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?

@CorrBlimeyGG

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.

It was defo an NHS page she showed me, but I didnt read it too closely. I cant find it on a google, similar to the above, I;m finding healthchecks for over 40s.

Will ask her to find it again when she comes in.

As much as she may well be physically well, she's clearly indicating that she is in some mental distress.

Has she discussed her health anxiety with her counseller? CBT is more commonly used to manage health anxiety rather than counselling, so this is something that needs addressing directly.

No, and I don't think for a second a GP would even see you if there was nothing specifically wrong with you. Even when there is, it's bloody hard to be seen face to face.

I think it's a great idea but unfortunately there's no way it would happen in the U.K. I can't even get bloods done for a possible serious issue let alone ask for them doing for nothing.

When my older ones were babies our health visitor held baby clinic every Friday and it was so useful. Even that doesn't seem to be a thing anymore!

All a health check would be is measure blood pressure, check cholesterol, and calculate BMI and ask about your diet, alcohol intake and level of exercise. Unless you are the kind to have a fried breakfast every morning and declare that is healthy eating, it is unlikely to tell you anything you don't know.
She could just ask for a check of her blood pressure and cholesterol from a nurse. Ordinarily I might suggest buying a blood pressure monitor, but probably not a good idea for someone with healthy anxiety.

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 needs to show you the page because I suspect that it’s much more precise than just ‘a check up every 3 years’
There ARE some guidelines, depending on age, on having check ups.
Eg you can get some ‘healthy heart’ checks (blood test) every 3 years but I have never seen them advertised at all (the only reason I know about them is because my go used that as a loophole to check something specific I was asking for)
Obviously you have the usual smears etc….

As far as I know, there are NO regular check ups needed for under 50yo or over 65yo.

You can get a check up if you go to a private GP if you want to pay for it bit it really isnt a thing here.

Every 5 years once you turn 40, I think is advertised by NHS - although we've only ever had one check up and I'm 57 & DH is 60. You don't get invited from our surgery! Ironically the one I did have was initiated by the nurse questioning me when I DD for her flu jab. She started off asking if I was having one as well (as DDs carer) and once she called up my records she asked about an over 40's check up. She took an armfull of blood on the spot and told me to book a follow up appointment for 3 weeks time. So if you never go to the surgery because you are fit and well then you don't get a check up. Which considering it is designed to pick up all those silent health conditions is ironic.

No. DS hasn't been in a doctor's surgery since he had his pre school booster jabs, he's 8 now.

5 years from 40 if you aren't attending for other reasons, more frequently from 70 if you haven't gone for other reasons (most 70+ will be having check ups for something so rarely needed specifically)

Health anxiety is such a debilitating disorder. Hope you can find what you need. Adult DSD has health anxiety, the GPs provides plenty of reassurance that it's better to get an appointment than to worry.

It only really dies down when everything in life is going well. Horrible disease.

No, when my children were youngies, I only visited a GP, if absolutely necessary. I don't believe in cluttering up the doctors waiting rooms, for little simple ailments. On two occasions , years ago, when my two children were a bit poorly, our doctor came to the house to check them over.

On occasion, the older doctor came to our house, because I told him that my son, then aged four, was not eating much, had lost some weight, and had swollen glands in his neck,, the doctor then straight away, phoned up the children's hospital, ( it was a new years eve), We had to take my son to the hospital straight away.

The doctor did not say at that time, what he thought was wrong, so as not to worry us. My son was checked over and had tests the next day, and it turned out that he had glandular fever, with a swollen spleen and other things, We found out later, that the doctor was thinking along the lines of leukemia symptoms, but thankfully it was not this.

I myself never have check ups, I haven't been to the GP'S for about 30 years now, I AM 79.

Absolutely not a thing, though it might be in America. I’ve had American friends talk about well child visits and regular trips to named paediatricians and be baffled that we don’t do that.

