HOUSTON – There are some new recommendations for each checkup for children and teens when they visit the doctor.
Doctors at Kelsey Seybold Clinics said because diseases like obesity and HIV are on the rise, it's better to make these changes and catch some of these issues early.
The academy says the change reflects recent updates in practice over the past two years.
The recommendations released Monday in the Journal of Pediatrics include screening all children and young adults age 11 through 21 for high blood cholesterol levels and depression.
"It's just become more necessary now that we're concerned about obesity among children," Debra Cutler, of Kelsey Seybold Pediatrics, said. "They're eating more. They're doing more fast food, less eating at home and just upsizing everything."
Another change is recommending teens age 16 to 18 be blood-tested for HIV.
"To be honest, kids are not always honest with their sexual activity. So it's just a screening test to make sure everything is OK," Cutler said.
The academy also said all newborns should be screened for congenital heart disease before leaving the hospital.