Every person gets one health story, and one private Family Stork email address every clinic already knows how to use. Tired of managing health records for yourself and everyone you love? Family Stork organizes them for you automatically.
The holidays are coming. You are going to a party, a weekend away, or just out for the evening — and the grandparents are in charge. Everyone feels fine about it right up until someone asks: where is the insurance card? Or worse: is she allergic to anything?
The difference between a stressful call and a smooth evening is a one-page checklist taped to the fridge. Here is what goes on it.
Print this, fill it in, and leave it on the kitchen counter. One per child.
Every allergy — food, medication, environmental. Include the reaction type (hives, breathing difficulty, anaphylaxis) and what to do: Benadryl dose, EpiPen location, or call 911. If there are no known allergies, write "no known allergies" so grandparents know you did not forget.
Name, dose, time, and how to give it (with food? before bed?). Include anything "as needed" — ibuprofen dose by weight, inhaler instructions, prescription eye drops. If a child takes nothing, write "no current medications."
A photo on grandma's phone is fine. A paper copy on the fridge is better. Front and back — the back has the claims number urgent care will ask for.
Name, phone number, after-hours line. Pharmacy name and number. If your pediatrician has a nurse advice line, include that — it saves an unnecessary ER trip at 10 PM.
One sentence: If it is an emergency, call 911 first, then call us. Include your cell numbers and a backup contact (another family member or neighbor) in case you are unreachable.
Urgent care and ERs may hesitate to treat a child without parental consent. A signed medical consent form — sometimes called a "temporary medical authorization" — lets grandparents authorize treatment. Your pediatrician's office may have a template, or you can find state-specific versions from your state's department of health.
You do not need to hand over the entire medical history. Grandparents watching kids for a weekend need the information above — that is it. They do not need:
Keep it simple. The fridge checklist covers 99% of what actually comes up.
Writing all of this down on paper works. But paper gets lost, phone numbers change, and the allergy list from last Thanksgiving may not be current anymore.
Family Stork keeps every child's health record in one place. When you invite a grandparent as a helper, they see exactly what you choose to share — allergies, medications, the emergency card, insurance details. Nothing more, nothing less. The helper never owns or manages the record; the family controls what is visible.
And because every record has a private email address that clinics send to, the information stays current automatically. When the pediatrician updates an allergy or changes a medication, the record updates. The grandparent's view updates too — no new printout needed.
$99/year — or about $10 a month. Start your family's record — free →
Not medical, but it matters. What time, what order, any medications that are part of the routine (melatonin, allergy medicine before bed).
Lactose sensitivity, foods the pediatrician said to avoid, choking hazards for toddlers. Grandparents sometimes default to "a little won't hurt" — be specific about what matters.
Candles, decorations, tree water (toxic to pets and curious toddlers), certain holiday foods (nuts in stuffing, shellfish at the party). A quick heads-up saves a 2 AM call.
Hospitals will treat a child in a genuine emergency regardless of who brings them in. But for non-emergency urgent care — stitches, a broken arm, an ear infection — a signed medical consent form helps. Without one, the facility may delay treatment while trying to reach a parent. Ask your pediatrician for a template or check your state's health department website.
Leave the same checklist, but add: the nearest urgent care and ER addresses in their area, and whether your insurance covers out-of-state visits (most do for emergencies, but some HMOs require notification). If you use Family Stork, the grandparent's helper view works everywhere — no state-specific setup needed.
On paper: write only what is on the checklist above. In Family Stork: invite them as a helper. Helpers see only what the family chooses to share — allergies, medications, emergency card, insurance — and nothing else. They never own or manage the record. Learn more about helpers →
Both. A paper copy on the fridge is the fastest to grab. A photo on the grandparent's phone is the backup. Front and back — urgent care always asks for the back.
Add a separate section to the checklist: the condition name, current treatment plan, warning signs to watch for, and when to call the doctor versus when to call 911. For conditions like asthma, diabetes, or severe allergies, the action plan from your child's specialist should be on the fridge too. Ask your doctor for a printable action plan — most clinics have them.
Give any clinic your child's private @familystork address. They send records; the timeline builds itself. No portal logins, no uploads, nothing for the clinic to learn.
$99/year — or about $10 a month.
Start your family's record — free