Teaching Elementary School Health Education/Personal Health and Physical Activity/Physical Examinations

A physical examination is a series of tests that measure health status.

Main Points

Physical examinations may be performed by a physician with assistance from other health care professionals.

A person should have a physical examination at least every two years. -Ideally school-age children should have a physical exam each year.

Physical exams are important because they give parents an opportunity to determine their child's growth and development.


A physician should be contacted when a person has any of the following symptoms:

  • Shortness of breathe
  • Loss of appetite for no obvious reason
  • Blood in urine
  • Blood in mucus or saliva
  • A constant cough
  • Swelling, stiffness, or aching in the joints
  • Severe pain in any body part
  • Frequent or painful urination
  • Sudden weight gain/loss
  • Dizziness
  • Any warning signs of cancer
  • Any warning signs of heart attach or stroke