How do you write down a child's allergy for a babysitter?

Name the allergen, what to avoid in practice, and exactly who to contact and when. Write “none” rather than leaving it blank, because an empty space reads like a question the parent forgot to answer.

What should a carer be told about medicine?

Copy the label exactly: the medicine name, the amount as labelled, how it is given, when, and where it is kept. Never ask a carer to work out a dose, and never write one from memory.

Should you leave medicine instructions if none is needed?

Say so explicitly. “No medicine for this handover” is a confirmed answer; silence is not, and a carer who finds nothing written cannot tell the difference between none needed and nobody wrote it down.

Free guide and printable

Allergy and medication information for a carer

This guide is about writing things down, not about what to write.What your child should avoid, what to do if they are exposed, and what medicine to give are decisions for you and your doctor. If your child has a serious allergy or a condition needing treatment, ask your clinician for a written plan — and then copy it here exactly. Nothing on this page is medical advice or a substitute for a plan issued by a clinician.

Most sitters never need this section. The ones who do need it in about four seconds, from a page they have not read before, while something is going wrong. That makes how it is written matter almost as much as what it says.

Six rules for writing it down

Name the child, every timeOne child's allergy is not the family's allergy. Put every line against a name, even with one child, so nothing can be read across to a sibling.
Say what to avoid in the words on a packet“No nuts” is not the same as “no peanuts”, and neither tells a sitter what to do about “may contain”. Write it the way it appears on a label, and say what your own household rule is.
Separate what to avoid from what to doTwo different questions, and a sitter under pressure needs the second one immediately. Keep them on their own lines rather than in one sentence.
Copy the instruction you were given, exactlyIf a clinician told you what to do on contact, write that down word for word rather than your summary of it. Do not improve it, shorten it or add to it.
Say where things are keptA written instruction is useless if the sitter cannot find what it refers to. Name the room, the shelf, the bag.
Write “none” when there is noneA blank space reads as a question you forgot to answer. “No known allergies” is information; an empty line is not.

For each medicine

The name on the box, not the type — brands differ and a sitter will be reading a label.
What it is for, in plain words, so it is obvious if the wrong thing is picked up.
When it is due, and whether a dose has already been given today.
Who may give it, and whether the sitter should ring you first.
Where it is kept, and where the spare is.

Printable allergy and medication sheet

Child

Name and ageDoctor or clinic, and number

Allergies

What to avoid, in label words (write “none known” if none)Our household rule on “may contain”What to do on contact — copied exactly from our clinicianWhere anything needed is kept

Medicine

Name on the boxWhat it is forWhen it is due, and last dose givenWho may give it; ring the parent first?Where it is kept, and the spare

If you are worried at all

Ring the parent. In an emergency ring your local emergency number first

This is a blank template: once you fill it in, keeping it accurate is on you, and a printed sheet is believed long after it stops being true. Care Handover generates the same thing from a plan you have approved, so it cannot silently go out of date — and your carer sees what is happening now rather than what was true when you printed it.

The one section nobody should have to search for

On paper this ends up on page two, under the bedtime routine. Care Handover keeps each child’s allergy and medicine details against their name, visible without scrolling, and never merges one child’s details into another’s. You approve every word before your carer can see it.

See a live example More free guides

Common questions

How do you write down a child's allergy for a babysitter?: Name the allergen, what to avoid in practice, and exactly who to contact and when. Write “none” rather than leaving it blank, because an empty space reads like a question the parent forgot to answer.
What should a carer be told about medicine?: Copy the label exactly: the medicine name, the amount as labelled, how it is given, when, and where it is kept. Never ask a carer to work out a dose, and never write one from memory.
Should you leave medicine instructions if none is needed?: Say so explicitly. “No medicine for this handover” is a confirmed answer; silence is not, and a carer who finds nothing written cannot tell the difference between none needed and nobody wrote it down.

What to write in your babysitter notesThe note you leave on the counter — what to put in it, in the order a sitter reads it.
An emergency contact card for your childOne card a carer can read in seconds, or hand to someone else — and what not to put on it.
Leaving your child with a sitter for the first timeWhat to cover before the first time, and what is worth saying out loud at the door.
Babysitter information sheetEverything a sitter needs in one sheet, with a free printable template.
Leaving your child with grandparents overnightWhat to say before the first overnight, including what to do at 2am.
Babysitting siblings with different routinesBriefing a sitter for two or more children whose evenings collide.
Questions to ask a babysitter before you hire themWhat to ask before you leave your child with someone, and what the answers tell you.
What to tell a wedding or hotel babysitterThe hardest handover: a sitter you have not met, in a room your child does not know.

Care Handover records and displays what a parent writes and approves. It does not diagnose, recommend treatment, calculate a dose or replace a clinician. In an emergency, ring your local emergency number — 112 or 999 in Ireland, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US.