Between birth and two years old, your baby will develop at an extraordinary rate, and each of their milestones will be a new source of wonder for you. Discover with us the major stages of their development and how to interact with them to help stimulate their awakening.
All parents are familiar with the health record: this small booklet is given to you at your child's birth, in the maternity ward, at the town hall, or at a Mother and Child Protection (PMI) center. Free and mandatory until the age of 16, it is intended to keep a record of your baby's medical journey from birth until adolescence. But are you sure you know everything about its role and what it contains?
Your child's health bible
A true medical database, your child's health record will follow them at every doctor's visit from birth until they reach adulthood. Divided into seven parts, it covers all aspects of their health:
• The perinatal period: conditions of childbirth, clinical examination at birth, observations upon discharge from the maternity ward, etc.
• Chronic illnesses and allergies, crucial initial information in case of emergency.
• Medical follow-up from birth to 18 years: you will find here the mandatory health certificates to be completed by the doctor within eight days after birth, at the 9th month, and at the 24th month.
• Growth curves, which allow you to track your child's height and weight development compared to the average for their age.
• Oral health: the results of preventive examinations recommended at 6 and 12 years old will be recorded here.
• Hospitalizations and radiological examinations.
• And finally, vaccinations, recorded in a vaccination schedule that serves as a certificate: you just need to photocopy these pages if needed, for example, when enrolling in daycare or school.
Throughout the pages, you will also find numerous tips and information on a wide variety of topics: nutrition, sleep, safety, what to do in the face of various symptoms (fever, vomiting, respiratory distress, etc.), teething… Remember to flip through it between medical visits!
A professional tool... and a personal souvenir
The health record is primarily intended for healthcare professionals: it allows them to quickly get a comprehensive overview of your child's medical history. This is a valuable summary, as your baby will probably not always see the same doctor: between the pediatrician, general practitioner, dentist, and sometimes hospital doctors or various specialists, they will encounter many professionals who will thus have all the essential information about them. Therefore, always bring their health record with you during medical visits, whatever they may be.
Also, be aware that the health record is covered by medical confidentiality: it is confidential and cannot be requested by daycare, school, or leisure centers, with the exception of the vaccination pages.
Finally, for you, the health record is a lovely keepsake of your child's development that you will undoubtedly enjoy keeping beyond their majority. From the age of 4 or 5, do not hesitate to consult it with them: this will allow you to reminisce together about their birth and early years, and also to gently raise their awareness of the importance of taking care of their health.
