When a child is ill or injured and requires emergency care, doctors, nurses, and paramedics will have many questions about his or her medical history. And even the most organized parent might not be able to remember the details of a child's health history in a stressful situation.

That's why it's important to keep a comprehensive record of your child's health information nearby. In many cases, this information can help a medical professional make quicker diagnoses and decisions during an emergency, when each second counts.

Read the categories below to learn more, and create a complete health record for your kids. Keep one copy of the record in an accessible place at home (such as on the refrigerator), one in each car, one at each parent's workplace, and one in each parent's bag or wallet. You should also supply your child's school or day care, as well as babysitters with this list, along with the name and number of your doctor.

Allergies

Record on your list any known allergies your child has to medications, both prescription and nonprescription. Allergic reactions to insect stings and bites and food allergies are also important to list. In addition, some kids may have latex allergies. In many cases, allergy information helps medical personnel discover a cause for problems like seizures or difficulty breathing.

Medications

Certain medications can't be taken together, so paramedics need to know all medications (prescription and nonprescription) your kids take before they can administer any drug. A child's symptoms also could be due to side effects of medications, which is another reason it's important to report everything being taken. In addition, you need to know the doses, the dosing schedules, and when and how much of the medications were recently taken.

Pre-existing Illnesses or Conditions

Pre-existing illnesses or conditions can have a great impact on the kinds of tests or treatments administered during an emergency. If your child has any health problem — from diabetes to epilepsy to asthma — emergency medical personnel must know. For additional protection, kids with chronic conditions should wear an identifying tag on a bracelet. This kind of immediate notification can help doctors save a child's life.

For a child with special needs, you and your doctor can fill out a form created by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). The Emergency Information Form for Children With Special Needs can be found at either aap.org or acep.org and can be updated as needed. As with any other health record you create, keep the form in an easily accessed place at home, in parents' vehicles, in parents' purses or wallets, at parents' workplaces, and with the child's belongings when traveling. The form should also be on file with your doctor, school nurse, and child-care center. It can also be filed in a repository (or database) that can be accessed by medical professionals in the event of an emergency.

Hospitalizations and Operations

List the dates your child has been hospitalized, the reasons for hospitalization, treatments received, and the types of operations he or she has undergone. This information may help during and following an emergency situation.

Immunizations

Keeping an updated record of all your kids' immunizations is important. If you need help remembering or compiling all the information, the staff at your doctor's office can assist you. Be sure to include information about any reactions a child may have had following an immunization, such as seizures, high fever, or severe discomfort.

Height and Weight

When calculating medication doses, it can be helpful for doctors to know the approximate height and weight of the child. (But you'll need to change this information periodically, since kids often grow quickly.)

It's relatively easy to compile a written medical history, and it could mean saving critical minutes — when they count most!

Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD
Date reviewed: November 2007