According to the Estonian Health Insurance Fund, many children miss their routine health check-ups at certain ages. This is particularly noticeable among 4- and 5-year-olds and 15- and 16-year-olds.
In 2025, 40 percent of 4-year-olds and 26 percent of 5-year-olds in Estonia had a health check-up. This means that around two in five 4-year-olds and only one in four 5-year-olds had a health check-up during the year.
According to family doctor Kristi Särgava, a health check-up and a regular doctor’s visit serve different purposes. “A health check-up does not focus only on identifying diseases, but also assesses the child’s development and health as a whole. A visit for a cough, runny nose or another sudden concern does not replace a health check-up. During such a visit, we primarily deal with the specific problem, and there simply isn’t enough time to cover all the topics addressed during a health check-up,” said Särgava.
At the 4- and 5-year-old health check-ups, doctors assess, among other things, the child’s growth, speech and motor development, vision, behaviour and general well-being. According to Särgava, one of the key benefits of regular check-ups is the opportunity to identify issues that the child or parent may not have noticed.
“The child cannot always say, for example, that they cannot see well or that a particular activity is more difficult for them,” the doctor explained.
The health check-up also reviews the child’s previous vaccinations and provides the family with advice on further vaccinations and other preventive measures.
Older teenagers also need attention
At school age, health check-ups take place either with the school nurse or at a family medical centre, depending on the child’s age. At 15–16, a health check-up at a family medical centre is required, and the young person can attend the check-up at either age 15 or 16.
Unfortunately, many young people still do not attend a health check-up at this age. According to the Health Insurance Fund, only 11 percent of 15- and 16-year-olds visited a family medical centre for a check-up.
According to Särgava, health check-ups should not be skipped during late adolescence. In addition to physical health, they provide an opportunity to discuss the young person’s lifestyle and well-being.
“With a 15- or 16-year-old, in addition to physical health, we also talk about sleep, nutrition, physical activity, mood and risk behaviour. Often, it is during a relaxed health check-up that questions or concerns emerge that the young person has not previously been able to raise.”
According to Liis Kruus, the Health Insurance Fund’s primary portfolio manager, the Health Insurance Fund also sends parents an email reminder when it is time for their child’s health check-up.
“If the child feels well and there are no visible health concerns, a routine health check-up can easily be forgotten in the busy pace of everyday life. However, regular health checks are important because they help assess the child’s health and development as a whole and identify potential problems early,” said Kruus.
“To make sure that health check-up reminders reach parents, it is worth checking your contact details in the health portal and updating them if necessary.”
During the first year of a child’s life, health check-ups are scheduled regularly: initially during the first weeks of life and then almost every month until the child turns one.
After that, routine health check-ups take place at specific ages and, depending on the child’s age, are carried out either at a family medical centre or by the school nurse.
