THE CHILD’S NOTEBOOK AS A PUBLIC HEALTH TOOL: A NARRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

The Child’s Notebook (CC) is a tool that reflects the evolution of public health policies in Brazil, serving as an important instrument for monitoring child growth and development. It integrates with various government programs to ensure continuous and multidisciplinary monitoring of child health. This narrative review aims to present the historical context of public policies that contributed to the development of the CC and the evolution of previous instruments. In 1940, with the creation of the National Department of Children (DNC), the promotion of child well-being became part of the public agenda. In 1984, the Comprehensive Assistance Program for Children’s Health (PAISC) launched the Child Card, unifying information related to child health. However, it was in the 1990s, with the enactment of the 1988 Statute of the Child and Adolescent (ECA), that the rights of children and adolescents were recognized, granting them priority in access to social policies. In 2004, the Agenda of Commitments for Comprehensive Child Health and the Reduction of Infant Mortality was launched, and the following year, the Child’s Health Record Booklet (CSC) was distributed nationwide as an important instrument for promoting health and reducing infant mortality. Thus, the evolution of public health policies and the strengthening of the Health Care Networks highlight the CC as an emblematic example of child health promotion and the shared responsibility between families and healthcare professionals.