TOP 10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH

By David Stern

July 2005

As the school bell rings for the last time this year and tens of millions of children flock to their summer activities, parents, grandparents and caregivers are reminded that while every precaution must be taken to prevent injury, it is inevitable that accidents will happen. Ensuring that children are properly treated for injury or illness can be simple, safe, secure, portable and affordable. Consider these statistics*

One out of every four children (more than 14 million ages 14 and under) sustains injuries that are serious enough to require medical attention each year.

• In 2002, more than 6.6 million children ages 14 and under were treated in hospital emergency rooms for unintentional injuries.
   

• Every day, more than 39,000 children are injured seriously enough to require medical treatment.
   

• Among children ages 14 and under, treatment for injury is the second leading cause of hospitalization and the leading cause of visits to hospital emergency rooms.
   

• 40 percent of all childhood injury-related emergency room visits occur between May and August.
   

• Injury is the leading cause of medical spending for children ages 5 to 14.

Parents, grandparents, teachers, camp counselors and caregivers can’t always prevent children’s injuries, but they can ensure that doctors have the medical information they need to provide fast, appropriate treatment.

Knowing what doctors need to know – and then having that information at your fingertips – is the best way to ensure peace of mind. kidrecords.com provides secure Internet access to critical medical and personal information on children, including information about allergies, illnesses, medications and special needs to their parents, caregivers and hospitals in emergency situations. kidrecords.com brings you:

TOP 10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH

1. PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS. Emergency personnel need to know of any health problems or symptoms the child has had, especially chronic illnesses such as diabetes, asthma or epilepsy. These can guide diagnosis and help determine the right treatment.

2. ALLERGIES. One of the most common causes of seizures or breathing difficulties is allergic reaction. You should know if the child has any allergies, such as to certain medicines, foods or miscellaneous allergens, including bee stings, pollen and latex.

3. VACCINATIONS. Many, but not all, immunizations are required for admission to school in every state. You should know which vaccinations the child actually has received and when they were given.

4. MEDICATIONS. You need to know every medication the child currently takes, both prescription and nonprescription, including vitamins and herbs. You should know the doses, when they are given and the last time they were taken. This helps doctors avoid conflicts with medicine they prescribe in an emergency.

5. PREVIOUS TREATMENTS. Knowing the child’s previous hospitalizations and surgeries can guide doctors in making diagnoses and determining the right treatment after an emergency.

6. VITAL STATISTICS. Doctors often use a child’s age or weight to calculate proper doses of medicine, so knowing the child’s current vital statistics can help them get it right.

7. SENSORY PROBLEMS. Changes in the child’s ability to see, hear, taste or smell can aid in diagnosing illnesses. Doctors should know of any sensory-related impairments, such as vision or auditory problems or any limitations of taste or smell.

8. BLOOD TYPE. It can be very helpful to know the child’s blood type, especially in situations that might require transfusions.

9. NAMES AND NUMBERS. Doctors may need to speak with a child’s personal physician, so you should have contact information for the child’s pediatrician, dentist, orthodontist and other healthcare professionals.

10. INSURANCE INFORMATION. Although emergency rooms should never deny lifesaving treatment because of payment issues, the child’s insurance information, including insurer and identification numbers, should be readily available to facilitate treatment.

kidrecords.com helps members protect their children against medical error. It enables parents to document their children’s medical histories-including information about allergies, illnesses, medications and special needs. kidrecords.com is especially valuable for non-custodial parents, for children in the care of others or for children who are away from home, at school or at camp. In an emergency, physicians and other caregivers, including grandparents, teachers, babysitters and camp counselors can get the information they need to make the appropriate treatment decisions when every second counts. kidrecords.com allows parents to organize their child’s medical data in a portable and accessible format. Subscriber parents are the only persons authorized to enter the information, and they can update or change information at any time at no additional cost. Accredited member hospitals will have direct, read-only access to kidrecords.com medical information. Parents may also authorize other caregivers, including grandparents, teachers and camp counselors to have read-only access to the stored information. All information is stored using 128-bit SSL encryption combined with an e-mail based automatic notification system that alerts the care-community in case of emergency or illness.

There is an initial charge of $19.95 for each child for registration, which allows members to update or change the child’s information whenever they choose, at no additional cost. There is an annual charge of $9.95 for each child.

* Source of statistics: National Safe Kids Campaign June 2005
 

David Stern is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School and the founder of online-registries, Inc., a family of Web-based healthcare sites that includes medproxy.com, senior-records.com and kidrecords.com. Visit www.online-registries or call (401) 841-5600