Health Requirements

The New York State and New York City departments of health have requirements for medical examination and immunization for all children in childcare and school settings. These are the requirements:

IPS's health requirements are subject to change based on the guidance of the New York City Department of Health (NYCDOH) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Medical Form

You must give IPS a completed Child & Adolescent Health Exam Form (PDF) for each child each year before the child can come to school.

Call your pediatrician's office and ask if they want you to provide the form to them. If yes, go to Step 2. If no, skip to Step 5. Try to do this before August, when they get overwhelmed by school forms.
Download the form and print it.
Complete the top part for parents and guardians.
Give the form to your child's doctor's office. Also give them a self-addressed, stamped envelope to easily mail the form back to you.
Make sure the form is signed and dated by the doctor. It's OK if the immunization record is provided on a separate page or if the doctor's office uses their own examination form.
Send a sharp scan or photo of the form to [email protected], or hand-deliver or mail a copy to IPS. Keep the original.

All students entering a New York City school must have a complete physical examination and all required immunizations:

Physical examinations and screenings: All children shall receive a complete, age-appropriate medical examination within one year of school entry. For children 2 years and older, an annual exam is required, including but not limited to:

physical exam
development assessment and history
nutrition/allergy assessment
if indicated, screening tests for dental, vision, and hearing

Immunization: All children shall be immunized, unless there is a medical reason. Immunization is mandated by law. The New York State immunization requirements are linked to above.

IPS will maintain medical records for all children and staff.

Frequently Asked Questions

1) How often do I need to submit a medical form?

The NYC Department of Health requires all children to submit documentation of a current physical exam on an annual basis. All forms need to be signed and dated by your physician.

2) Is there a different form for camp and school?

No, it is the same form, and it is valid for one year. Therefore, if you submit a form for summer camp with a June date, you do not need to submit any updates for school or camp until the following June.

3) Does every child need to submit documentation of a lead test with results?

Only students in NYC Day Care are required to submit documentation for a lead test. It is no longer required for preschoolers. It is however still recommended as lead poisoning can lead to serious health problems.

4) Can international students submit medical records from another country?

Yes, but a translation is requested if the records are not in English. Please be advised that not all countries have the same requirements, so you may need to provide additional information.

5) What if my child’s immunization records are incomplete?

Immunization requirements are dictated by the New York State Department of Health, found here. If your child’s immunization records are incomplete, have your pediatrician submit a signed note stating when the remaining immunizations are scheduled. If there is a medical reason why immunizations are not complete, we need a letter from your physician explaining the situation. Medical exemption forms are available upon request.

6) Please explain vision, hearing & dental screenings?

Children are not required to see a dentist or a vision or hearing specialist to fulfill NYC requirements. If your pediatrician addresses vision, hearing, and dental on the main form with something simple such as “seems fine for age” or “grossly normal”, that is sufficient. If your child goes to the dentist or sees a specialist, a note from the dentist or specialist with the date of the visit is requested; we will add this to your child’s medical records.

7) What do I do if my child has food allergies?

Please alert the Education Director about any food allergies or dietary restrictions your child may have. If your child has a serious allergy that requires an Epi-Pen/Auvi-Q or medical intervention, please request the “Written Medical Consent Form,” which must be filled out and signed by both the parents and physician.

8) Are flu shots now required?

Yes, the NYC Department of Health now requires annual flu shots. Flu shots must be administered between July and December each school year.

9) Do we need to use the blank health form IPS provides?

As long as we get all the required information, any form can be used. Many NYC pediatricians prefer to use their own forms.

10) Where do I send the completed forms?

You can email your information to: [email protected]. You may also hand-deliver them at school. However, you do not need to send us the original hard copies of the forms. We recommend that you keep those for your records.