Beef up child identification kits
By now, you must surely be convinced that child id cards and other identifying tools are a must-have in any parent's safety tool repertoire, and you would be correct. Most child identification kits contain everything you need to identify a son or daughter who has been lost or, even worse, abducted. However, if you want to take it a step further, some safety advocates recommend other id methods you can employ on your own to help law enforcement, rescuers and volunteer searchers identify a lost loved one when child id cards aren't enough.
Video child id "cards"
Videos are a terrific way to provide police and volunteers with a multi-dimensional representation of a young boy or girl they might not otherwise know. With a moving picture and audio, searchers can pick up useful identifying clues such as physical mannerisms, the pitch and inflection in his or her voice, posture and other subtle characteristics that a distraught parent might not think to mention. It is advisable to handle videos (or digital recordings) in the same way you would treat photographs: Update the video every four to six months for children age 6 and younger, and at least every year for older children.
Dental impressions
Most children already have dental records on hand at their dentist's or orthodontist's office, which police can access if necessary. Dental impressions can be used in more ways than one might think. Not only can the dentition pattern be studies for visual clues, but DNA can be obtained from dental impression and search dogs can even gather a scent from these molds.