Resources for Parents & Families

Esse Health Pediatrics is committed to helping keep kids healthy and safe. That's why we have put together these resources that provide valuable information, tips and advice, for parents and caregivers.

Please call or text your pediatricians office if you have questions or concerns.

Nutrition

USDA - My Plate: myplate.gov
Nutritious recipes and menu planning serve as the building blocks for healthy meals and overall diet and contribute toward improving lifelong eating habits.

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute - WE CAN!: nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan
We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition) provides helpful information and dozens of valuable resources for your family, including tips, worksheets, and tools, all designed to help your family eat right, get active and stay healthy.

What’s for dinner? Encouraging advice on how to prepare your family a healthy meal (PDF - 744 KB)
by Dr. Kristen Terrill, Esse Health Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine

Downloadable guides for your child's nutrition

Feeding Your Baby

Learn everything you need to know about feeding your baby, the importance of breast milk or formula, and what solid foods to start with.

Feeding Your Baby – Next Steps:

Once you’ve started your child on solid foods, here’s what you need to know about the next steps.

Baby-Led Weaning

Curious about what baby-led weaning is? Here’s everything you need to know about this method.

The Great Transition

Here’s everything you need to know about feeding your child and nutrition when your baby turns one year old. 

Healthy Eating for Toddlers

Wondering the best way to promote healthy eating habits for your child? Here are our recommendations for developing healthy eating foundations for toddlers.

Doctor using a Stethoscope to check on a smiling young boy

References for Children’s Health

HealthyChildren: healthychildren.org
Developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics specifically for parents and includes a lot of information about growth, development and specific medical topics.

CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: cdc.gov/parents/index.html
You'll find information for parents on a variety of topics from steps for a healthy pregancy and health baby to the critical teen years.

Child Life Services: stlouischildrens.org/conditions-treatments/child-life-services
The Child Life Services department provides a holistic and diverse approach to meeting the social and emotional needs of each child, adolescent and family.