Foundation Offers Advice On Creating Child ID/DNA Kit

The Morgan Nick Foundation recommends families create an ID/DNA kit for every child in the home.A child ID kit allows parents to provide immediate information to police if the child is missing.
The Morgan Nick Foundation says your child's ID Kit should include:

1. -Your child's complete name and any nicknames
   
2. -Physical information: age, height, weight, gender, hair color and length, eye color, etc.
   
3. -Other identifiable information: location of scars, birthmarks, glasses, braces, bruises, broken bones, tattoos, etc.
   
4. -Medical history including any medicine that may be needed
   
5. -Recent pictures: Be sure to keep updated color photos of your child. The most useful photos are clear candid photos, front and side views, updated yearly.
   
6. -A list of your child's friends, teachers, bus drivers and babysitters and their phone numbers.
   
7. -Your child's hobbies and hangouts.
   
8. -Your child's e-mail addresses and websites (i.e.: his/her MySpace or Facebook accounts), etc.
   

The Morgan Nick Foundation also recommends parents make a DNA kit.
The kit should include a copy of your child's fingerprints and a scent article.
Have your child remove a piece of clothing that he or she has been wearing all day
(a sock provides an excellent sample) and have the child place it in an envelope.
Do not allow anyone but the child who wore the article of clothing to touch it or the envelope.
Store the envelope in a safe deposit box or temperature controlled container.
Scent Articles stored in this manner should last indefinitely.
The kit should also contain a DNA sample. That includes a blood sample, baby tooth or hair with root.
Blood Drops can be collected using sterile cotton or wait until your child gets a cup or scrape.
Collect the blood sample on a Band-Aid. Completely dry before storing.
Wrap each sample separately in dry paper. Place sample in separate paper envelope (never use plastic).
The envelope should be sealed with tape covering each seam.
Place initials of collector and sample date on the envelope touching
both the tape and the envelope using permanent ink.
Each envelope should clearly indicate the child's name,
the name of the person who collected the sample, and the date the sample was collected.
Store in a safe deposit box or temperature controlled container.
For more information about DNA kits, please call the Morgan Nick Foundation toll free at 1-877-543-HOPE.