Caderneta da Criança (Child Health Booklet): what it is, what it tracks and how to use it
A new baby brings lots of appointments, vaccines, measurements and discoveries. Amid so much information, the Ministério da Saúde (Brazil's Ministry of Health) provides a document designed to help families and health professionals keep this history organised: the Caderneta da Criança — Passaporte da Cidadania (Child Health Booklet — Citizenship Passport).
Issued in separate versions for girls and boys (to follow the growth curves appropriate to each sex), the booklet follows the child's health, growth and development from birth until 9 years and 11 months of age (almost 10 years).
Far more than a vaccination card, the document brings together essential guidance on overall health, nutrition, motor milestones and social rights.
What is the Caderneta da Criança?
The Caderneta da Criança is an official document of the SUS (Sistema Único de Saúde, Brazil's public health system) used to record and monitor a child's health journey.
The printed version is given free of charge at the maternity hospital after birth or, if not, by the Unidade Básica de Saúde (UBS, Brazil's public primary care clinic). It should be taken to every routine check-up (well-child care), vaccination and emergency visit.
Among the information recorded throughout childhood, the highlights are:
Birth records and newborn screening tests (heel-prick, eye, hearing, heart and tongue-tie tests — known in Brazil as the pezinho, olhinho, orelhinha, coraçãozinho and linguinha tests);
Growth curves (weight, length/height, body mass index and head circumference);
Breastfeeding and healthy introduction of solid foods;
Interdisciplinary guidance on health, education and social assistance.
Is the Caderneta da Criança just a vaccination card?
No.
Checking the immunisation schedule is just one of its sections. The document is a complete tool for monitoring child development.
It allows the family and professionals to spot changes in growth or motor and cognitive delays early, making timely interventions possible in the first years of life, the period of greatest brain plasticity.
What will the family find in the booklet?
The first part of the booklet is aimed at parents and carers, bringing together practical guidance and rights guaranteed by law:
Rights and citizenship: Free birth certificate, maternity/paternity leave and access to public services.
Breastfeeding: Guidance on a good latch, expressing milk and support for exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months.
Healthy eating: In line with the Guia Alimentar para Crianças Brasileiras Menores de 2 Anos (the official Brazilian dietary guide for children under 2), discouraging sugar before 2 years of age and ultra-processed foods.
Developmental milestones: Guidance on smiling, holding up the head, rolling over, crawling, walking and talking, respecting each child's individuality.
Oral health and hygiene: Care from birth, the eruption of the first teeth and appropriate use of fluoride toothpaste.
Screens and electronic devices: Warnings about early screen use and the importance of active play.
Accident prevention and protection: Care around falls, burns, choking, safe travel in vehicles and recognising signs of violence or neglect.
What do professionals record, and why do the curves matter?
At routine check-ups (well-child care) — recommended by the Ministério da Saúde at no fewer than 7 points in the first year of life (1st week, 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 9th and 12th months) —, professionals assess:
WHO charts: Curves for weight-for-age, length-for-age, BMI-for-age and head circumference. More important than a single number is the slope of the curve, showing whether the child is gaining weight and growing in a proportional, steady way.
Screenings and referrals: Results of additional tests and records of multidisciplinary interventions.
Linking health, education and social assistance
The Caderneta da Criança is a cross-sector tool. Nursery and school educators, as well as social assistance teams (CRAS, Brazil's local social assistance centres), can consult and engage with the recorded information, building an integrated social protection network around the family.
Is there a digital Caderneta da Criança?
Yes.
The Ministério da Saúde offers the Caderneta Digital da Criança (Digital Child Health Booklet) linked to the Meu SUS Digital app (the SUS's official health app). Through it, parents and carers with a gov.br account (Brazil's government digital login) can:
View the vaccination history synced with the Rede Nacional de Dados em Saúde (RNDS, Brazil's National Health Data Network);
Follow growth records and appointments entered by the primary care systems;
Access up-to-date educational content.
The digital version works as a back-up and a safe copy of the data, but it does not replace the printed booklet, which remains the main document for direct notes at the point of care.
What should you do if the booklet is lost?
If the physical booklet is damaged or lost:
Go to the child's usual Unidade Básica de Saúde.
Ask for a new printed copy to be issued.
The SUS team retrieves the vaccination history and measurements from the electronic health record (e-SUS APS, the SUS primary care record system) and from Meu SUS Digital to fill in the new booklet.
Practical tip: always keep the booklet with the child's personal documents and SUS card (cartão do SUS, the public health system ID card) in the day bag. That way it will be at hand both for scheduled appointments and for unexpected emergency visits.
Sources:
Ministério da Saúde — Caderneta da Criança: Passaporte da Cidadania (Versão Menina e Menino).
Ministério da Saúde — Guia Alimentar para Crianças Brasileiras Menores de 2 Anos.
Ministério da Saúde — Manual de Normas e Procedimentos para Vacinação.
Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria (SBP) — Diretrizes sobre Puericultura e Uso de Telas na Infância.