There is wonderful and fascinating information on the internet! We provide the following information to help you answer questions you may have about health topics. Although we try to list only reliable sources, Amherst Family Practice takes no responsibility for the accuracy or currency of any of this information. If you find errors, please let us know. We will be adding and updating sources from time to time.

For lots of useful general information: Merck provides interactive video displays, a medical dictionary, a medical reference book, a guide to over-the-counter medications, an anatomy guide, and explanations by symptoms, age group, disease or test name at www.mercksource.com. The NIH (National Institutes of Health) provides excellent and balanced information about an enormous range of topics through access to the National Library of Medicine (see MedlinePlus) and through its specialty divisions that cover almost every disease and system, plus aging, alcoholism, alternative therapies, etc. at www.nih.gov. Medical question answers are at www.uptodate.com/patients. To search many sources in multiple languages: www.hon.ch. Try also Healthfinder at www.healthfinder.gov, Combined Health Information Database at phpartners.org/tutorial/02-her/2-sources/2.2.10.html, MedicineNet at medicinenet.com/script/main/hp.asp, and Mayo Clinic Health Oasis at www.mayohealth.org.

Here's some great information for pregnant women and new parents: There is a very helpful free phone line: 1-800-311-BABY (1-800-311-2229) or 1-800-504-7081 for Spanish. These numbers connect to the state Department of Health for information on finding free prenatal care, help with diabetes in pregnancy, and so much more. Also, for free text messages timed to baby's due date or birth date, check out "Text4baby." Register online at www.text4baby.org or text "BABY" ("BEEBE" for Spanish) to 511411.

For children's and teens' issues and illnesses, including handling common problems and minor injuries and parenting - www.healthyChildren.org, AAP.org, or www.chop.edu/consumer/your_child/index.jsp; questions about body changes or tattoos- www.kidsgrowth.com; drugs, including marijuana, club drugs, and anabolic steroids - www.nida.nih.gov; car seats - www.aap.org/parents.html and safety - www.wiredkids.org; rating movies, TV, videos - www.aap.org/family/ratingsgame.htm. Also try Virtual Pediatric Hospital at www.virtualpediatrichospital.org/. To track your child's development, try cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/index.html or www.babycenter.com. For disabilities nichcy.org.

For issues related to aging: http://www.nia.nih.gov/.

For information on any type of cancer, including prevention and treatment, alternative therapies, and explanations of terms and statistics: www.nci.nih.gov.

For lung disease, including asthma and COPD (emphysema or chronic bronchitis): www.nhlbi.nih.gov. For lung disease information and help stopping smoking: www.trytostop.org, or http://www.healthline.com/channel/nicotine-addiction-and-dependence.html, or www.lungusa.org. For asthma and allergies, try www.aaaai.org or www.njc.org.

For diabetes, www.niddk.nih.gov or www.diabetes.org.

For strokes, http://stroke.nih.gov. For most neurologic diseases, including more about ADHD: www.help4adhd.org, www.chadd.org, www.add.org, www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/disorder_index.htm.

For mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and ADHD, try www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/index.cfm and www.mentalhealth.org. There is a depression screening test at www.depressiontest.com. For support with family alcohol issues, Al-Anon/ Alateen www.ma-al-anon-alateen.org or valleyalanon.org.

For questions about hearing or language: www.asha.org.

For vaccinations, try www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/parents-guide/default.htm. For travel recommendations, including vaccinations: www.cdc.gov/travel.

For information on complimentary and alternative medicine, including links to information about therapies for menopausal symptoms: www.nccam.nih.gov and www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/etext/000015.html.

For dietary information try these. To find what nutrients are in particular foods: www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/cgi-bin/nut_search.pl. Other useful information at www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/ includes tools to evaluate your own diet, calculate how many calories you burn with different exercises, and evaluate fast food meals and recipes, plus links to information about performance-enhancing supplements; see also www.nutritiondata.com. For obesity, www.nhlbi.nih.gov and www.obesity.org. For reviews of nutrition resources, navigator.tufts.edu/among_list.html/4/. The Food and Drug Administration has information at www.fda.gov.

For organ donation or body donation: www.organdonor.gov and www.umassmed.edu/bodydonor/.

For product safety information: www.cpsc.gov. US government recalls from six different agencies can be viewed at www.recalls.gov. Car seat recalls are at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/childseat.cfm .

For a listing of local support groups and resources, including Alanon/ Alateen, Alzheimers, Amputees, Aphasia, Better Breathers, Bereavement, Birthparents, Bisexuals, Cancer, Caregivers, Childhood Abuse, Depression, Divorce, Eating Disorders, Gambling, Grandparents as Parents, Grief, Hepatitis, Incest Survivors, Interstitial Cystitis, La Leche, Leukemia, Lupus, Lymphedema, MDA/ALS, Menopause, Mental Illness, Osteoporosis, Ostomy, Overeaters, Parenting, Parkinsons, Physical Disabilities, PCOS, Smoking, Stroke, Stuttering, Tourette's - and much more: Google support groups, Western Massachusetts.

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