The U10 examination of your child – that’s done

Your child is now attending school . Now would be a good time to carry out the additional preventive U10 check-up. The optional preventive appointments U10 and U11 are intended to close the relatively large gap between U9 at the age of five and J1 between the ages of 12 and 14.

The costs of the U10 check-up are not borne by all statutory health insurance companies or are only covered as part of a bonus program. You currently have to reckon with around 50 euros for the additional check-up appointment. If the pediatrician finds any abnormalities, further examinations will be paid for by the insurance company. Just ask your health insurance company whether the U10 is part of their offer.

Instead of the yellow check-up booklet, you will receive a green check-up booklet from the U10, in which all the results of the optional check-ups are entered. These include the U10, the U11 and the J2 between the ages of 16 and 17.

What is examined in the U10 examination?

The focus of the U10 is on possible developmental disorders that are not always noticed at first glance in everyday school life. A reading and spelling weakness or ADHD can be recognized early and treated accordingly. In addition, physical development is also thoroughly assessed to ensure your child is healthy from head to toe:

• sight and hearing test
• Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• blood pressure measurement
• urine test
• blood cholesterol level
• If necessary, booster vaccinations against tetanus and diphtheria

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Behavioral problems can indicate Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD for short. According to a representative estimate by the Robert Koch Institute from 2007, around five percent of children between the ages of three and seventeen suffer from ADHD. Boys are affected four times as often as girls. Typical symptoms of ADHD include:

• lack of concentration
• Strong urge to move
• Inconsiderate, impulsive action

At the U10, your child will be examined for the presence of ADHD in a conversation and using a special questionnaire.

Check at the U10 examination: Does your child suffer from dyslexia or dyscalculia?

The pediatrician will take a closer look at your child’s reading and spelling skills at the U10. Difficulties in this area can, but do not have to, indicate a reading and writing disability (LRS), also known as dyslexia. An estimated five to ten percent of all children are affected by LRS. Indications of a possible LRS are, for example, frequent interchanging and omission of words in the sentence or slow and halting reading with many pauses.

The doctor will also get an idea of ​​your child’s arithmetic skills. Signs of arithmetic weakness, or dyscalculia , include difficulty with even very simple arithmetic problems and a general understanding of numbers.

If you find that your child has difficulties in these areas, despite extra exercises at home, you should use the U10 or simply consult a doctor. If recognized early, LRS can usually be successfully treated and you save your child a lot of frustration and trouble.

The pediatrician will also talk to your child about general problems in everyday life in order to get an impression of the social and emotional development. If you have any problems, he can certainly give you some tips.