Resources on Health and Wellness

Family Information and Support

• Child Care Aware: Provides information about childcare in your area and other resources. 
• Childhelp: Prevention and treatment of child abuse. 800-4-A-CHILD (800-422-4453)
• Early Head Start: Promotes healthy development of very young children, birth to three, and healthy family functioning.
• Genetic Alliance: A health advocacy organization that provides a range of resources and services to individuals, families, professionals, and genetic support organizations. 202-966-5557
• Head Start: Promotes school readiness for children, ages three to five, by offering educational, nutritional, health, social, and other services.
• Maternal and Child Health Library Community Services Locator: An online directory for finding community services, including childcare, for children and families.
• National Fatherhood Initiative: Provides parenting information, advice, and resources just for dads. www.fatherhood.org or 301-948-0599
• Prenatal care: Helps to locate a primary care provider.
• Nemours Kids Health: Provides family-friendly information for parents, children, and teens about health, behavior, and development from before birth through adolescence. 
• Washington State Fathers Network: The Washington State Fathers Network (WSFN) connects men with other dads, resources, information and education, plus opportunities for "all family" celebrations. Focus is on assisting fathers as they become more competent and compassionate caregivers for their children with special needs. WSFN is the only regional program in the United States and Canada fully devoted to fathers of children with special health care needs and developmental disabilities.

Child Development

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
• Learn the Signs. Act Early: Tracks child development in terms of how a child plays, learns, speaks, and acts, from birth to five years.
• Child Development and Positive Parenting: Tips for each age/stage of development.
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Healthy Children: Age/stage information about child development.
• Maternal and Child Health Knowledge Paths:
• Community Services Locator: An online directory for finding community services, including childcare, for children and families.
• Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs: Information on advocacy, financing, rehabilitation, and transition.
• Search Institute's What Kids Need: Developmental Assets: Age/stage listings of positive experiences and qualities that help children grow up to be caring, responsible adults.
• Text4Baby: A free health service for mothers. Use your cell phone to text the word BABY (or BEBE for Spanish) to the number 511411. You'll be asked to enter your baby's due date or your baby's birthday and your zip code. Once signed up, you will receive free messages with tips for your pregnancy or caring for your baby. 
• Girls' Health: Website for girls ages 10-16.
• Young Men's Health: Website for young men, sponsored by the Children's Hospital in Boston.
• Zero to Three National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families: Child development, fact sheets, and brochures for families.

Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being

• Bright Futures Developmental Tools for Families and Providers: What to expect and when to seek help. 
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Learn the Signs. Act Early: Tracks child development in terms of how a child plays, learns, speaks, and acts, from birth to five years.
• Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health: Provides advocacy, leadership, and technical assistance to support children and youth with mental, behavioral, and emotional health needs and their families. Find your state chapter.  240-403-1901
• Maternal and Child Health Knowledge Paths:
• Emotional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Challenges in Children and Adolescents
• Social and Emotional Development in Children and Adolescents
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): The Child and Adolescent Action Center provides resources, supports, and advocacy to improve the lives of children with mental illness. 703-524-7600 sp
• Search Institute's What Kids Need: Developmental Assets: Age/stage listings of positive experiences and qualities that help children grow up to be caring, responsible adults.
• Stop Bullying Now! Information for parents and children about bullying and how to stop it.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Suicide Prevention Information:  hotline 800-273-TALK (8255) (English) or 888-628-9454 (Spanish)

Child Abuse - Sexual Abuse

• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Healthy Children:
• Child Abuse
• Sexual Abuse
• National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Provides information on child abuse and child sexual abuse, as well as children who have observed trauma.  CA: 310-235-2633 NC: 919-682-1552
• National Children's Alliance: Empowering local communities to serve child victims of abuse. 202-548-0090 or 800-239-9950

Healthy Weight/Healthy Food And Eating (See Also Physical Activity)

• Choose My Plate: Learn about balancing calories and healthy eating.
• Family Matters: Promoting Health and Wellness for Children with Special Health Care Needs Family Booklet
• Healthy Lunchtime Recipes: 54 winning kid-created healthy recipes from around the country
• International Lactation Consultant Association—Find a Lactation Consultant: Find local help with breastfeeding questions. www.ilca.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3432
• La Leche League International: Provides mother-to-mother breastfeeding resources and support. 
• Let's Move: A national campaign to "help kids be more active, eat better, and get healthy." 

