or all families, a child’s healthcare emergency can be a frightening experience. For children with chronic health conditions, a healthcare emergency can magnify their special needs.

To learn more about the Emergency Information Form, contact the EMSC National Resource Center at 202-884-4927 or www.ems-c.org. The form can be downloaded from the Web sites of the AAP (www.aap.org) and ACEP (www.acep.org).

The Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) program encourages families to maintain a written plan of care for their child with special healthcare needs and keep it in plain sight, ready to go. This vital information can be used by family members, emergency medical services providers, emergency room doctors, nurses and others to initiate care without delay and possibly save a life.

EMSC funded the development of the Emergency Information Form to give families and healthcare providers a simple, standardized, two-page form containing the information most commonly needed in a healthcare emergency involving a child, especially children with special healthcare needs. The form includes contact information for the child’s family and doctors, a brief health history of the child including current medications, and suggested medical treatments based on the child’s health history.

The National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions is working with EMSC, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) and others to encourage use of the Emergency Information Form.

Families should work with their child’s doctors and other health care providers to complete the form.