healthy values and the importance of living a safe lifestyle. Annual school physicals give you, as a parent, the peace of mind that comes with knowing you are raising a happy, healthy child.