medical bracelet for a 3yr old

[husker-mouse]

My DS2.5 suffers from dysphagia (swallowing disorder) which prevents him from drinking liquids with out choking. This also includes ice cream and soups. With out trip and preschool on the horizon I was wondering if anyone any any suggestions for a suitable brand or style medical ID bracelet for a 3yr old.

 

[SueM in MN]

I would suggest www.medicalert.org
They have many styles of bracelets and some are very appropriate for children.

They are an information organization that has been around for many years. Each bracelet/necklace has basic emergency information engraved on it, but it also contains a 24 hour a day contact phone number that health care professionals can call. Each member has a unique number that accesses a file with information they put into the file.

The file includes additional information, plus names and contact phone numbers entered by you (doctor, parents, other contacts). The nice thing is you can go into the file on the MedicAlert website at any point to edit the information - for example, if you change doctors.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I also recommend having a spare on hand - we found that helpful when our child took hers off to swim, forgot to put it back on, and it was lost.

And unless it has changed, you can use Flexible Spending Account (FSA) money to purchase the bracelet.

 

[SueM in MN]

I also recommend having a spare on hand - we found that helpful when our child took hers off to swim, forgot to put it back on, and it was lost.

And unless it has changed, you can use Flexible Spending Account (FSA) money to purchase the bracelet.

Good idea

 

[jmartinez1895]

This is the place we always got our sons from. We have used them since he was about 2 and we get the sport strap style. We let our son pick out the band that he liked the most and he was excited to wear it.
https://www.stickyj.com/medical-alert-jewelry/childrens-id-jewelry

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

My son had the same issue many years ago. We got the standard metal medic alert bracelet. I liked that it was put on by the jeweler and couldn't come off unless you had a wire cutter. I also liked that in an emergency people could call in and get access to all of his medical information, as well as emergency contacts, and that I could call and change the info whenever I wanted.

 

[husker-mouse]

Thank you all so much! I've checked them all out and I'm going to go with a product from Road ID. The band is soft, adjustable and a latex free. You can put all kinds of info on it and have it linked to an alert service. They make some that can even go on the ankle or his shoe. Again, thank you so much for all your input!!!

 

[SueM in MN]

My son had the same issue many years ago. We got the standard metal medic alert bracelet. I liked that it was put on by the jeweler and couldn't come off unless you had a wire cutter. I also liked that in an emergency people could call in and get access to all of his medical information, as well as emergency contacts, and that I could call and change the info whenever I wanted.

I just wanted to mention that it's not necessary to have a jeweler put on and cut off a Medic Alert bracelet.
The standard ones have kind of a double lock that would make it difficult for someone (adult or child) to remove by themselves, but they can be removed.
We had to remove our daughter's a week ago when she had a medical procedure. It took my husband to hold it still while I worked it off.(I had tried to do it myself, but could not ).

 

[husker-mouse]

I just wanted to mention that it's not necessary to have a jeweler put on and cut off a Medic Alert bracelet.
The standard ones have kind of a double lock that would make it difficult for someone (adult or child) to remove by themselves, but they can be removed.
We had to remove our daughter's a week ago when she had a medical procedure. It took my husband to hold it still while I worked it off.(I had tried to do it myself, but could not ).

Good to know! The one I picked out can is removable as well. I'm curious as to which style your daughter has.

 

[SueM in MN]

Good to know! The one I picked out can is removable as well. I'm curious as to which style your daughter has.

Her 'everyday' one is just the more plain inexpensive one, but she chose to have pink in the MedicAler logo.
http://www.medicalert.org/products/everybody/pink-medical-id-bracelet-chain
You can see the double lock in the small picture. 2 pieces are both hinged in different directions from the top. The end loop of the bracelet has to be removed from both to get it off.

She also has a pink beaded one, which has just a 'lobster claw' type attachment. That one is more fancy and she wanted it - since it was on sale at the time, I agreed.

She had a sports one at one time, but it don't know where that one went. It had a plastic attachment piece that clicked down.
I found it hard to get on and off and since it was fabric, felt it needed to be removed more than her present chain one. Apparently, other people also had issues with that because they font have it anymore; their similar style ones now close with Velcro.

 

[WantToGoNow]

I would get one that's not too easy to take off. We have lost many between my kids. When my ds was 5 he actually sold his to a kid on the bus for $5 - the mom found it and called me - it had the double, hard to do latch but two five year olds got it off. I even got him the dog tag style thinking he would mess with it less and he lost that as well. My dd had a beaded one that she loved and it got caught on a cleat during a soccer game and broke and cut her wrist - she wears it because she has a bleeding disorder. Right now neither is wearing them and I need to order new ones.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I just wanted to mention that it's not necessary to have a jeweler put on and cut off a Medic Alert bracelet.
The standard ones have kind of a double lock that would make it difficult for someone (adult or child) to remove by themselves, but they can be removed.
We had to remove our daughter's a week ago when she had a medical procedure. It took my husband to hold it still while I worked it off.(I had tried to do it myself, but could not ).

