Care Notebook

Organizing Your Child’s Medical Information  

If your child has extra medical needs, you probably handle lots of important information such as doctor visits, medications, insurance bills, meal plans, and more. A Care Notebook is a simple way to keep everything together in one safe place. You can make one on your computer, in a paper binder, or use a combination of both. You can set up the notebook in a format that works best for your family. There are also apps that can help you stay organized.  

Ideally, you want all of your child’s information in a place that is easy to find or access and can help anyone care for your child. 

A Care Notebook can include:  

• Records and notes about your child’s health history;
• Information about your child’s health insurance;
• Contact information for doctors, school staff, and other caregivers;
• A record of any changes in your child’s treatment or supports; and
• A list of local resources and helpful tools for your family.

Helpful Hints to Creating a Care Notebook

• Gather your child’s important health information.
• Choose the type of notebook that fits your needs—hard copy, electronic, or hybrid.
• Download any parts of RIDOH’s Care Notebook that are helpful to you. The forms are fillable PDFs, so you can enter your child’s information and save an electronic version on your computer or phone, or you can print the pages and keep hard copies of all the information. 

Digital Tools and Apps 

Phones and tablets make it easy to keep information handy. Many families now use apps to track their child’s needs. Check your app store for new options. Most smartphones have a built-in medical ID feature that lists medications, doctors, and emergency contacts--a great tool for teens and young adults to learn to manage their own health. 

Resources for Specific Healthcare Needs

• Asthma Action Plan (English | Spanish)
• Caremap: a free app created by Duke Health Systems and Boston Children’s Hospital to help families with kids who have complex medical needs keep all their important health information in one secure place so it is easy to update and share.
• Epsy: a free mobile app designed for people with epilepsy and their families that provides helpful information about epilepsy and makes it easy to keep track of important health details and log the number and type of seizures.
• My Health Passport (English | Spanish) University