By: Leslie Young, M.D., pediatrician, MemorialCare Medical Group – Lakewood; board member, Miller Children’s Care Network
As families prepare for the return to school, attention often goes to new clothes, supplies, and lunchbox planning. While these are important, one of the most impactful ways to support your child’s success in the classroom starts not at the store, but at your pediatrician’s office.
For Elementary School-Aged Children
Wellness exams for children entering kindergarten through elementary school, typically between the ages of 5 and 11, play a crucial role in preparing them for a healthy, successful school year. These exams include important medical evaluations, such as immunizations, vision and hearing tests, and assessments of physical and developmental milestones.
During the visit, we check your child’s height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, and evaluate important developmental milestones such as speech and language development, motor coordination for writing and playing, ability to focus during class, and behavior in group settings. We’ll also talk about daily routines like getting enough sleep, packing healthy lunches, staying active after school, and adjusting to the structure of a full school day.
These back-to-school wellness exams include vision and hearing screenings, which are especially important as children begin reading, writing, and learning in a more structured environment. Even a mild hearing issue can make it harder to follow instructions, and undiagnosed vision problems may lead to difficulty seeing the front of the classroom or focusing on assignments.
We also review your child’s immunization records to ensure they meet school requirements and are protected against illnesses like measles, mumps, polio, chickenpox, and whooping cough.
As your child moves through elementary grades, we continue reinforcing healthy habits like handwashing before snack time, brushing teeth in the morning and night, choosing nutritious foods, and sticking to a consistent bedtime. These habits help kids stay focused, energized, and ready to learn.
For Junior High and High School Students
For kids entering junior high and high school, typically ages 12 to 18, wellness exams focus on the more complex physical, emotional, and developmental changes that come with adolescence. We discuss the real-world challenges teens often face, such as academic pressure from honors classes or college prep, social dynamics like fitting in or dealing with peer conflict, body image concerns, birth control, and mental health issues such as anxiety or depression. It’s also a key time to make sure your teen is up to date on important vaccines that protect them during adolescence and into adulthood, including the Tdap booster, meningococcal vaccine, and HPV vaccine.
Teenagers often juggle busy schedules filled with school, sports practices, club meetings, and part-time jobs. During the visit, we cover practical strategies for managing stress, getting 8–10 hours of sleep, making healthy food choices even with vending machines or fast food, staying physically active, and creating limits around screen time, including social media use and late-night scrolling.
Many teens appreciate having a private, nonjudgmental space to talk openly. Whether your teen is feeling overwhelmed by schoolwork, struggling with self-esteem, navigating changing friendships, or just wants someone to listen to, we’re here to support them.
If your teen is planning to join a school sports team or participate in physical activities like marching band or dance, we can complete a sports-physical during the visit. This includes checking heart and lung health, flexibility, muscle, and joint strength, and discussing injury prevention, nutrition for energy and recovery, hydration, and the importance of rest days.
For Children with Learning Disabilities
I specialize in helping children facing academic challenges, such as dyslexia and ADHD. These conditions can impact a child’s ability to focus, process information, and excel in a traditional classroom setting. That’s why it’s essential for parents to address these issues early, so that students have the right tools and support for a successful school year. Wellness exams play a key role in identifying potential challenges that might affect your child’s learning, and providing early interventions that can make a significant difference.
Comprehensive Pediatric Care In Your Neighborhood
As a pediatrician at MemorialCare Medical Group – Lakewood, I understand how important it is for children to begin the school year feeling healthy, confident, and ready to learn. Located at the corner of Lakewood Boulevard and Candlewood Street, our health center offers convenient access to pediatric, family, and internal medicine, all under one roof. We also have an in-house laboratory, making it easy to complete blood tests and lab work in one visit.
In addition to my clinical role, I’m proud to serve as Board Chair of the Miller Children’s Care Network, part of Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital. This network connects families across South L.A. and North Orange County with board-certified pediatricians and specialists who have completed additional years of training beyond primary care to focus exclusively on the unique needs of children.
What makes our network unique is the way we deliver connected, high-quality care. All providers in the Miller Children’s Care Network use the same electronic medical record system, allowing for smooth communication between your child’s pediatrician and any specialists they see. This ensures your child receives personalized care, whether it’s a routine exam or a specialty referral. Our physicians also meet strict quality standards — so you can trust your child is in expert hands.
When your child is too sick to go to the doctor’s office and you’re stretched thin, MemorialCare’s “Get Care Now” provides easy access to virtual care right from home. With a 24/7 symptom checker, an AI-powered chat, and a live call center, you can get immediate guidance and expert advice anytime, day or night. It’s a convenient, stress-free way for busy parents to care for their little ones without leaving the house.
To schedule your child’s back-to-school check-up, call (877) 696-3622 or visit millerchildrens.memorialcare.org.
