Important Tests For Kids that Parents Shouldn't Skip

It's tempting to forego certain health tests if your kids don't seem to be having a problem. But even the most attentive parents can miss some common health problems in their kids...some of which can affect everything from behavior to school performance to long-term health.

According to Julio C. Guerra, MD, FAAP, medical director of College Plaza Pediatrics in Randolph, NJ, following are examples of tests every child should get and when:

o Hearing: It's been reported that auditory deficits affect 12,000 newborns each year. Most children have their hearing tested before they're discharged from the hospital at birth, as it's required by many states. "If your child doesn't pass this first hearing test, it's imperative to have them tested within three months to verify the child has normal hearing, since that's when treatment is most effective," Dr. Guerra explains. "Children should have their hearing tested at ages four, five, six, eight and older at yearly physicals or earlier if there are any concerns regarding speech development or recurrent ear infections."

o Vision: More than 200,000 children are born with vision problems like amblyopia (lazy eye), making vision deficits one of the most common pediatric health problems in the U.S. "There is now a new test available that provides a completely objective way to test vision in pre-verbal children as young as six months of age. It's called the Enfant Pediatric VEP Vision Testing System, and it measures the brain's response to help catch vision deficits."

Here is the press release to help families recognize the early warning signs of vision problems in children, an article that was published in an USA Today supplement last year that discusses amblyopia, and finally the Enfant® patient brochure that helps describe the technology in parent-friendly terms.

* Protecting Against Amblyopia

* Enfant Patient Broucher

o Obesity: As obesity is on the rise, it's been estimated that approximately 10% of school-aged children in the United States have high cholesterol and another 28% have borderline levels. As high cholesterol is becoming a more prevalent problem among obese children and adolescents, Dr. Guerra recommends a blood cholesterol screening as early as age two and once a year after that if the child is overweight or there is a family history of high cholesterol.

o Blood Lead Screening: Lead poisoning remains one of the most common causes of reversible mental retardation amongst children. "Children should have their blood tested for lead levels at ages nine months and two years old depending on their local Department of Health recommendations. Those children who live in high-risk areas, such as inner cities should be tested annually from 6 months to 5 years old," says Dr. Guerra.

source: healthdigestnews