Wellness and Health Education

This one is perhaps the most obvious! The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children in grades K-12 have a well-child visit with a pediatrician or family doctor each year. The benefits of an annual well-child visit include prevention, tracking growth and development, the ability to raise concerns, and creating lasting relationships between families and medical providers. 

All insurance providers are required to cover annual well-child visits with no copay. This means that you will not need to pay anything out of pocket. If you do not have insurance, you may qualify to have your child on your state’s Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP). (For more, see here.) If this is not an option, you may want to try asking whether there is a cash rate for well-child visits. 

You should schedule dental visits for your child at least annually, and ideally twice a year. If cost is an issue, you can contact your child’s school district or your child’s doctor to ask for a list of free or low-cost dental clinics. In some cases, it may be possible to sign up for a free dental clinic at your child’s school (this usually occurs on a set date). 

Parents who homeschool should familiarize themselves with the preventative pediatric screenings recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. These screenings include developmental screenings and screenings for depression, as well as vision, hearing, and dental screenings. Some of these screenings may occur during a child’s annual well-child visit; others may occur at the office of a healthcare provider such as a dentist or eye doctor, or even at a public school. 

Every state requires students who attend public school to have specified health screenings. You can find a state-by-state list of screenings mandated for public school students here; take a moment to check the requirements for your state. While these requirements often do not apply to families that homeschool, you should try to meet them anyway. Remember, they were created to promote children’s health. 

Most states require the following screenings during certain grades: 

• Vision screenings
• Hearing screenings
• Dental screenings

Because your child’s doctor may assume that your child is receiving some of these screenings in school, you should make sure they know that your child is homeschooled. Your doctor may be able to do some of these screenings in the office during your child’s well-child visit. Ask your child’s doctor if you need to schedule a separate screening with an eye doctor or other healthcare provider. 

• Under the Make Homeschool Safe Act: Homeschooled children are guaranteed access to both assessments and services to meet their developmental needs. Home educators also have the tools to address their child’s individual concerns.
• Why it matters: Every child has the right to an education that prepares them for an open future, including homeschooled children.

Immunizations are an important public health tool. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) publishes a recommended immunization schedule that lists which vaccines children should receive at which age. For more on vaccines, see Five Important Reasons to Vaccinate Your Child and Common Questions about Immunizations. 

Immunization requirements for homeschooled children vary by state. About half of all states require children that are homeschooled to be immunized, subject to the same requirements and exemptions that apply to other children. In some states, parents who homeschool are required to keep their children’s immunization records on file, similar to state record-keeping requirements for private schools.

We believe that home educators should hold themselves to the highest possible standard when it comes to safeguarding their children’s health, whether or not state mandates require this standard. Our recommendations are as follows: 

1. Follow the immunization schedule recommended by the Center for Disease Control. If you are considering delaying or modifying your child’s immunization schedule, we recommend that you consult with your child’s doctor before making this decision. (If you choose not to vaccinate, you should seek a record of exemption so that if you decide to enroll your child in school at some point, you will already have this on file.)
2. Maintain your child’s immunization records and other health records in a set location in your home. Have your child’s doctor fill out the health examination form your state uses for well-child visits required for students who attend public school (e.g. here) and maintain this form with your medical records as well.

If you homeschool your child, you are the one responsible for ensuring that they are healthy and well. By taking your child to annual well-child visits and keeping records of your child’s medical visits and screenings, you demonstrate that you are a responsible parent. Keeping careful records may also help you answer questions should any arise.