Health screenings at school do more for your child than address possible sensory impairments. Testing in schools can also help identify other factors that may be impeding their academic growth.
A school health screening is a chosen day every year or semester where, class by class, all of the students in the school receive a health screening. Sometimes, during these school screenings, unseen issues may see the light of day for the first time.
Stress? Anxiety? Malnourishment, or any other lifestyle imbalance? These issues might not always be easy to spot on a day-to-day basis. Here are a few reasons why we believe school health testing services can help learners shine in the long run.
1. Health screenings may uncover hearing and vision issues
It’s a classic scenario: a teacher notices one student assigned to a seat in the back of the class struggling behind the rest of the pack. One fateful day, they show up with a new pair of glasses and are suddenly excelling.
If a child can’t see the whiteboard, he or she may not be as engaged in class. The same goes for a child who can’t quite hear the teacher—and, in many cases, young children may not be able to articulate the problem to their caregivers. In fact, they may not even notice an impairment at all.
1 in 6 children are victims of poor vision. Is your child among them?
In a traditional, mainstream public school environment, hearing and vision considerations simply aren’t addressed unless the child or the parents are actually aware of the problem. Preventative pediatric healthcare by way of at-school health screenings acts as an intervention during the earliest years of learning.
Hearing and vision screening throughout a student’s academic career provides testing as a right for kids of all backgrounds; as such, no child is left behind.
2. In-school screenings can reveal malnutrition
Malnourishment is an issue impacting children globally, including in the United States. Without adequate nutrition, a child’s development may be delayed, both physically and cognitively. In the short term, eating more the day of an exam can actually improve test scores.
Wellness checks and other physicals provide a window into the health of children who may not have access to these services otherwise. With the issue in mind, schools are then able to invite parents into funded programs, some providing free meals to children during school.
Around 17 million children go hungry in the U.S. alone, and even students who are overweight may not be getting the nutritional profile required they need at home. This safety net, in many cases, can improve academic performance dramatically.
3. Health testing at school delivers across social barriers
Student success has no native gender, race, or income level. All children deserve to succeed, and school screenings ensure that students of all walks of life are invited into a future of health, acceptance, and well-being.
It’s a well-known fact that healthier students are generally more thoroughly engaged with their studies and their peers. They may also be less likely to partake in risky activities like substance abuse, keeping them on-course with their ambitions later in life.
Living in poverty takes its toll on young people, leading statistically to difficulty processing emotions, attention deficit issues, acting out aggressively, and other types of negative behavior. To us, school screenings for things like stress, depression, and anxiety are especially important for marginalized demographics who may be less likely to have access to health services outside of the school environment. That said, all children benefit from interventions of this nature, regardless of background or socioeconomic status.
When emotional challenges are met early and with compassion, learning outcomes may improve significantly, resulting in a calmer, more confident, and more focused student.
School screenings that truly make a difference
Growing up is tough, and poor grades may be an indicator of trouble beneath the surface.
In any of these cases, yearly school screenings can help uncover the real issue.
