PHYSICAL HEALTH OF TEN‐YEAR‐OLD CHILDREN An Epidemiological Study of School Children and a Follow‐up of Previous Health Care

Abstract

At 10 yr of age, all 223 children in a school district underwent a physical examination and a screening for vision and hearing defects within the school health services. The purpose of the study was to detect health problems of importance for the day-to-day functioning of the child. In 26.1% significant deviations were found. Physical disorders comprised 11.7%, visual defects 11.7% and auditory impairment 2.7%. The vast majority of significant health problems were previously known and in only 4.4% of the 223 children newly detected, 0.9% by the physical examination, 2.7% by the vision screening and 0.9% by the auditory screening. The most frequent health problem was allergy in 13.5%, regarded in 5.4% as functionally important. Minor orthopedic deviations and motor disturbances were common but not often considered to affect significantly the functioning of the child. As a whole, the children''s health was very good and the outcome of the physical examination at this age was not impressive. The physician''s role in the school health system needs to be reconsidered.