It is not a news flash that we live in troubled times. Perhaps most troubling to parents is trying to make good decisions about the health of their family. As a population we are bombarded with information but how can you know what information you can trust? Do you trust the information of a 9 year old influencer on Tik-Tok about your infant’s skin care? Or your mother? Or an advertiser? How does your health care provider get the information they pass on to you? Finding a trusted sources of information is difficult even for doctors.
healthychildren.org discusses this. Medical ads are trying to sell a product. Watch for certain words to indicate that they are selling not reporting on the medical facts. These are some “selling” words; latest, cutting edge, #1 pediatrician recommended or doctor recommended, patented design or clinically shown.
Scientific studies require careful planning. Researchers need to follow specific procedures and processes. Studies must follow certain rules. Testing must take place in controlled conditions. For example if testing a medicine, it should be known if the child is taking another medicine or product. They also have to know how many people need to be included in the study to determine if it helps or if there are side effects. The same number needs to be a control number of people in the same circumstance given a sugar pill (placebo). Another researcher using the same study design needs to be able to get the same results. (replicate results). Well done, scientifically sound studies should go through peer review. The means other experts on the topic should review each study and make sure that all proper scientific standards are met before they are published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Sources that you can trust include accredited medical schools, professional medical agencies like the American Medical Association or the American Academy of Pediatrics, and recognized national disorders/disease-specific organizations. The last 3 letters in a website address can tell you what type of organization or company set up the site. .gov is a government website than can provide large amounts of health information for the general public. .org is a nonprofit organization. Search for information on nonprofits website that have good reputations for having good information. .edu is an education-based website which may have educational health materials for parents. .com is a commercial website designed to sell.
Who are the experts or do they just play one on TV? They may be doctors but are they experts on this subject? Do they work for the company making the product? Remember a “breakthrough” may be exciting but it needs to be replicated and reviewed. Sometimes “newer” medicines are not an improvement over older medicines.
Everyone wants the best for their child. When the diagnosis is devastating, we all want permanent and instant cures. The internet is a valuable source of medical information. Today a medical question might be answered by AI (artificial intelligence) but it is still possible to determine the source.
by Sally Robinson, MD Clinical Professor
Keeping Kids Healthy
Published June 2025