Common Health Problems Detected during General Health Screening for Children

Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for Health with regard to the general health screenings for children, including those conducted in schools (a) which are the more common health problems detected; (b) whether the Ministry keeps track of subsequent intervention and outcomes; (c) how often does the Ministry review and update the lists of tests; and (d) whether the Ministry will consider including more tests and detailed examinations, such as blood tests, ECG and mental health tests to detect health problems and abnormalities.

Singapore operates a comprehensive screening system for children, starting from when they are very young. New-born babies are screened for congenital conditions, including Glucose-6 Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, hearing impairment, hypothyroidism and metabolic disorders in which the body cannot properly turn food into energy. In addition, developmental screening is also carried out from birth, to detect any disability even amongst apparently healthy children. Such screening is conducted at hospitals, polyclinics, by family doctors as well as private paediatric specialists. Children suspected to have developmental disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorder, are referred to the Child Development Units for further assessment and intervention, if necessary.

In the schools, the Health Promotion Board's (HPB's) School Health Service conducts oral and physical health screening, including vision screening, screening for hearing impairment, growth and developmental assessment. The most common medical conditions picked up from health screening in the schools are myopia, obesity and scoliosis. Students who need specialist care or further assessment are referred to the Specialist Clinics at the Student Health Centre or to restructured hospitals.

School teachers are trained to identify students who show signs of emotional distress and provide them with the needed support or refer them to school counsellors for help. In addition, the Response, Early Intervention and Assessment in Community Mental Health (REACH) teams work closely with schools and train the school counsellors to identify students with mental health needs. Peer support is also encouraged and students are taught to look out for their peers and seek help from trusted adults around them, such as their school counsellors.

The Ministry of Health regularly reviews the screening tests and preventive health programmes, taking into consideration the local context and scientific developments. HPB's screening programmes are reviewed every three to five years, and the last review was done in 2015.