RESOURCES FOR PARENTS

Concerned parents can find a wide variety of useful medical information on the internet. Here are a few links to topics we believe are important.

(If you were looking for forms specific to your visit to Ptarmigan Pediatrics, go to our Paperwork page).

1. National Newborn Screening Resource website
2. Alaska’s Newborn Screening Program

1. Immunizations and Infectious Diseases: An Informed Parent's Guide. American Academy of Pediatrics. Also available as a Kindle book at Amazon.com
2. Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Section of Epidemiology
3. Recommended Vaccination Schedule for Ptarmigan Pediatrics patients -- the schedule we follow at our clinic
4. National Vaccine Program -- includes national immunization schedules and "why immunize" articles
5. Alaska State Immunization Schedule
   1. Birth to 6 years
   2. 7 to 18 years
6. School and Childcare Immunization Requirements – 2008-2009
7. Immunization Action Coalition -- personal stories about dealing with vaccine-preventable diseases, lots of general vaccine information
8. Institute for Vaccine Safety -- addresses safety concerns and research projects
9. MMR / autism link debunked -- Retraction of medical article supposedly linking autism to MMR vaccine.

1. Child Maltreatment Prevention
2. Injury, Violence and Safety
3. Emergency Preparedness and Response
4. Traveler’s Heath

Healthy Living

Fitness and Exercise

1. The President’s Challenge
2. Healthy Living
3. Healthy Weight for Children and Teens
4. American Academy of Pediatrics
5. The Game Closet -- Kid activities that encourage healthy lifestyles

Places to Exercise in the Mat-Su Valley (# Has kid-friendly options)

1. Alaska Club #  -- Palmer and Wasilla (376-3300) -- www.alaskaclub.com
2. Peak Fitness -- Palmer (746-3305) -- www.PeakFitnessOnLine.net
3. Denai Fitness -- Wasilla (373-3488)
4. AT&T Sports Center # -- between Palmer and Wasilla (746-7529) -- www.attsportscenter.com
5. Edge Fitness -- Mile 1.5 on KGB (376-3343)
6. Body Renew Alaska -- Wasilla (336-BODY) -- www.bodyrenewalaska.com
7. Curves (women only) -- Wasilla (357-2878) -- Palmer (746-4221) -- Blake (892-2348)
8. Wasilla Sports Complex # -- ice rink and walking track -- www.cityofwasilla.com
9. Wasilla and Palmer Pools #  in high schools -- ww1.matsugov.us/CommunityDevelopment
10. Brett and Palmer Ice Rink #  -- same website as pools
11. Blue Mountain Yoga -- 745-9050 -- www.YogaAlaska.com
12. Excercise Equipment -- Sears, Fred Meyer, Walmart, Play It Again Sports, CraigsList

Nutrition

1. Food Allergy Network
2. Healthy Meals
3. Women, Infants and Children (WIC) – Family Nutrition Programs -- Alaska information
   1. Local info: Wasilla WIC phone number: 907-376-4080
4. Breast-feeding
   1. Womenshealth.gov
   2. Parents.com
   3. Babycenter.com
   4. American Academy of Pediatrics
5. Pediatric Nutrition Links from Pediatric Nutrition Practice Group

1. Car Seat Safety
2. Toy Hazard Recalls -- list of recalls by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission
3. Poison Control
1. American Association of Poison Control Centers
2. National Capital Poison Center

Outdoor Safety

1. Traffic Safety Kids Page -- fun stuff for kids to do, teaching traffic safety
2. Safety for Kids in Alaska – Safety Bear from the Alaska State Troopers
3. Alaska Kids – a state-sponsored website for kid safety with other links
4. SafeKids.Org
5. FBI Kid Safety
6. Alaska Kid’s Guide for Busy Parents

1. Mat-Su School District
2. Anchorage School District

General Pediatric Information

1. Pediatric Dentistry
2. Find a Dentist
3. American Academy of Pediatrics
4. Alaska Chapter - American Academy of Pediatrics
5. Contemporary Pediatrics
6. March of Dimes