Record Keeping :Have a whole lot to do, and way too much paperwork to keep track of?

By Sherry Bushnell

    How about records, letters and forms tucked in a drawer for safe keeping?

It seems like every specialist we see has questions about past medical, school, progress or past therapy plans. Keeping records of progress and activities on each of our children reduces stress and is a life-saver when we need to find something in a hurry.

    It is especially important to document important events in the life of a child with disabilities.

    With a good record system, you can answer detailed questions with accuracy and a minimum of effort on your part.

    As our children get older, our memory fades unless we have detailed each milestone and carefully documented progress, we might miss a important detail that would help in therapy, education or even answering with pertinent details helpful in deciding future medical care.

    In order to make the record keeping process as easy as possible, let’s divide our files into four areas:

        1. Medical Records: This refers to both the child with the disability and the rest of the family

        2. School Records: School records start at the beginning, as early as infant stimulation done and goes on through the high school years.

        3. Personal / Social: Camps, special awards, pictures, child’s interests. Community service can include the different areas in the community your child is involved in such as AWANAs, swimming classes, children’s choir, and church activities.

        4. Legal and Other Resources:

Financial, legal, passport, or any other important papers such as adoption paper work.

Medical Records:

    If you choose to participate in your local school district programs or other government programs, you will need a birth certificate and current immunization record.

    It is good to keep in the medical file detailed developmental history from pregnancy through current time. This should include doctor’s and hospital reports, medical specialist consulted and their reports. Any surgeries, occupational therapy and dental records should be kept.

    A list of medications being given to your child at home and away from home. We suggest keeping a current list on a laminated card attached to your child’s back pack or in his or her bag.

    If your child is non-verbal and/or being given medication by people you may not know, keep a list of allergies, and medication , dosage and times.

    Keep a running list of all prescription medications given and any adverse reactions. Then when you need it, the information can be easily retrieved... such as when you are heading to a doctor you have not seen before!

    A written list is a time-saver and a real help for the nurse who has to take a history and give the doctor a condensed version of your child’s medical history.

Keep a copy of your Medicaid or Medicare status and any reference letters.

    Any medical insurance cards and numbers and coverage in the past.

School Records:

    Keep a separate file for each school year.

    Keep in each file a copy of your journal notes on progress, any milestones noted, a sample of work at the beginning of the year and then at the end.

    The purpose is to show progress, not that your child is “on grade level” with his or her peers. Some children will not be even close to grade level and the proof of progress will be encouragement to you and to anyone who might be interested.

    Keep any testing records and who administered them.

    If you have your child tested by a psychologist, keep a copy of their diagnosis and any suggestions or findings in this file.

    The name and address of any school, program, or teacher that will share previous records.

    Any previous IEP (Individual Education Plans) or report cards, verbal reports (you can write them down, who said it and date it.)

    It is amazing after just 2 years how much information we forget!

Side note: You have a right to have copies of any information written about your child, by anyone. Everything reported about your child is legally available to the parents or primary care givers of that child. There may be a fee for copying, but if you need to see what is being written about your child, request to see a copy in writing. Usually there is no problem with obtaining paperwork.

    In some cases, you may be required to sign a form before an assessment is done, or test given. Note the technical name of the test and request an actual copy of the results.

    If you have a child that is pretty severely involved, you may need to divide this file into several areas such as:

        Language / Speech

        Math

        Self-Help

        Vocational

        Therapies

Personal / Social Records:

    This is my favorite file! In is contains copies of child’s interests over the year. Samples of pictures that I especially liked or artwork that fits.

    Any clubs or organization that we belong to and any awards or books completed. This is good for Bible book clubs like AWANA, community clubs like girl scouts or theater or choir groups. Copies of programs, pictures of that activity, and other mementos are good memory keeping ideas.

    Another fun area of this file is family history. When we have a child that will need help remembering things later, keep simple scrap book pages that help trigger high lights like “trip to the theme park in the summer” “Camping with Grandma” “Our trip to the ocean”. These are good speech / communication tips as well.

    If you child has a past that has not included your family, then keeping anything that will help you in the future help piece together information will be good kept in an envelope. This might be more important later, should questions arise or information need to be obtained. It should be included as a part of your child’s personal record.

Legal and Other Paperwork

Many government agencies and programs require proof of:

    Address

    Birth Certificate

    Income

    Social Security number

    Proof of Citizenship papers

    Medicaid or Medicare letters

    If your child has any legal paperwork associated with them, you will need to have a special file for each entity.

        Adoption paperwork

        Custody

        Legal Guardianship

        Permanent Guardianship after age 18

    Having paperwork ready and easily grabbed makes our life easy and helps us stay organized. It doesn’t take much to file things and can be relegated to a mature teen.

    Teaching organization and the importance of keeping track of the details in our life can help our children become better able to manage self-care later.

If they can see that mom has a special place for important things, then they will be inclined to find a special place for the things that are important to them.

The idea of check lists

What can be more frustrating than forgetting an important detail that is obvious. Most times it is the ordinary things we forget, not the big details.

Keeping a check list in our purse of our routine can help us stay focused and on track if we loose our brains on a foggy day. Ever have those days….? The problem is remembering to look.

Check lists of:

    Grocery items we normally buy

    Weekly appointments

    A daily schedule

    What to eat (or not to eat!)

    Suggestions for dinner

    Items that we don’t want to forget on our errand.

    School goals

    Questions to ask someone

    Keep a post-it pad or small notebook in your purse and use it. This keeps     those ideas in our head within reach later on, when hundreds of other ideas crowd them out. Keeping a file and check lists are great ways to stay organized and relaxed. Try it this way next year.