Photo courtesy of ebay

Yesterday, I was having a wonderful chat with my friend, Mary, who is a fabulous mom, volunteer, and incredibly accomplished neurologist. I love to hear her ideas and perspective, and she always has some news for me on the “latest and greatest” in medical care. Without fail,  Mary always teaches me something new!

Yesterday, she told me that one of her patients showed her a great tool: A medical alert bracelet with a USB drive that stores all of his medical history. She said this provided her patient with much peace of mind; he knew that if he were admitted to the hospital and unable to speak, the doctors and nurses could access the information they needed to help him.

So…I did a little research and found several such bracelets Some look like a bit like “livestrong” bands, while others resemble traditional “medical alert bracelets.” Some even had a bit of “bling.” Other finds: necklaces and key chains!

Obviously these bracelets offer many benefits:

• Easy access to important information
• Peace of mind for parents of kids who are nonverbal or prone to wandering
• Safety for people with epilepsy or other conditions that lead to loss of consciousness
• Help in recalling information for nervous parents at the emergency room

Some things to keep in mind:

• Technology is a luxury that comes with great responsibility. Please be certain that you train volunteers that no information about a child–on a piece of paper, in a text, or on a flash drive–should be accessed without permission.
• Observe children and teens carefully. Sometimes kids with sensory sensitivities may take off ID bracelets or necklaces, even if they have previously not been bothered by them. Be certain that if lost or dropped, the ID jewelry is returned to the parent or guardian as soon as possible.

~Katie

Just a note: This post does not represent an endorsement of ANY product. If you are interested in learning more about these ID bracelets, please type “medical alert bracelet USB” into your search engine.