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Child and Teen Health: A resource guide for parents

For every reputable resource you find online, you'll come across others that are inaccurate or misleading. So how do you know which ones you can trust?

As a parent, raising healthy children is likely one of your top priorities. This means it is your job to be on the lookout for resources that will help you care for your children and keep them healthy—from birth until they become young adults. But the process of finding the appropriate information can be overwhelming! For every reputable resource you find online, you’ll come across others that are inaccurate or misleading. So how do you know which ones you can trust? Learning to locate key resources can save you time and frustration, and will help keep your children as healthy as they can be!

Where can I find information on child or teen health?
Where can I locate parenting resources?
How do I find provincial programs and child care services?

Where can I find information on child or teen health?

When it comes to your children’s health, you want to make sure you are basing your decisions on reliable health information; but where to begin? Websites like the Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada, and Healthy Canadians are great sources of information Canadians can trust. These websites provide a brief overview of general health and wellness information related to children and adolescents. They will also point you to other resources that provide information on specific topics, including:

• Newborn and infant care
• Immunization
• Child and teen development
• Nutrition
• Safety

Websites like CaringForKids and AboutKidsHealth, developed by the Canadian Paediatric Society and The Hospital for Sick Children respectively, offer more detailed information on children’s health topics. Other notable organizations are those that provide straightforward information on specific areas of health, such as Children’s Mental Health Ontario.

Where can I locate parenting resources?

Raising children is never easy; but adolescence is accompanied by a whole new set of challenges. It is important for parents to inform themselves about the stages of child development to know what to expect and when. Reading up on tweens and teens, and visiting the ParentZone can help you get through those "difficult years." And learning about attachment and relationship building is a good way to build and strengthen your parent-child bond as your children enter into adolescence.

Websites such as AboutKidsHealth, Caring for Kids, and SexualtiyandU should also prove helpful when trying to overcome the challenges that accompany the teenage years.

How do I find provincial programs and child care services?

Caring for children involves more than making sure they are physically healthy. Good parenting is also about finding resources and services that will provide support for the entire family.

Some provincial health ministry websites provide information or offer programs related to childhood development (select your province from the list on the left). The Canadian Paediatric Society offers a comprehensive listing of community resources available in each province or territory. You can find other useful links listed by province in the table below.

Finding child care or day care services is a challenge most working parents need to overcome. The links below will guide you to search directories for licensed child care providers as well as to any applicable subsidy resources. It is best to consider your options and get your child on a waiting list early (often as early as when you are pregnant and know you will carry to term). Many provinces also provide documents with tips on selecting the right facility for your child. When available, these documents have been included in the table below.

For most of us, finances are a concern; for parents, the financial challenges of raising children can be tough. If you need financial support, you may want to browse through the listing of financial assistance programs/benefits by province on the Government of Canada’s website. For information about how to save on other big expenses like your child’s education, visit the CanLearn website.

Always remember that you know you child best. Keep in mind your goals as a parent, and don’t hesitate to seek out support services, relevant information, and programs for parents, kids, or the whole family! Your family doctor and paediatrician will also be able to answer questions or respond to concerns as you watch your child grow.

Key Websites:

• AboutKidsHealth
• Canadian Paediatric Society: Caring for kids
• Public Health Agency of Canada: Child health

Related Articles:

• I Think My Child May Have a Learning Disability: Where can I locate help?
• My Child is Sick: When do I see a doctor?
• Vaccination: Your child’s first line of defense
• New Parenthood Part I: From conception to childbirth
• New Parenthood Part II: Life with a new baby