Child and care giver

Who is a care giver?

The caregiver is the important person to the young child. The caregiver feeds and watches over the child, gives the affection, communicates with the child, and responds to the needs. If the child is sick, the caregiver is usually the person who brings the child to you.

Often the caregiver is the child’s mother. But the caregiver may be the father or another family member. When both parents are sick or absent the child’s caregiver maybe a relative or neighbor. In some communities, children have several caregivers. A grandmother, an aunt, an older sister, and a neighbor may share the task of caring for a child. Also, a community child care Centre may have several caregivers who take care of children a few hours each day.

Ask about the child and caregivers

Step to follow when gathering information about the child from the care giver

1. Ask questions to gather information on the child and the caregiver. 
2. Listen the caregiver’s answer and record information about the child and the visit on the sick child recording form. 

• Date: the day, months, and year of the visit.
• CHW: the name of the community health worker seeing the child
• Child’s name: the first name and surname

• Write the age in years and/or months
• Circle boy or girl
• Caregiver’s name and relationship to child.
• Write the caregiver’s name. Circle the relationship of the caregiver to the child: (for example grandmother, aunt, or neighbor).
• Address or community: to help locate where the child lives, in case the community health worker needs to find the child.

Example of a completely filled sick child recording form