That's good to know. My son was an extra small 9 month old, probably the size of a typical 4 month old, when we got his, and so he was smaller than the smallest size they had, so we had to go to the jeweler's anyway to get links removed. To be honest, I can't remember whether there was a lobster claw that got removed in the process by my choice, or whether I ordered it without the claw? I know I was happy that it was impossible to remove without concerted effort. He hasn't had or needed one for years, as his needs have changed and he now can drink safely, and is no longer on the same medications that can cause life threatening drug interactions.

 

[SueM in MN]

I would get one that's not too easy to take off. We have lost many between my kids. When my ds was 5 he actually sold his to a kid on the bus for $5 - the mom found it and called me - it had the double, hard to do latch but two five year olds got it off. I even got him the dog tag style thinking he would mess with it less and he lost that as well. My dd had a beaded one that she loved and it got caught on a cleat during a soccer game and broke and cut her wrist - she wears it because she has a bleeding disorder. Right now neither is wearing them and I need to order new ones.

I guess 2 determined 5 year olds with little fingers are better at getting them off than 2 adults.

I do know that beaded ones say they are more meant for dress and not sports.

That's good to know. My son was an extra small 9 month old, probably the size of a typical 4 month old, when we got his, and so he was smaller than the smallest size they had, so we had to go to the jeweler's anyway to get links removed. To be honest, I can't remember whether there was a lobster claw that got removed in the process by my choice, or whether I ordered it without the claw? I know I was happy that it was impossible to remove without concerted effort. He hasn't had or needed one for years, as his needs have changed and he now can drink safely, and is no longer on the same medications that can cause life threatening drug interactions.

The size may well have been the issue for your child. That's pretty tiny!

 

[husker-mouse]

Goodness!!! All good things to consider! Although my DS is 2.5 now he is the size of a 5yr old. I'm definitely going to make sure it's not easy to take off, we have a spare and that his teachers and other adults know not to let him trade or sell it lol. It's like I'm raising a little ninja

 

[opusone]

Thank you all so much! I've checked them all out and I'm going to go with a product from Road ID. The band is soft, adjustable and a latex free. You can put all kinds of info on it and have it linked to an alert service. They make some that can even go on the ankle or his shoe. Again, thank you so much for all your input!!!

We have used the Road ID ones in the past, and they worked very well for us.

 

[lizzyb5280]

My 2.5yo has one from this company, and he has yet to get it off. He's the Houdini of escaping confined spaces, figuring out how to unlock things, and ripping bed tents, so that's quite the remarkable accomplishment that it is staying on. He didn't like it the first afternoon, but now will show it to his therapists and say "pretty". I got the puzzle piece design so that it's quickly recognizable that he is autistic, then the message sides say "I have Autism" and "No Gluten No Dairy". Then in the center are, of course, cell numbers for DH and I.

http://www.alertmebands.com/

 

[husker-mouse]

My 2.5yo has one from this company, and he has yet to get it off. He's the Houdini of escaping confined spaces, figuring out how to unlock things, and ripping bed tents, so that's quite the remarkable accomplishment that it is staying on. He didn't like it the first afternoon, but now will show it to his therapists and say "pretty". I got the puzzle piece design so that it's quickly recognizable that he is autistic, then the message sides say "I have Autism" and "No Gluten No Dairy". Then in the center are, of course, cell numbers for DH and I.

http://www.alertmebands.com/

Thanks for the suggestion! Someone else had suggested alert me band as well. What does it feel like whe it gets wet? My biggest concern is that he doesn't remove it but that is comfortable especially when wet. He doesn't like the feel of wet fabric or any material on his skin. This is why I am favoring the Road ID.

 

[owensarah]

we like the road id

 

[husker-mouse]

Sadly we came to the conclusion that he will be able to remove the Road ID and are going with the Alert Me band instead. Excited to pick between all the fun designs and colors!

 

[SoonerSarah]

My daughter has multiple issues and we travel a lot. It was important to us that access to all of her issues and various doctors was available in the event that DH or I are unable to speak. My daughter also only has the use of her left hand which gets quite dirty frequently and her right hand is frequently in a brace, so having something that is easy to clean was essential.

We decided to go with a MedicAlert bracelet, ours it just like what Sue posted except in purple.