Tips for keeping a health record for children
Our Plano pediatricians want parents to know about the benefits of maintaining a health record for children. An easily accessible account of your child’s medical history is essential when she moves, sees a new specialist, has a hospital stay and even when she’s applying for college.
Starting a health record for children
A health record for children is part keepsake and part historical record. Properly updated, it can help your child communicate effectively with healthcare workers throughout his life. A health record for children should include the following information.
- Important dates and milestones. Keeping track of developmental milestones like rolling over and walking can help doctors track your child’s development. You should also include the dates of all surgeries, hospitalizations and procedures, along with who performed them and where.
- Allergies. Monitor your child’s allergy symptoms and make note of allergies to medications or latex.
- Medications. Keep track of his medication, dosage and when he starts and stops taking it, along with any side effects he experiences.
- Immunizations. Schools, camps and colleges will often want an official immunization record, but you can help ensure your child is current by keeping your own at home.
- Doctors’ names and contact information. A health record for children is a good place to keep the business cards from your doctor’s office. They’ll come in handy later for follow-up questions. Having the name and information of your child’s pediatrician is also important because it will help hospitals and specialists keep her primary healthcare provider in the loop.
Because your child’s health record is for her own benefit, gradually help her to assume responsibility for keeping it current as she grows. Even young children can record their vital statistics from an office visit, with their parents to double-check, of course.
Our office is here to help
Our Plano pediatricians can provide copies of your child’s complete medical record or a summary of her healthcare for a small fee. During appointments, our medical practitioners will be happy to review your child’s medical record to make sure you’re not missing any important information.
To learn more about keeping a health record for children, or to make sure that yours is current, contact our office.