Physical Activity (See also Healthy Food and Eating/Healthy Weight)

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Physical Activity
• Body and Mind (BAM): Encourages physical activity for children, ages 9 – 13 years.
• Maternal and Child Health Library Knowledge Paths:
• Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents
• Children and Adolescents with Special Health Care Needs Knowledge Path about Sports, Recreation, and the Arts
• National Center for Physical Activity and Disability: Encourages persons with disabilities to participate in regular physical activity to promote healthy lifestyles and prevent secondary conditions. 800-900-8086
• Model school wellness policies
• President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports: Promotes healthy lifestyles through fitness, sports, and nutrition programs that educate, empower, and engage Americans of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
• Special Olympics

Oral Health

• Maternal and Child Health Knowledge Paths:
• Oral Health Knowledge Path
• Especially for families
• Organizations:
• American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry: Offers parent education covering common pediatric dental health issues.  312-337-2169
• American Dental Association
• National Maternal and Child Health Oral Health Resource Center
• Infants and toddlers:
• A Healthy Smile for Your Baby (brochure)
• Baby's First Teeth 

• Young children:
• A Healthy Smile for Your Young Child
• First Steps to a Healthy Smile
• Special Needs:
• National Maternal & Child Oral Health Resource Center
• National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research  - Oral Health - Special Needs

Healthy Sexual Development/Sexuality

• Advocates for Youth: Rights, Respect, Responsibility: Supports young people's healthy sexual development.
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Healthy Children:
• Adolescent Sexuality: Dating, healthy relationships, sexually health, gender identity, and more.
• Talking to your child about sex: Puberty, sexuality and what to expect.
• Children Now: Talking with Kids About Tough Issues: Helpful tips for establishing and maintaining parent-child communication about a variety of tough issues.
• HEALTHY BODIES: A Guide for Puberty for Children with Disabilities: Two toolkits from The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Excellence in Disabilities, one for boys, and one for girls, that provide factual information about puberty. Topics include encouraging good hygiene, appropriate behavior, and how to deal with body changes. The toolkits also suggest ways to approach these important conversations, especially with children with disabilities.
• National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Information for parents and caregivers about sexual development and behavior in children.  202-419-3420
• Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG): Supports the health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons.  202-467-8180
• Sex Etc: Sex education by teens, for teens.
• Sexuality Education for Children and Youth with Disability or Chronic Illness: A resource list.
• Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS): Information about sexual health, relationships, communication, gender identity for all age ranges. Materials for youth, parents, and educators. 212-819-9770

Safety And Injury Prevention

• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP):
• See Healthy Children - "safety" or other specific topics
• Patient Safety Online – Safety and Prevention advice.
• Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC):
• Safety and prevention of injury and violence
• Protect the Ones You Love
• Wide range of information including safety
• Maternal and Child Health Library Knowledge Brief: Safety and Injury Prevention
• Nemours Kids Health: National organization devoted to children's health, home of Kids Health— family-friendly health information 
• Safe Kids: Nationwide network of organizations working to prevent unintentional childhood injury. 202-662-0600

Safety Topics:

Children with Special Health Care Needs—safety

• Keeping Children with Special Needs Safe in the Home
• Seattle Children's Hospital: 

Infant Sleep and Crib Safety

• Back to Sleep: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development—Back to Sleep Campaign and safe sleeping environments.  800-505-2742
• Consumer Products Safety Commission
• Safe Kids:

Home Safety

• Safe Kids:  202-662-0600
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Healthy Children:

Car Safety Car Seats and Seatbelts

• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Healthy Children
• National Highway Safety Transportation Administration (NHSTA)  888-327-4236
• Philadelphia Children's Hospital, Partners for Child Passenger Safety
• Safe Kids

Teen Driving Contract

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

State by State Driving Laws

• Allstate Foundation

Poisons

• Poison Emergency: 800-222-1222
• American Association of Poison Control Centers 
• Safe Kids
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Fires, Burns, Smoke Detectors

• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Healthy Children
• Safe Kids

Toys and Sports Equipment

• Nemours Kids Health:
• http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/learning/safe_toys.html
• http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/exercise/sport_safety.html
• U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission 800-638-2772
• Also, search for safety information on products you own, or submit reports of harm or risks. 800-638-2772

Bikes, Helmets, Sports, Playgrounds

• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Healthy Children
• Nemours Kids Health
• Safe Kids

Internet

• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Healthy Children
• Nemours Kids Health

Water/Pools/Swimming

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Safe Kids

Guns

• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Healthy Children
• Nemours Kids Health

 Bullying and Substance Abuse

• Mental Health resources above.

Community Resources

• 211: Find local community resources in your area.
• Maternal and Child Health Library: Community Services Locator Knowledge Path
• The Community Tool Box: Bringing Solutions to Light: Work Group for Community Health and Development at the University of Kansas.  785-864-0533
• Neighborhood Watch:  703-836-7827

Transition to Adulthood Resources

• Being a Healthy Adult: How to Advocate for Your Health and Health Care
• Got Transition? The National Healthcare Transition Center: Tips and tools to support and coordinate a smooth transition to adult healthcare services for youth—especially those with special needs—families, providers. 603-228-8111
• Healthy Transitions: Moving from Pediatric to Adult Health Care: 315-464-7561
• National Guardianship Association: Providing information and resources on finding and becoming a guardian for your adolescent with disabilities.  877-326-5992
• National Center on Secondary Education and Transition: Coordinates national resources, offers technical assistance, and disseminates information related to secondary education and transition for youth with disabilities. 612-624-2097
• Talking with Your Doctor and Other Health Care Professionals