Pediatricians Call For Children To Get More Screenings During Check-Ups

A leading group of pediatricians is calling for children to get more screenings during routine check-ups. Some of the tests may not sit well with parents.

The additional screenings are meant to improve children's health, but may also be a lifesaver for parents. The updated recommendations include screenings to see if children have high cholesterol.

The Academy of Pediatrics recommends children ages 9 to 11 be tested. Doctors say identifying children with high cholesterol may help them identify parents who are at risk of heart trouble.

It's now recommended teens as young as 16 to get an HIV screening at least once. Studies have shown about 25 percent of new HIV infections occur in 13 to 24-year-olds and about 60 percent of teenagers who are infected do not know it.

Drugs and alcohol also made the list. A questionnaire given by doctors to teens would ask things like, "Have you ever been in a car with someone who was intoxicated?" Or, "Do you use drugs and alcohol to relax, or fit in?"

It's also recommended children as young as eleven be screened for depression since suicide is a leading cause of death for adolescents.