Comprehensive Pediatric Physical Assessment Checklist: A Guide for Parents

When you take your child to the doctor, he will not only take a record of your family's health history, but do a physical assessment of your child. By checking various important functions and reflexes, your doctor can make a better estimate of your child's health.

Identification

• According to the University of Phoenix, pediatricians must do a physical exam in case certain symptoms have been overlooked in the history or can only be detected manually. A physical exam also presents an overall portrait of your child's health.

Significance

• In his physical exam, your doctor will check your child's heartbeat and reflexes. In addition, he will likely examine the skin, eyes and ears. Your doctor will also feel your child's abdomen and check his temperature.

Considerations

• Not all doctors will perform the exact same physical assessment on your child. If you are seeing the doctor for a specific complaint, he may only check the parts of the body that tie with the illness.