One of my children, aside from vaccinations, has had a checkup from a GP at six weeks, one health visitor visit as a baby and one as a toddler and a GP visit at a few months old for an illness. That’s the entirety of their contact with the NHS/health system after leaving hospital as a newborn and they are at school now. They are fine. Their sibling more than makes up for their lack of NHS usage.

I can’t imagine in current circumstances your GP wants to spend time on check ups for otherwise well children, hard enough to get an appointment for a sick one!

We live on the continent in Europe and where we are all children are assigned a paediatrician at birth till age 14. They have an annual check where height weight eyesight, bone structure etc is all checked out.

I haven’t googled to find a link but I’m sure I’ve seen something about the NHS offering checks to people of any age provided they’ve had no nhs input in a couple of years.

DD has seen a GP twice in her life and she’s nearly 4. Haven’t seen a HV since ours retired when DD was 9 months old, and she’s seen the nurse for all vaccinations. I don’t have any concerns about her or her health, but I do sometimes think it would be really easy to fall through the cracks.

I’m American. It’s not neglect in the sense of having your children removed, but taking your children to the pediatrician at least once a year is taken very seriously. It’s also next to impossible to avoid because they won’t fill out mandatory medical forms for school, child care or camp if you aren’t seen once a year.

Nope. My DS is 14, and aside from the routine baby clinic stuff, has been to the GP a grand total of three times in his entire life!

Definitely not. My 11 year old has seen a doctor once in her life outside of routine baby stuff (they got regular checks as babies by a paediatrician in the country we lived at the time). It was for an ear infection.

taking your children to the pediatrician at least once a year is taken very seriously.

In a country with no national health service that's hardly a surprise is it. Every time they see a well patient they are quids in. They will be putting thousands of people through unnecessary invasive procedures because regular screening of the well will pick up lots of false positives. If it was beneficial the NHS would do it but they don't, we only screen where there is evidence that the screening is of benefit.

I was invited for a 'well woman' type check up when I turned 50.
No other check-ups before or since, and I never heard anything after the 50 one, so assumed no news was good news!

@JaninaDuszejko

taking your children to the pediatrician at least once a year is taken very seriously.

In a country with no national health service that's hardly a surprise is it. Every time they see a well patient they are quids in. They will be putting thousands of people through unnecessary invasive procedures because regular screening of the well will pick up lots of false positives. If it was beneficial the NHS would do it but they don't, we only screen where there is evidence that the screening is of benefit.

Also American, and to be fair, growing up I never received any tests or screenings unless I was feeling unwell or came with a concern. Yearly visits were more to make sure growth rate was on track, to receive all the needed vaccinations, and to monitor any existing conditions (for example, I had an asthma diagnosis that usually didn't bother me; however, it was beneficial to discuss it with my pediatrician every year to make sure it wasn't getting worse year-on-year). And if a regular check-up coincided with a necessary sports physical, for example, the doctor could provide that too and complete the forms. It also created a relationship with a trusted adult to whom I could flag any new issues, for example, if I had a low mood or some other personal problem. I have a school age son now who sees his pediatrician twice a yearonce for his annual check up, and once for his flu vaccineplus any other appointments as the need arises. I think it's a beneficial relationship and a good system, personally.

It’s true in Europe. There’s no GP for kids, you have a paediatrician who sees them annually to monitor them and for all their routine health problems. Like a lovely GP surgery all set up just for kids, waiting room with toys, everything kids friendly. Was great actually, mine loved theirs and they really did a great job and seemed to love doing it. Great for mental health for kids and parents. Far less stress. Mind you, they also had a test for strep throat (just like covid test but less invasive) in less than an minute you would know if a sore throat needed antibiotics or not and get on with your day. Easy to make appointment, done and dusted, right treatment in place. Paid for by insurance.

Bless her, she sounds anxious about something, hope you get the bottom of it. I had similar with one of mine who kept seeing the cancer support adverts on tv and his mind went wandering.

It the UK it is not a thing.

If it was beneficial the NHS would do it do you really believe that? @JaninaDuszejko that’s an incredibly naive comment. Prevention and early diagnosis is always the best approach.