Andrew Family Children's Health Resource Center

room with books, dvds, and medical play for kids — **Come Visit Us:** We offer interactive medical play for kids, books, DVDs, pamphlets and access to online resources.

Managing your child’s health starts with understanding the facts. Free and open to the public, The Andrew Family Children’s Health Resource Center in Oak Lawn is a place for families to get the information they need to make well-informed health care decisions.

Here's what we offer:

Reliable kids health info for all ages, both in person and online
1-on-1 personal assistance from our caring and educated staff
Safety programs and educational materials

Come Visit Us

The Andrew Family Children's Health Resource Center
Lobby at Advocate Children's Hospital
Corner of 93rd Street and Kostner Ave.
Oak Lawn, Illinois 60435

Hours: Monday to Friday - please call ahead for hours and to schedule an appointment.

Parking: Free parking is available in Garage C, across the street.

Call 847-723-CHRC (2472) or contact us online for more information about the center's programs and services.

Visit us in person:

Looking for easy-to-understand health information? Stop in to browse our lending library's collection of current books, magazines, videos and pamphlets. You can even search our library catalog online before you come see us.

Learn with us online:

We provide you with digital access to a wide range of trusted health resources.

eBooks for Children's health: Find a wide collection of current health eBook titles
KidsHealth Library: Find articles, games and videos for all ages – kids, teens and parents
MedlinePlus: Trusted information from the National Institutes of Health

Remember to surf smart. Learn how to find trusted health information on the Internet.

Just for teens:

Do you wonder if the changes you are going through are normal? Are you stressed about school . . . your grades . . . your looks? Do you have an illness you want to learn more about? Would you like to learn about health careers? Explore these and other teen health concerns. The Andrew Family Children’s Health Resource Center offers many reliable resources for adolescent health. While we have great information, it is not a substitute for talking to your parents and your doctor about your health. Need more health information? Check out the KidsHealth Library teen section.

Personal assistance:

Whether you visit us in person or access our services online, the caring and educated staff in The Andrew Family Children's Health Resource Center can help with your search or help you gather materials.

→ Ask for assistance: Call 847-723-CHRC (2472) or contact us online with questions or to request health information. Your request will be handled confidentially.

Request more information:

Your health care team will provide you with the information you need to understand your child’s condition. If you would like more information, The Andrew Family Children’s Health Resource Center staff provides additional health information and education resources upon request. Visit the resource center in the lobby of Advocate Children’s Hospital or contact our resource center staff to bring the information to your hospital room.

→ Call 847-723-CHRC (2472) to request more information.

Does your child fear visiting the doctor, have a chronic illness, or dream of becoming a doctor or nurse? Then plan a visit to our interactive medical play area at The Andrew Family Children’s Health Resource Center. Under the guidance and supervision of a trained resource center team member, children can practice health care skills with teaching dolls and medical supplies. Anatomy models and other hands-on resources are also available for kids to explore their own health concerns. New! Our New Baby is in the Hospital: An Activity Book for Young Siblings

→ Schedule an appointment: Call 847-723-CHRC (2472) to schedule medical play time for your child.

Bike helmet fittings & sales:

Bicycle helmets are available for sale for just $11 each. We carry toddler, child, youth and adult helmets in a variety of styles and colors. Our trained staff offers custom fittings and education on how to wear helmets correctly.

Make an appointment: Call 708-684-7019 for days and times.

→ Learn more about proper bike helmet fittings.

Car seat checks:

Each year, thousands of children are seriously injured and hundreds die as a result of not being properly restrained in a car seat. Advocate Children’s Hospital is dedicated to child safety. Our certified car seat technicians can evaluate and instruct on proper car seat installation. Car seat checks are available by appointment in Oak Lawn.

Make an appointment: Appointments are only virtual at this time. Call 708-684-7019 to schedule.

→ Learn more about proper car seat safety.

Sibsensations offers support for typically developing siblings of children with developmental and physical disabilities and other complex conditions. The program allows children to meet peers with similar experiences in a fun, friendly and supportive atmosphere. Siblings will be able to share common joys and concerns and learn how to handle difficult situations.

Due to the COVID pandemic, our Park Ridge and Oak Lawn support groups are meeting together on Zoom until further notice. We meet monthly on Saturday mornings during the school year. There is no charge for Zoom meetings.

Registration required: Call 847-723-CHRC (2472) for meeting dates, registration and more information.

Meet our coordinator

Kathryn Smart, MS RN CRRN

Additional Information:: Kathryn Smart is the coordinator of the Children’s Health Resource Center at Advocate Children’s Hospital in Park Ridge. She received her Bachelor of Science in nursing at North Park University and Master of Science at Rush University. As a registered nurse for more than 30 years, Kathryn has always had a passion for patient and health education, first in physical rehabilitation and then in pediatrics. She has extensive experience in managing consumer health resource centers and planning community outreach programs. Kathryn conducted and published a qualitative research study asking adolescent students about their health information needs and preferences for obtaining health information. Kathryn has been helping families find reliable health information in the Children’s Health Resource Center for the past 20 years.