5 Yo Going on Vacation with Grandparent and Aunt/uncle

Updated on April 10, 2012
C.M. asks from Cincinnati, OH
11 answers

This summer my dad is planning to take my 5 yo on vacation with him. He will be travelling with my aunt and uncle who will have their two grandsons with them. They will be taking the RVs and travelling domestically, so there is no flying or anything involved. However, I was wondering what kind of paperwork I will need to send with them. What would he need if my son got hurt or sick and needed medical treatment? Is there anything other type of paperwork that might be needed?

Thanks for your help.

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So What Happened?

Thanks for your help. You ladies mentioned things that I would never have thought about sending with them. I will be sure to send the a copy of the insurance card and a brief health history, as well as a note authorizing my dad to seek care for our son.

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P.K.

answers from New York on

Just send a letter stating that you give permission for medical treatment
in case of emergency. Also include what, if any, medications he is on and
any allergies he may have. That should cover it. That is what I did when I
took my grandchildren to Florida. Also a letter stating that you have given
grandparent, aunt and uncle to have child with them. Include all phone
numbers where you can be reached. Sounds like a great vacation for him.

4 moms found this helpful

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T.S.

answers from Washington DC on

My son has spent time with my parents while I was out of town, and traveled with them a few times over the last few years. I always leave him with a letter saying that she is my mother hand has permission to make decisions re my son on my behalf from this date to that date etc.

Send him with your son's insurance card and a signed letter authorizing him to make emergency medical decisions for your son while he is in your care. Leave information about where/how you can be contacted. Be sure that the letter includes answers to the medical questions your dad may or may not know the answers to: son's DOB, weight, any allergies, whether or not he is allergic to penicillin, names and doses of any meds.

HTH. I'm sure they'll all have a great time.

T.

3 moms found this helpful

L.B.

answers from Biloxi on

Whenever my son would stay for an extended time with my Aunt, or when his friend from out-of-town stays with us for a week or so, we get copies of health insurance cards, social security cards, a list of contact numbers, and a letter from the parent stating that the person in charge has the right to seek appropriate medical treatment for the child.

Thankfully we have never had to us it !!

Hope your son has a wonderful trip.

2 moms found this helpful
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H.G.

answers from New York on

I sent my then 8 year old to Disney with my sister and her family. I sent a copy of our medical insurance card, a copy of my daughter's birth certificate and a letter that said something to the effect of - my daughter _____ is traveling with my sister _______. I hereby give permission for my sister to make any and all medical decisions regarding my daughter.

Of course, I 100% trusted my sister with my daughter's life, otherwise, I wouldn't have agreed to the trip. I assumed if something went wrong and my daughter needed medical attention, my sister would call me first to get my OK. If it were a true emergency and there wasn't time to call me, the note would state that I was OK with her making decisions for me.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.P.

answers from Atlanta on

Hi C.M

Just to be on the safe side, have your son's dad sigh the letter, too, and have it notarized. You might want to keep a copy of it, just in case something happens to the original.

What a great trip for him!

C

1 mom found this helpful

P.W.

answers from Dallas on

fyi: your pediatrician can probably call prescriptions in from out of state. Mine did when we were on vacation. My son got an ear infection and i knew that was the problem. Since we were on vacation the pedie just called in an antibiotic to a pharmacy near where we were staying.

Sounds fun! What a wonderful memory for your Dad and 5 yo!

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M.L.

answers from Colorado Springs on

I'm just agreeing! When my grandchildren come to visit me, their parents send a written notation that I have permission to seek medical help for them if necessary, along with the insurance information and anything specific that a doctor might need to know. We've never had to use it, but I'm sure glad to have it.

1 mom found this helpful
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W.H.

answers from Sacramento on

what patty k said, plus include a copy of your health insurance card if you have health insurance!

1 mom found this helpful

R.B.

answers from La Crosse on

I would just send along a letter stating who is in charge in case of an emergency and maybe his insurance card. If your child is allergic to any meds be sure to list those. Make sure his full name and birth date is on there, they can start everything they would need to do right away with that. They rest can be given over the phone after your child is in there.

I wouldn't send along a copy of his birth certificate or SS card.. things can get lost easily! If something happens they can call you and you can talk to the hospital/ Dr office directly and give them any add'l info they need. I have never had to give a copy of any of my kids birth certificate or SS card to receive treatment. I have had to give my SS number when I had to go to a dr out of state for an abscessed tooth, but like I said that can be done over the phone, they don't need a physical copy of it.

I hope he has fun!

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J.K.

answers from Evansville on

I would recommend the same as the others….especially the insurance card copy, and signed note. Our son went with his grandparents to Disney. We called ahead to a local hospital to see what would be required. We were told to include all of our son’s obvious info (birthday, SSN, height, weight, allergies, etc), but to also make sure we included contact info for his pediatrician as well his dentist (just in case). We were also told to have it notarized. Having it notarized costs about $2 and took about 5 minutes. Luckily none of it was needed and he returned safe and sound, but we felt better about having it done. Enjoy your break :-)

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

In Oklahoma there is an official court order that can give a party restricted guardianship over a child to seek medical treatment in the event of an emergency. It can be written to include anything both parties want. It is a court order and can be rescinded anytime either party wants.

It is relatively new and is official. If your child is hurt and needs medical care a paper will not make any difference what so ever if it is not an official decree.

The hospital will call a judge for permission to treat. If the judge gives permission they will treat your child, if the party with the child disagrees with the doc as to what is needed the doc will call the judge again and get another permission to treat for what they want to do, the person will have no say whatsoever.

It is just much safer and much more to your liking to have an official paper stating who has authority in your absence to make medical decisions for your child, it is safer to have that be an official court order than any letter or note from you, those could have been written in the car by a kidnapper as far as an ER doc knows. They will not recognize them in any way.

If you know where they are going to be staying, for instance if they were going to Chicago you could call a local doc and/or hospital and ask them what they needed for your child to be treated then they could fax you the paper work. They would need it notarized and then faxed back. It would be on file at a local hospital and if the child was hurt they would use that hospital and it would already be on file.

I worked as a nanny for a MS RN and she traveled frequently. She signed notes at the docs office listing us and at the local hospital in case the kids needed any kind of treatment. Then we carried copies of it all the time. That way if we borrowed the kids to take them to the drive in so mom and dad could have date night, if one of the kids got hurt we could take them to the ER and mom and dad could get there later but the kids would already be in the room and receiving treatment.

It is better to be safe than sorry.

I would make sure to have something official so my child would not suffer while the ER doc was waiting for the judge to get off the bench and take a call.

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