Family health
Everyone's medications and allergies live only in your own memory.
“I am the one who remembers everyone's medications and allergies, and if I had to reconstruct it at an intake desk right now, I would be guessing at half of it.”
11 guides · 56 minutes of reading
Anyone who keeps the family's health details in their head is one busy morning from guessing at an intake desk. These guides cover what to record for each person, how to prepare for a visit, and what to hand to a sitter, school or relative. They are for organizing information, not for medical advice. The three start here guides are the place to begin.
Start here
Building the family health binder
Start here for what to record once about each person, and where it lives.
What to put in a family medical binderEight things to write down for each person, a filled example page, and what belongs in a paper folder instead. One page per person.6 min read
How to keep a family medication listName, dose and how often, copied exactly as the label says, plus the date the list was last right. Always follow your prescriber or pharmacist.5 min read
Emergency contact information sheet: what to includeA one-page sheet with names, numbers and the few facts someone would need. What to write, and why a printed sheet is not a substitute for a medical ID.4 min read
Getting ready for a doctor visit
Checklists for the day before, a new practice, your questions and your symptom notes.
Doctor appointment checklist for the day beforeWhat to write down, gather and bring the day before a doctor visit, and where to keep the notes after it. A paperwork list, not medical advice.6 min read
What to bring to a new doctor appointmentAllergies, medicines, conditions, family history and recent symptoms on one page, so a first visit starts from facts instead of memory.5 min read
Questions to ask the doctor: how to write them downOne question per line, the important one first, and space for each answer. A one-page method for a short appointment, with room to tick them off.5 min read
Symptom log for a doctor visit: what to write downFour notes help a doctor most: when it started, how long it lasted, how bad it was and what helped. A notes page, not a symptom checker.4 min read
Handing information to someone else
What to give a school, a camp, a sitter or a relative, and what to leave off.
Camp and school health forms: what to have readyCamp, school and sports forms ask for the same things every year. Have your answers on one page, and know which part only the doctor can fill in.5 min read
Babysitter information sheet: what to put on itA one-page sheet for a sitter or grandparent: allergies first, medicines, who to call, your address and bedtime notes. Plus what to leave off.6 min read
What health information to share with a sitter or schoolA sitter, a camp and a new doctor each need different facts. Three questions to ask before you print, and what to keep on your own page.5 min read
Caregiver binder for a parent and kids: one page eachLooking after a parent and children means two sets of forms and medicines. Same headings, one page per person, printed one at a time.5 min read