Preventive Examinations Also for Adolescents - Hesse's bold push to close the gap in children's health check-ups

In Hesse, parents must take their children to nine mandatory health check-ups from birth to age six. These examinations help spot early signs of health issues or developmental delays. The state now wants to boost attendance for the voluntary J1 check-up for older children.

The first check-up, U1, happens right after birth, while the last, U9, is due at age six. Before the system became mandatory, only 85% of children attended. Since then, participation has climbed—with 100% for U4 in 2024 and over 95% for U8 and U9.

Starting with U4, parents receive a written invitation, followed by reminders if they miss the appointment. To fill the gap between U9 and J1, Hesse introduced two extra check-ups: U10 for ages seven to eight and U11 for ages nine to ten.

The state is now focusing on the J1 check-up for 12- to 14-year-olds. Around 45,000 children took part in 2023, reaching about 92% of the eligible age group. To push this higher, families will soon receive personal invitations for the J1 examination.

The mandatory system has already raised attendance for early check-ups. With personal invitations for J1, Hesse aims to ensure even more adolescents receive this voluntary health assessment. The move follows strong participation in the younger age groups.