I’m a pediatric nurse and this is the child care checklist I gave my in-laws

School is back in session, flu and RSV season is back and it’s all of a sudden a lot harder to travel with the whole family. If you think you’ll be designating the care of your child to someone else, no matter how long or short of a time period, there are some things you can prepare to give yourself peace of mind. Your child’s caretaker, whether it be family or not, will be better equipped to handle any medical emergencies that might arise with a child care checklist.

My in-laws recently took care of my son for five days when my husband and I traveled out of the country. I’m a pediatric nurse, and aside from the essential favorite toy and comfort blanket, here are the top eight medical items I left with my in-laws.

8 items to include in your child care checklist

1. Notify daycare/school and alternate family members

Once you’ve established who’ll be taking care of your kid(s) and if they’re in school or daycare, don’t forget to notify the establishment. You’ll need to provide a formal letter with the dates you’ll be gone and when you’ll return, full names of the designated caretakers, their phone numbers and alternate emergency contacts in case the caretakers are unable to be reached. I listed my parents and my sister and brother-in-law as alternates. You can also add a side note in your letter to update you on any emergencies that arise through your preferred method of contact. Since we were out of the country, we made it known we had international phone service available.

2. Primary care provider’s contact information

Ask your caretakers how they prefer to hold on to the information you’re providing them. Do they prefer email or would they rather have everything on a piece of paper to display on the refrigerator? On this sheet, provide your child’s primary care provider’s full name, address and contact info. If the office has an after hours hotline, let your caretakers know. The hotline can be used to ask about any unsure medical questions like whether it’s necessary to be evaluated for a fall l.

3. Providing authorization for medical consent

Most doctors’ offices have policies and procedures on the process of obtaining medical consent in case a parent is not present . Some offices have forms you can fill out to designate who can make medical decisions in your absence. Do your research online for templates you can easily fill out that allow temporary medical authorization. It’s important to note that you should establish and communicate to your caregivers what your medical expectations and decisions are in any scenario, before you fully give authorization.

4. Preferred emergency room and urgent care locations

If you have a preference on where your child should be taken, provide this information. Having 1-3 listed locations is great, especially if the wait time is longer than the other. If the best option at the time is to take your child to the nearest hospital or urgent care, that’s fine too. At least your caretakers have the best options if needed.

5. List of medical history

You might think it’s silly to add your child’s full name and date of birth but you would be surprised how many times I’ve encountered parents that don’t remember their child’s date of birth. My in-laws have more than one grandchild. I don’t expect them to know every single birthday. In high stress situations, it can be hard to remember exact birth dates.  Even during not so stressful moments, it’s easy to forget. I’d be lying to you if I told you I’ve never stopped to think of what my own birthday is.

List any and all allergies to medications or foods and your child’s reactions to them. Do they get a rash, itch or have difficulty breathing? This information is important because it plays into deciding what medications are best for their care plan.

Have they had any surgeries? List these surgeries out and the dates they occurred. If you can’t remember—no worries. Even the year is helpful. This includes implants or hardware.

6. List of daily and as needed medications

List out your child’s medications in the following format:

• Medication name and strength 
• Medication dose and how often to give 
• Why your child receives the medication

If your child’s medication requires any special instructions or equipment, make sure your caregivers can properly demonstrate how to administer it. My son uses a chamber with his asthma inhaler that allows him to easily breathe in his medicine. I went through this process with my mother-in-law before we left. Give a list of as needed medications like Tylenol or Motrin if your child is in pain or has a fever and recommended dosage. As needed medications aren’t a one-size-fits-all since dosing can vary depending on age and weight.

7. Alternative ways to reach you

International phone service isn’t always available, and Wi-Fi isn’t always reliable. If you can’t easily be reached during your time away, give some alternate methods  to get a hold of you. Provide your room phone number once you arrive if you’re staying at a hotel. You can also give your hotel’s contact info to reach you through the concierge desk. Download common communication apps like WhatsApp, which allows you to send secure text messages without having to use a phone service. Designate a certain time of the day you can be reached.

8. Copy of insurance card

Providing an insurance card is probably the least important, and you may not have insurance.  However, if you can provide one, it saves the hassle and headache of dealing with discrepancies in bills later.

Peace of mind

Explain to your child’s caretakers that this list is meant to serve as a cheat sheet. It’s a way to ease your anxiety for the time you’re away from your child and it’s an answer to every possible medical question they might have while you’re not there. In the event any of this is needed, they can simply hand the list over to the doctor. 

If it feels like it’s a lot of information—it is and that’s OK. Remember that all of this is to ensure your child’s health and safety.