When the grandchildren stay — for an afternoon, a week, or longer — grandparents need to know the current medications, the allergies, and what the doctor said last visit. They also need a medical consent form in case something happens and the parents are unreachable.
It depends on how long they're staying and how far away the parents are. For a weekend visit, grandparents need the same essentials as any caregiver — but they also need to know the things that change between visits:
Medications change — a new antibiotic since the last visit, a dose adjustment on the inhaler, a vitamin the pediatrician added. Grandparents need the current list, not what they remember from last time. Include name, dose, timing, and whether it needs to be taken with food.
Food allergies, drug allergies, insect stings. What the reaction looks like and what to do. If there's an EpiPen, bring it — and make sure Grandma knows where it is and how to use it.
If the parents will be traveling, overseas, or otherwise hard to reach, a signed medical consent form authorizes the grandparent to consent to medical treatment. Many states accept a simple notarized letter; others have specific forms. Talk to your pediatrician about what's recommended for your situation.
The after-hours number — not just the office number. If something happens at 10 PM, the grandparent needs to reach a nurse line, not a voicemail.
For emergencies — a broken bone, an allergic reaction, difficulty breathing — hospitals will treat a child immediately regardless of who brings them in. Consent is implied in emergencies.
For non-emergency situations — an urgent care visit for a fever, a follow-up at the pediatrician, a pharmacy refill — a medical consent form makes things smoother. Without one, some providers may refuse to treat or may wait until they can reach a parent by phone.
A basic medical consent letter typically includes the child's full name, date of birth, the grandparent's name, a statement that the parent authorizes the grandparent to consent to medical treatment, and the parent's signature (notarized in some states). Some pediatricians provide their own template. Talk to your child's doctor about what form they recommend.
For grandparents with full-time custody or legal guardianship, consult a family law attorney about your specific rights — the consent question is different when you're the primary caregiver.
The hardest part isn't the emergency card — it's the day-to-day: knowing that the pediatrician changed the dose last Tuesday, that the dentist wants to see her again in three months, that the allergist added a new food to the avoid list.
Parents text updates when they remember. Grandparents forget to ask. The information gets stale.
With Family Stork, the parent starts a record for the child. Every person gets their own private Family Stork email address — give it to each doctor, and records file themselves. The parent invites Grandma. Grandma sees the emergency card and the caregiver card on her phone — always current, always up to date. When the pediatrician changes a medication and sends the visit summary, it shows up in the record automatically. No one has to remember to forward a text.
Grandparents see what the family chose to share. They never own or manage the record. The emergency card is always there — allergies, medications, conditions, doctor's number — no login, no app to download, accessible even at an ER.
Grandparents with legal custody or guardianship have the same rights as any legal guardian — including consenting to medical treatment and accessing medical records. If you don't have formal legal custody, talk to a family law attorney about your options. Many states have specific kinship care provisions. See our foster and kinship caregivers guide for more on keeping records through custody changes.
In a true emergency, yes — hospitals will treat immediately. For routine or urgent care visits, it depends on the provider. Some will treat with verbal phone consent from the parent; others require written authorization. Having a signed consent form avoids the uncertainty entirely. Ask your grandchild's pediatrician what they require.
Each grandchild should have their own information — mixing up medications between children is dangerous. With Family Stork, each child has their own record and their own emergency card. You see each child's information separately, always current, without having to remember which grandchild takes what.
Call 911. Tell the dispatcher the child's age, what's happening, and any known allergies or conditions. Go to the nearest emergency room. Call the parents. The emergency card — whether printed or on your phone — gives the ER the information they need: allergies, medications, conditions, and the pediatrician's number. Always call 911 first in a medical emergency.
Grandparents shouldn't have to wonder what changed since the last visit. One invitation, one card, always current.
$99/year — or about $10 a month.
Start their record — free