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Consent for Medical Treatment of a Minor

When someone else is looking after your child, you can ensure that your child can receive prompt medical attention while you are away with a Consent for Medical Treatment of a Minor document, sometimes called a Medical Consent for Minor. You might provide a Medical Consent for Minor document to daycare providers, teachers, step-parents, grandparents, or sports coaches.

A Medical Consent for Minor document allows a designated individual to make any necessary healthcare decisions for your child in your absence. This power can be limited by the language of the document, from allowing for the use of basic first aid to approving the use of general anesthesia. Due to the broad possibility of medical needs, it is important to choose someone you trust to make these decisions.

A medical authorization form is used whenever the parents of a child are unable to consent to necessary medical treatment themselves. Common situations include when the parents are travelling or when the child is routinely in the care of another, such as a babysitter, nanny or child care professional.

You can help make sure your child is protected even when you are not with them by using a Consent for Medical Treatment of a Minor document, which is also called a Medical Consent for Minor. The Medical Consent for Minor document clearly says who can obtain care for your child if needed. This document allows you to specify the details of the permission. For example, if you will be away from your child for a few days, or even a few hours, you can restrict the care to emergency medical treatment only. This document also enables you to provide information about your child's physician, preferred hospital, insurance, and prescription medications. A Medical Consent for Minor document is a useful way to help protect your children.

You can use this Consent for Medical Treatment of a Minor if:

• You want to give limited consent to someone else to get medical treatment for your child.
• You have a regular, trusted daycare provider who you want to be able to request medical attention for your child if it becomes necessary while the child is in their care.
• Your child will be in the temporary care of someone else, such as another family member, school teachers or coaches, church groups, or a travel group, etc.

Yes, in order to be legally binding, a Consent for Medical Treatment of a Minor document needs to be notarized. Both parents may want to sign the document, if possible.

The four types of consent are:

• Implied consent
• Express consent
• Informed consent; and
• Unanimous consent

This Consent for Medical Treatment of a Minor document is an example of express consent because it is giving an authorized individual permission to provide express consent to medical care or treatment for your child(ren).

The primary difference between these documents is marked by the authorization type, travel vs. medical. A medical authorization is specific to your child's healthcare needs, while travel authorization allows your child to travel under the care of whomever you, as the parent or guardian, name in the Travel Consent document.