Social media is where a lot of parents find community, share their experiences and seek advice. While you can find lots of information about children’s health online, it’s not always easy to sort fact from fiction.

It’s clear more parents are using online platforms to connect, says Dr. Pilar Bradshaw of Eugene Pediatric Associates. “Social Media is now the leading way that parents find information about parenting,” she says. “And as a parent and a pediatrician, I think that’s both great and concerning.”

What are parents researching?
According to the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health, 80% of parents with children 4 years and younger use social media to discuss parenting topics. Many respondents in the poll rated social media as “very useful” for finding new ideas.

The most common subjects parents turn to social media for information include toilet training (44%), child sleep issues (42%), nutrition/lactation (37%) and discipline (37%).

Benefits and dangers
Dr. Bradshaw says while social media allows parents to find a community with other parents, there’s danger in mistaking medical advice as fact.

“There are so many times that I’ve looked at social media and seen something that is completely untrue medically that looks completely believable,” she says. “That’s why I think it’s so important that if it’s a medical decision you’re making you need to make that decision based on a trusted source like your doctor.”

Being cautious and evaluating the accuracy of information online is a skill we can develop and share with our children who are old enough to be online. Developing a sense of health literacy will help protect them from potentially damaging information.

Dr. Bradshaw also recommends exercising caution when posting photos and personal information about your child or your family.

“Is the information you’re sharing about your family or your child something that you really want to live on forever, something that you would want your child to see in the future, something that’s safe for your family to have known in their community?” she says. “Before you share information on social media, or before you watch information on social media, really think about ‘What is my end goal?’”

Consider the source
When looking for medical information online, here are some questions to consider for determining if the information is accurate:

  • Who runs the site? In general, you’ll find good health information on websites run by federal government agencies, medical schools and large professional or nonprofit organizations.
  • What’s the purpose of the site? Is it to inform or sell products or services? A trustworthy website’s goal is to provide good information.
  • If the information is on social media, what is the source? A social media post may come from someone you know, but that doesn’t guarantee it’s good information. If you’re not sure whether the information you see on social media is trustworthy, don’t share it with others.

Information found on the internet should never take the place of credible medical advice from your pediatrician. Medical providers can offer advice that’s tailored to your child’s own health history and unique medical situation.