Is it Exam Time for School Children Already?

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While you enjoy the final days of summer, remember that it's also exam time here for your school-age children. Of course, the exams referred to are given in a doctor's and/or dentist's office instead of the traditional classroom, and should take place before or shortly after the start of the new school year. These exams include a routine doctor's exam to confirm that all immunizations are up-to-date, a dental exam and a vision exam.

Vision Exams:
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Bright Futures, 3rd Edition, school age children should be evaluated for visual difficulties at their annual visit and formally screened according to the AAP's recommended schedule.

In addition, the American Public Health Association (APHA) recently reported that one-in-four children in kindergarten through sixth grade has a vision problem. Some studies indicate that 80 percent of learning in children occurs visually; therefore, getting regular routine eye exams should be a major part of the back to school preparation. Undiagnosed vision problems can lead to difficulty with schoolwork, resulting in poor performance.

According to the American Optometric Association's (AOA) 2009 American Eye-Q(R) survey, 60 percent of children identified as "problem learners" actually suffer from undetected vision problems and in some cases have been inaccurately diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

"Having healthy eyes and clear vision can make all the difference in how a child learns and/or performs in class," said Dr. Meyer. "Poor vision can result in lower grades and ultimately lower self esteem."

Dental Exams:
Interestingly, many parents do make sure their child is current on their immunizations and vision exams; but, a visit to the dentist is oftentimes an afterthought. However, when children and teens get routine dental exams, many problems or issues can be caught early and possibly corrected.

The American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) suggest parents take their child to a pediatric dentist as soon as the first tooth appears, or at least by his or her first birthday. And then start the regular routine of visiting the dentist every six months for a dental exam and cleaning going forward.

According to the CDC, more than 51 million school hours are lost each year nationwide because of dental-related illness, and more than half of children aged five to nine have had at least one cavity or filling, with 78 percent of 17-year-olds having experienced tooth decay.

Anthem provides coverage for most vaccines and exams. However, policyholders should confirm their specific benefits by calling the toll-free number listed on their insurance card.

"We encourage our members to make sure their children start the school year off on the right foot health-wise by getting the recommended immunizations, and having their eyes and teeth examined," said Dr. Meyer. "These simple exams are essential for keeping children and teens healthy, letting them focus on other events and activities during the school year."

Dental & Vision Coverage
If your child(s) is one of the millions of school age children in America without either dental or vision coverage, you could learn more about how dental discount cards type-coverage makes paying for dental/vision exams and follow-up care more affordable, visit Dental Discount Cards.