How do I access my child's medical records as they get older?

You will typically need permission to access your child's medical records after they become a legal adult at age 18. However, each state has different privacy laws when it comes to medical information, so your child's doctors may block you from accessing their records as early as age 12 or 14. Here are a few things you and your child can do to make sure you have continued access to their health information for regular medical appointments.

• Ask each healthcare provider about their process and what steps you need to take.

• Create a new login in your child’s name, and then in that account, grant permission for the adult to be able to see records. However, hospitals or large clinics might require a signed release before granting access. If the child is willing, they can provide written consent to share their records.

• Sign a release or minor authorization form for your child to give permission to access medical records, including through the online patient portal. Parents can typically request this form directly from their child’s provider or health plan. It’s a good idea to ask early, as some systems might require the form to be signed in person or submitted in a specific way.

If your child does not have the capacity to consent (i.e., they are unable to understand the right to medical privacy and to give consent to you having access), you should have a direct discussion with your child’s healthcare provider. State laws might offer alternative pathways for parental access when a child can’t consent, but solutions aren’t always clear-cut. The child still has the right to keep that care private if the state law allows them to do that.

For more information, see our full article Medical Rights and Consent at Ages 12 and 18.