Page 75 - GreenBook
P. 75
Control and Prevention website www.cdc.gov has current information on travel
immunization requirements and disease and travel safety updates.
B. Screening
Various types of tests, to screen your child for possible problems and diseases,
are performed at their well child checkups. The following descriptions will give
you a general idea of what these tests are, when they will be performed and for
what problems we are testing.
1. Audlogram: From the age of 3 years children are tested periodically by
pure tone audiogram for possible hearing loss. They are asked to raise
their hand or nod when they hear tones of various pitches (frequencies) at
several levels of loudness (decibels). You can prepare your 3 and 4 year
olds for this test by playing a game of raising their hand when they hear a
bell ring. Let them know that we will play a game at the office using
"beeping sounds" and that we'll "let" them use our earphones to play the
game. Most 3 and 4 year olds are capable of performing this test but MANY
are not willing so, please do not feel that there is a problem if your child
refuses. You may be asked to bring your child back at a later time when he
feels comfortable enough with us to be tested.
2. Visual Acuity: From the age of 3 years children are tested periodically for
distance vision. When your child is able to identify letters near vision can
also be tested. Younger children are tested by matching letters to a card
they are holding. When children are able we will also test the ability of their
eyes to work together. This is called a Stereopsis test. Older children are
tested with the Titmus Vision testing machine.
3. Urinalysis: Your child's urine will be tested for the first time at 3 years of
age or when toilet trained and periodically thereafter. The urine is screened
for a number of abnormalities.
4. Mantoux Test: At each well child visit beginning at one year of age you will
be asked to fill out a risk assessment sheet to determine your child's risk of
being exposed to tuberculosis. The frequency of testing depends on the
amount of risk. The Mantoux test is used to determine if your child's body is
showing signs of exposure to tuberculosis. The Mantoux test is performed
by injecting a small amount of tuberculosis test material under the skin. In
our office we always place the test on the right forearm, so that we will all
know where to look for any reaction. You will be asked to return to our
office to have the tuberculin test "read" 48 - 72 hours after it is placed on the
arm.
5. Hemoglobin (Hgb): Hemoglobin is a measure of the iron containing
chemical which carries oxygen in the blood. With this test we can decide
whether a child Is anemic and perhaps is not receiving enough iron in his
diet. The test is performed by making a small "prick" on the finger and
collecting the blood in a tiny plastic container.
74