Minor/Child Medical Consent Form
A Minor Medical Consent is a legal document that allows someone other than the parent(s) or legal guardian of a minor to consent to, provide and seek medical care/treatment and make healthcare decisions on behalf of the child. This right is given temporarily.
Typically, this document is used by parents or guardians in situations where they will be unable or unavailable to consent to care for a specific period of time. For example, when a minor is traveling alone or with some other than the parent or guardian or if the parent or guardian will be traveling or away from home for a specific amount of time and they want to grant the temporary appointed caregiver the ability to seek and consent to medical care for the child.
Usually, the Minor Medical Consent Document includes information about the parents/guardian, the child, information about the temporary appointed caretaker, any specific health information, such as allergies or medical conditions, of the child and what treatments the temporary appointed caretaker may take while the parent/guardian is not with the child.
When looking to pick a temporary appointed caretaker for your child, ensure that they are at least 18 years of age, someone who is responsible, caring and that you trust. Many times, parents/guardian pick grandparents, uncles, aunts, nanny, babysitters, or a close family friend etc. to be their child's temporary appointed caretaker.
In most States, it is required that there is an end date to a child medical consent (usually 6 to 12 months). If there is no end date a hospital may deem the Consent form invalid and will not allow the temporary appointed caregiver to consent to treatment.
It is recommended that this Consent form be signed in front of a notary public or at least to have the document witnessed by a third party.
This form is also known as Consent to Treat Minor Child or Authorization for Medical Consent for a Minor