Online health information for parents in other languages

We have gathered these web links to help health professionals find information for parents on common topics in multiple languages. These links are not intended as medical guidance. We cannot vouch for the quality of information or translations on these sites.

General health resources

AboutKidsHealth: From the Hospital for Sick Children. Select resources are available in Arabic, Chinese (traditional and simplified), French, Portuguese, Punjabi, Spanish, Swahili, Tamil and Urdu.

Our Kids’ Health: Evidence-based health information translated into multiple languages and featuring videos with Canadian health care providers.

Translated Resources: HealthLink BC provides health resources for parents in Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, Korean, Punjabi, Spanish and Vietnamese. 

Translated Materials Library: The University of Minnesota offers fact sheets, posters, videos and audio recordings in English and in over 100 languages free of charge.

Public Health Agency of Canada: Maternal and child health resources in Arabic. Topics include prenatal care, breastfeeding, child health and safety, nutrition, behaviour, early child development and parental coping skills. To request, email [email protected].

Specific health issues

Assessment and screening

Milestones, ages and stages: A variety of information on topics from birth to adolescence, from the Hospital for Sick Children, available in Arabic, Chinese (traditional and simplified), Portuguese, Punjabi, Spanish, Swahili, Tamil and Urdu.

Multicultural Mental Health Resource Centre: Links to select clinical assessment tools in multiple languages, often for a cost, including the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA), Paediatric Symptom Checklist, and Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

Nipissing District Developmental Screen: A developmental screening tool for infants and children up to 6 years of age, to be completed by a parent or health/child care professional, in different languages. Click on "Store" to purchase your tool in French, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic, Russian or Farsi.

Preschool speech and language: Milestones and tips for language development in 16 languages produced by the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services.

Child development and parenting

Family and peer relations: From the Hospital for Sick Children, information on behaviour, development and parenting in Chinese (traditional and simplified) English and French.

Parenting resource sheets: From the Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs, in 14 languages on active living, guiding behaviour, literacy, numeracy and play time.

Help your child learn to read: Resources from the Montreal Children’s Hospital on reading and language for children and teens of all ages. Resources in English, French, Tamil, Urdu, Chinese, and Spanish.

Health systems and health care

Health issues and services: From Settlement.org with a focus on newcomers to Ontario, information in several languages such as accessing emergency services, finding a doctor, and patients’ rights and responsibilities.

Tests and treatments: From the Hospital for Sick Children, in a number of different languages.

Translated resources: From Alberta Health Services, in Chinese (traditional and simplified), Arabic, French, Punjabi, Spanish and Vietnamese. 

Virtual Surgery Tour: From B.C. Children’s Hospital, available in Mandarin (traditional and simplified), Punjabi and Vietnamese.

Immunization

A Parent’s Guide to Vaccination: From the Public Health Agency of Canada, available in Arabic, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Farsi/Persian, Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, Urdu, as well as English and French. 

Immunization Action Coalition (U.S.): Handouts from reputable sources on a range of vaccination-related topics, available in Arabic, Chinese, Hmong, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Turkish and Vietnamese.

Injury prevention

Safety and the Environment: From the Hospital for Sick Children, information in Chinese (traditional and simplified) as well as English and French.

Child Safety Link: From the IWK Health Centre’s injury prevention program, information on car seats, booster seats and helmets in Arabic.

Medical conditions

TB Germ, A Cunning World Traveller: An easy-to-understand video produced by the BC Lung Association and the BC Centre for Disease Control. Suitable for both adults and older children. Available in Korean, Mandarin, Punjabi, Tagalog and Vietnamese.

HIV and AIDS:  From Asian Community AIDS Services (Toronto), information in Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Malay, Tagalog, Thai and Vietnamese.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.): Information on a variety of medical conditions available in English and Spanish. 

Disease- and condition-specific information: From the Hospital for Sick Children in Chinese (traditional and simplified), English and French.

Patient Health Education Materials Resource Catalogue: From Vancouver Coastal Health, a listing of print resources by topic and language.

Health Information Translations (U.S.): A collaboration of health agencies, with resources on over 300 health topics in 20 languages for health professionals and others to use in their communities. Searchable database.

Minnesota Department of Health (U.S.): Detailed information on tuberculosis in Amharic, Arabic, Bosnian, Chinese, Hindi, Hmong, Karen, Khmer, Korean, Laotian, Nepali, Oromo, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tibetan and Vietnamese.

Mental health and development

HeretoHelp: The B.C. Partners for Mental Health and Addictions Information website,  with information on a range of mental health and substance abuse issues in Arabic, Chinese (traditional and simplified), Farsi (Persian)/Dari, Japanese, Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese.

Canadian Mental Health Association: Downloadable brochures on common mental health topics including child discipline, substance abuse and intervention, and suicide prevention in languages such as Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Croatian, Dinka, Hindi, Persian, Punjabi, Serbian, Spanish, Tigrinya, Urdu and Vietnamese.

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health: Fact sheets in multiple languages on substance abuse, addictive behaviour and stress.

Mental health information: From Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children, condition- and behaviour-specific resources in Chinese (traditional and simplified), English and French.

Child and teen mental health: From the IWK Health Centre, select services in Arabic and simplified Chinese.

Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre (B.C.): Information on mental health challenges and resources, substance use, medications and healthier living, in Chinese (traditional and simplified), Farsi, Korean and Punjabi.

Multicultural Mental Health Resource Centre: Supported by the Mental Health Commission of Canada and the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, the MMHRC has links to child and youth mental health information in many languages.

Building resilient youth: Toronto Public Health brochure available in Bengali, Chinese (traditional and simplified), Farsi, Russian and Spanish.

Patient Health Education Materials Resource Catalogue: From Vancouver Coastal Health, a listing a wide range of print resources by topic and language.

American Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (U.S.): More than 100 Facts for Families documents: concise, up-to-date information on health, mental health, and psychosocial issues affecting children, teens and families. Versions of these are available in Chinese and Spanish. Big 10 questions for parents about child or youth mental illness is available in Spanish.

Nutrition and physical activity

Eating well with Canada’s Food Guide: Available in Arabic, Chinese (simplified), Farsi (Persian), Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil and Urdu.

Healthy eating and physical activity: From the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation, videos in Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin) and in Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil and Urdu.

Health and wellness: From the Hospital for Sick Children, resources on nutrition, sleep and many other aspects of routine care in Chinese (traditional and simplified), English and French.

Shapedown BC: From the B.C. Children’s Hospital, tip sheets for parents, families and caregivers in Chinese.

Oral health

Healthy Smiles Ontario: From the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term Care, resources for children and teens in many languages, including Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Somali, Tagalog and Vietnamese.

Dental health: From Toronto Public Health, on topics such as baby teeth, fluoride in drinking water and free dental care, in Chinese, Farsi, Spanish and Tamil.

Postpartum depression and anxiety

Life with a new baby is not always what you expect: Booklet from Best Start Resource Centre, available in Arabic, Chinese (simplified), Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil and Urdu.

Sad feelings after childbirth:  The Canadian Mental Health Association provides information in Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Croatian, Dinka, Hindi, Persian, Punjabi, Serbian, Spanish, Tigrinya, Urdu and Vietnamese.

Toronto Public Health: Information in Chinese, Punjabi, Spanish and Tamil.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Breastfeeding resources: From La Leche League International in a variety of languages, including Chinese, Italian, Russian and Spanish.

Alcohol use during pregnancy and breastfeeding: From Best Start Resource Centre, including Arabic, Chinese (simplified), Cree, Hindi, Ojibway, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil and Urdu.

Last updated: February, 2023