My Child’s Story: a great resource for communicating with your child’s health care providers
by Patricia
Communication with your child’s healthcare provider is pivotal for ensuring your child receives optimum care. This is particularly important for children with disabilities.
Many parents report that communication about their children with special healthcare needs — and obtaining care for them — can be challenging. My Child’s Story is a new resource developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The tool is described as a “resume of sorts, a printed form you can leave with the doctor that explains who your child is within the family and outlines his or her medical history.” The site shows you a great example, and here’s what they say to include when building Your Child’s Story:
When you’re ready to create your own child’s story, remember to include this information:
- name and birth date;
- social history, including other family members and pets and where your child goes to school;
- birth record;
- medical history including any hospitalizations, contact information for all doctors, medications currently taking, allergies and reaction to any materials; and
- information about who your child is, including his or her hobbies and favorite things.
The CDC recommends you add a photo to the file and then make copies of your child’s story to share with everyone who has a hand in their medical care.
Quality healthcare is important to a quality life. Having a resource like My Child’s Story may assist your healthcare providers in getting to know your child, help them build a relationship with your family, and promote better health outcomes for your child.