Why You Should Prepare a Medical Release Form for Your Child

A medical release form for a minor can help protect your child in an emergency.

The nature of accidents is that they happen when we least expect them, often at the least convenient times. This is particularly true of sudden illnesses and injuries involving children. While these events can be unpredictable or unavoidable, you can still plan for them—and one way is by preparing a medical release form for minor children.

Completing a medical release form (also called a medical consent form) ensures that your children will have access to medical care when they need it, even if you can't be reached.

What Is a Medical Release Form for a Minor?

Medical release forms are a legal way to outline your parental wishes and transfer decision-making authority to your child's other caregivers when you are unavailable. Before treating a child for a medical issue, health care providers have a moral and legal obligation to request permission from that minor's official guardian.

In essence, you sign a simple form that gives another person consent to obtain medical care for your child on your behalf. This makes it possible for your child to get necessary care even if they are not with you and need medical treatment.

Why You Need a Medical Release Form for a Minor

People often assume that hospitals have to treat everyone who comes through the door, but that's not necessarily true—especially when it comes to children. Many urgent care facilities and emergency rooms will not treat minors unless a parent is present, a parent has given consent in writing, or the child's life is in danger.

Initial screenings will be done at an ER but care should only be provided without parental consent for emergency medical services in cases where a child's life is at risk, according to the latest policy statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Here are some instances when your child might need a medical release form if you aren't present:

• Allergic reaction
• Broken bone
• Concussion
• Cut requiring stitches
• Psychiatric care

Without a medical release form in place, your child might have to wait for treatment for non-emergency care—including receiving pain relievers for their comfort—until you can be reached.

Who To Give Medical Release Forms To

Anyone who will be caring for your child for hours on end should have a medical release form for a minor, signed by you. That might include:

• Babysitters
• Coaches
• Daycare providers
• Friends
• Grandparents
• Step-parents
• Teachers

It's especially important to authorize these people to seek medical care for your child if you know you are going to be inaccessible for an extended period. Prepare a form if you are traveling a great distance, anticipate having spotty cell service for a long time, or are undergoing medical treatment yourself.

Do Teenagers Need Medical Consent?

What if your older child is alone and needs non-emergency medical treatment? State laws vary. In all but two states, people are considered adults in charge of their own treatment decisions by age 18. However, many states allow minors under age 18 to independently seek out care for "sensitive" health services like substance abuse and reproductive services. Ask your doctor what the laws are for your state so you and your child can understand what medical decisions they can make for themselves, and when.

How To Create a Medical Release Form

To ensure a medical release form for your minor contains all the necessary information, consider using a professional template. Many hospital and legal websites offer a free "consent to treat" form that you can download and print.

The simple, one-page document includes all of the relevant information caregivers and medical staff would need to treat your children in your absence, including pertinent medical history and insurance information.

Once you've gathered applicable information and filled out forms, take the following steps to make sure your child is covered:

• Print one or more copies of the medical release form for each child.
• Fill out the form completely. Add any specific health information or wishes that you would want caregivers and medical personnel to know.
• If you share custody or parenting responsibilities with another person, include their information as well. Let them know that you're taking this step (and make sure they have a copy of the forms).
  
• Plan to notarize the form to make it legally binding. Wait to sign all copies of the forms until you are in the presence of the notary public.
• Discuss your medical wishes, your child's medical history, and how (and when) to use the form with all adults who will be taking care of your child for an extended period.

Remember to update information (such as a new phone number, new caregiver, or health insurance plan) as soon as it changes. Replace forms when they expire so that everything stays accurate and up to date. Be as timely and careful as you would be for bills and taxes—remember, your child's well-being is at stake.

Parents uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

1. Parental Consent. StatPearls. 2022.
2. Consent to Treatment of Minors. Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience. 2014.
3. Consent for emergency medical services for children and adolescents. Pediatrics. 2011.
4. State-by-State Variability in Adolescent Privacy Laws. Pediatrics. 2022.

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