According to Estonian Health Insurance Fund, many children miss the routine health check-ups scheduled for specific ages. This trend is most evident among 4- and 5-year-olds and adolescents aged 15–16.
In 2025, 40 percent of 4-year-olds and 26 percent of 5-year-olds in Estonia attended a health check-up. This means that approximately two out of five 4-year-olds, and only one in four 5-year-olds, attended a check-up during the year.
Family physician Kristi Särgava notes that health check-ups and standard sick visits serve different purposes. "A health check-up does not focus solely on identifying illnesses; instead, it assesses the child's development and health as a whole. A visit prompted by a cough, runny nose, or other acute concern cannot replace a health check-up. During a sick visit, we primarily address the specific issue at hand, and there simply isn't time to cover all the topics included in a health check-up," Särgava said.
Check-ups at ages 4 and 5 assess, among other things, the child's growth, speech and motor development, vision, behavior, and general functioning. According to Särgava, one of the key benefits of regular check-ups is the opportunity to notice issues that the child or parent might otherwise overlook. "A child cannot always articulate, for instance, that they aren't seeing well or that a certain activity is difficult for them," the doctor explained.
During the health check-up, the child's vaccination history is reviewed, and the family receives advice on future options.
Adolescents also need attention
School-age health check-ups take place—depending on age—either with the school nurse or at the family doctor's practice. A check-up at the family doctor's practice is scheduled for the age of 15 or 16; young people can attend this appointment at either age.
Unfortunately, many miss this health check-up. According to the Estonian Health Insurance Fund (EHIF), only 11 percent of 15- and 16-year-olds visited the family doctor's practice for a check-up.
According to Särgava, it is important not to skip the health check-up during late adolescence, as—in addition to physical health—attention is paid to the young person's lifestyle and well-being. "When meeting with a 15- or 16-year-old, we discuss not only physical health but also sleep, nutrition, physical activity, mood, and risk-taking behavior. Often, questions or concerns that the young person hadn't known how to bring up previously come to light during a relaxed health check-up."
Liis Kruus, Head of the Primary Care Portfolio at EHIF, notes that the Fund also sends email reminders to parents when the time for a health check-up arrives. "When a child feels well and there are no visible health concerns, routine check-ups can easily be overlooked amidst the busyness of daily life. However, regular check-ups are essential, as they help assess the child's overall health and development and allow for the early detection of potential issues," said Kruus. "To ensure that reminders about check-ups reach parents, it is a good idea to review and, if necessary, update contact details in the Health Portal(Opens in new tab)."
When should you go for a check-up?
During a child's first year of life, check-ups take place frequently: initially in the first few weeks, and then almost every month until the child turns one. Subsequently, routine check-ups are scheduled for specific ages; depending on the child's age, these take place either at a family health centre or with a school nurse. For check-ups at a family health centre, parents must book an appointment in advance.
Information regarding the ages at which check-ups are performed and whether they take place at a family health centre or at school can be found at Health Portal. https://terviseportaal.ee/tervelaps.