Websites covering several topics of interest to parents:
Canadian Paediatric Society is the national association of pediatricians and provides a range of information on many children’s health topics.
Caring for Kids is designed to provide parents with information about their child’s health and well-being. The site is developed by the Canadian Pediatric Society.
Parent Support BC partners with communities and those in a parenting role to provide support, advocacy, education, research, and resources.
HealthyChildren.org published by the American Academy of Pediatrics is a parenting web site backed by 60,000 pediatricians committed to the attainment of optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.
The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) provides provincial and national leadership in public health through surveillance, detection, treatment, prevention and consultation services.
HealthLink BC provides fact sheets on over 180 health and safety topics. Translations available. Or call 811.
KidsHealth is part of The Nemours Foundation’s Center for Children’s Health Media. KidsHealth provides families with perspective, advice, and comfort about a wide range of physical, emotional, and behavioral issues that affect children and teens.
About Kids Health from the Toronto Hospital for Sick Children provides a lot of unbiased and evidence-based information including A-Z of illnesses, operations, etc for parents. About Kids Health believes that all children deserve the best possible opportunity for a healthy, full childhood; and that the internet is an extraordinary tool that offers a unique opportunity to support better pediatric health in both advantaged and vulnerable populations in Canada and world-wide.
The purpose of the Family Support Institute is to strengthen and support families faced with the extraordinary circumstances that come with having a family member who has a disability. They believe that families are the best resource available to support one another. Directed by families, the Family Support Institute provides information, training, and province-wide networking to assist families and their communities to build upon and share their strengths.
Decoda Literacy Solutions is the provincial literacy organization. Parents are their children’s first and most important teachers. Early reading and thinking skills are learned at home. Support materials for parents can be found on this site.
Provincial Infant Development Programs.
BC Children’s Hospital mental health services – information on infant, child, and youth mental health in-patient and out-patient programs.
The Gender-Affirming Roadmap for Patients and their Families provides information about the different services and resources that may be considered at various points during the process of exploring one’s gender identity or transitioning.
Cost of Medications – Prescription medication costs can be kept affordable by several methods; click here information on how PharmaCare makes decisions. All families registered with the Medical Services Plan (MSP) should complete their Fair PharmaCare application which sets your personal level of coverage based on family income.
Social Relationships and Friendships – Some children face a variety of challenges in developing positive social skills including the ability to make friends. Our Social Relationships & Friendships Brochure helps prepare parents for a successful conversation with their child’s teacher or other educational professional. Here’s a Social Relationships & Friendships Tip Sheet to help parents of children with significant social/emotional challenges.
Common and uncommon diseases parents ask their pediatricians about:
Allergy |
Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Allergy/Asthma Information Association
Food Allergy Research and Education
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology- Patient info |
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Anaphylaxis |
Food Allergy Canada |
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Anemia (Iron deficiency) |
Iron Disorder Institute
Hamilton Health Science |
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Arthritis (Juvenile Idiopathic/Juvenile rheumatoid) |
Arthritis Society
Arthritis Foundation US
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
You, Your Child, and Arthritis |
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Asthma |
Asthma Society of Canada
AsthmaKids Canada
The Lung Foundation |
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Celiac Disease |
Celiac Canada
Celiac Sprue Association |
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Cerebral Palsy |
Cerebral Palsy Association of BC
Cerebral Palsy Association of BC’s Vancouver Island Resource Guide (includes separate guides for South, Mid, and North Vancouver Island) |
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Choking Prevention
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Be Smart Don’t Choke |
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Concussions |
Cattonline.com provides up-to-date concussion education for parents and coaches. It includes video lessons and resources to effectively prevent, recognize and manage a players recovery. |
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Congenital Heart Disease |
Heart and Stroke Foundation Canada
Western Children Heart Network |
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Congenital Hip Dysplasia |
International Hip Dysplasia Institute |
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Constipation |
CHEO Fact Sheet on Constipation
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases – Constipation |
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COVID-19 |
BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) information for the general public
Immunize BC information for the general public
Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) information for the general public |
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Croup |
Canadian Lung Association |
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Crohn’s/Ulcerative Colitis/Inflammatory Bowel Disease |
Crohn’s and Colitis Canada
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases |
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Dental |
BC Dental Association
Canadian Dental Association
Each Health Authority has a sodium diamine fluoride varnish program for stopping early cavities.
Healthy Kids Program can provide assistance for children of low-income families. |
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Developmental Coordination Disorder |
Centre for Childhood Disability Research |
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Diabetes |
Canadian Diabetes Association
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation |
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Diarrhea |
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases |
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Down syndrome |
Canadian Down Syndrome Society
Down Syndrome Care Hub |
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Ear Infections |
HealthLink BC
BC Childrens Hospital |
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Eczema |
About Kids Health |
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Epilepsy
or Febrile Seizures |
BC Epilepsy Society
Epilepsy Foundation |
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Eye Infection |
Perinatal Services BC (PSBC) |
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Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder |
Provincial Outreach Program for FASD
The FASD Center |
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Gastroesophageal Reflux |
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases – Infants and Children
About Kids Health |
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Hearing |
BC Early Hearing Program
BC Family Hearing Resource Society |
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Immunizations |
Please click here to find more information |
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Influenza |
Public Health Agency of Canada |
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Kawasaki Disease |
BCCH Fact Sheet
Kawasaki Disease Canada
Kawasaki Disease Foundation |
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Migraine |
National Headache Foundation |
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Learning Disabilities |
Learning Disability Association of Canada
BC Ministry of Education Special Education policies, procedures, and guidelines
Learning Disabilities Association of BC |
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Muscular Dystrophy |
Muscular Dystrophy Canada
Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy |
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Newborn Screening |
BC Newborn Screening
HealthLink BC |
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Nutrition & Healthy Weight
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Canada’s Food Guide
The Childhood Obesity Foundation
Dietitians of Canada
Generation Health is a free 10-week program
Physical Activity Guides
Screen Smart initiative to decrease recreational screen time + increase activity levels of students
Shapedown BC helps children, adolescents, and their families achieve healthy weights
Sip Smart! BC™ school based program aimed at decreasing consumption of sugar sweetened beverages
Superkids Nutrition |
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Rare Diseases |
National Organization for Rare Diseases is a health organization dedicated to helping people with rare “orphan” diseases.
Rare Disease Foundation organizes local parent to parent support groups and promotes a new approach for rare disease research and care. |
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Sleep |
Perinatal Services BC
Every Sleep Counts |
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Speech Development |
Speech-Language and Audiology Canada
Speech and Hearing BC
American Speech Language Hearing Association |
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Sudden Infant Death Syndrome |
Baby’s Breath
HealthLink BC
Perinatal Services BC |
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Thyroid Disorders |
Thyroid Foundation of Canada |
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Vision Loss |
Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada |
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