Do people take their children to the GP for regular checkups?

[Cailleachian]

My daughter tends to mild health anxiety and for ages she's been asking when she should get a check up at the docs and insisting that you go for a GP's checkup like you do for a dentist.

I've never taken my post-toddler children to checkups (she's my youngest) apart from my older children when they were about 7 with the health visitor and I think she had one about the same age (she's now 13) but through the school. I've been saying basically that checkups arent a thing, and that you go to the doc when you are actually ill, and the pharmacist recommends it.

Anyway she came down last night with an NHS website that said that everyone under 50 should have a check up at least once every 3 years, and annually for over 65s.

She's basically healthy and doesn't have any specific issues, she just wants a check up from a doc. Is this a thing?

Nope, absolutely not a thing. That's why we have the health visitor and school health checks

In America it is. All kids have a paediatrician and get weighed etc and often have bloods taken to check for things before they go wrong. So she might be influenced by other countries

Nope, I dont. Fat chance of that now anyway considering it's a battle to see a GP when you actually need to.

Not in this house. We only go to the doctor if we are on death's door and over the counter isn't working. The NHS is stretched enough.

It’s one of the “nice in theory” ideas but not something that usually happens.
I was invited for one at 40 by GP. I’m taking 2 year old DD next week but we do have a slight concern about asthma so it’s not really just a random check up.
With a mental health issue though I’d take her on those grounds as these things can spiral in teens and best addressed now. It may be that a reassurance chat makes a difference. Whether you can actually get an appointment however…..

In the UK, no. I lived in the US growing up and yes, we did go probably twice a year. It's big money for doctors to get you in for preventative care.

I grew up in Canada and we went once a year for checkups. Not here though.

Basic checks as small baby then at 2 and before school. It’s assumed when you as parents notice signs of ill health you will take them along.

Sounds like it may be worth taking her anyway and have chat to GP about health anxiety. These sort things better looked at early rather than later and massive issue

I really don’t think ‘check ups’ are a thing. There are 5 yearly health checks available once you turn 40, but otherwise nope.

Never heard of it. HV does their last checks before kids go into school.
Do kids not get a medical when they are about 14 in secondary, eyes, hearing, weight etc?

No. When you’re an adult you can go for regular health checks to keep an eye on cholesterol etc, but don’t you have to take the dc to enough needed appointments??

Nope not a thing here

I see it frequently on America TV shows and just assumed it’s because they pay for their healthcare so they get stuff like that and the drs encourage it for the $$$$

Had she been watching YouTube ? Dd has asked a few times if she needs to go for a ‘shot’. They pick up these American things. I just say ‘we’re not American’

We’ve given up trying to get a GP appointment when I’ll, never mind for a checkup.

If she’s suffering with anxiety, then I would try to get her booked in to talk about that and see what could be done to help her.

She is seeing a councillor at the moment as her MH wasnt good last year, although its quite a bit better now.

The health anxiety ist longer standing, and she's always been a bit anxious around it. I remember her having an absolute meltdown when she was 4 because I refused to take her to A&E when she got stung by a nettle.

I really didnt think GP checkups were a thing, but the NHS website made me doubt it.

Wishful thinking.

Not in this country on the NHS.

Can you ask her to show you what she's read? NHS health checks are offered to older people, but only once every five years or more often if you have certain pre existing conditions.

BUPA do check ups for adults - not sure about teens though.

One of my kids has a liver transplant, another has issues with his bowel and the other acid reflux and Asperger's and nope, no "check ups". We go if they need to see a doctor and for the usual blood tests for the liver transplant child.

It might help if you can clarify what she has read, it doesn't sound like an NHS page.

Was it definitely a legit NHS page? All I can find is that people between 40 and 74 get a health check every five years. So seems pretty unlikely there would be a page saying 3 years?
www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-health-check/nhs-health-check/

No. We don't go to the GP from one year to the next unless there is a specific problem.

If she's already seeing a counsellor, I doubt the GP would do any more.

No

Blimey..its hard enough to get to see a gp when you are actually ill

The only one of mine that see a HCP regularly is DS who has yearly asthma reviews. I think the last time DD2 (12) saw a doctor was 10 years ago when she bit through her tongue.