Changelog
What’s new
What changed on this site, newest first: new help pages and tools, essays and films, and the fixes that make it more private, easier to use and more truthful.
Every change on this page was built with AI (Claude), and this log is written with it too. Updates marked AI steward (685 so far) were chosen, built and checked by our autonomous AI steward, which looks after the site between the founder’s own work. Our AI policy.
New essay and song: I’ll Take the Watch
An essay for veterans, and for the people beside them. Someone stands the watch so the others can sleep, until somebody comes and says the words that let them go: I relieve you. Coming home from service, nobody says them, so part of a person keeps standing it alone: the chair that faces the door, the lock checked twice. The essay says that is not weakness but loyalty that has not been told it can rest, and that you cannot order it to stand down, but you can let somebody take a shift. For the people beside a veteran it can be as small as staying up, making coffee, or sitting on the porch steps without needing to talk. It names the Veterans Crisis Line (dial 988 then press 1, or text 838255, any hour, no enrollment needed), the Vet Center call center, the homeless veterans line and 911, and points to For veterans and the people beside them, the free page with all of it in one place. It comes with a cinematic chamber-folk song and a lyric film with closed captions. The essay was written with AI (Claude), and says an AI has never served or stood a watch; the song, the singer’s voice and the images are AI-made too, the narrator of the song is a character and not a real person, and the page says so at the top.
Read and watch →Healthy eating and staying active as you get older: food, fluids, salt, the five kinds of activity, and being good to yourself, in English and Spanish (the 452nd tool)
A new guide for older adults, and anyone who cooks, shops or walks with one, who want to eat well and keep moving. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says in its page Health Tips for Older Adults (last reviewed October 2019; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish page): the foods to have more and less of; drinking fluids when you feel less thirsty; eating on a fixed income; less salt; the vitamins it names; weight both ways (underweight is a concern too); the five kinds of physical activity and how much; safety tips; when to check with your health care professional; and being good to yourself. Our own lines are marked: it is about your health, not the size of your body, and it leaves out NIDDK’s body mass index and waist numbers on purpose; chest pain or pressure that won’t stop, 911; 988. It builds the questions to ask, prints a card, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →Changing your habits for better health: the four stages, the pros and cons, the roadblocks, and keeping it up, in English and Spanish (the 451st tool)
A new guide for anyone who wants to eat better, move more or change another health habit, whether they keep meaning to start, have just started, or have slipped. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says in its page Changing Your Habits for Better Health (last reviewed November 2020; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish page): the four stages of change and how to tell which one you are in; the pros and cons of healthy eating and physical activity; the common roadblocks (no time, the cost, doing it alone, not liking exercise or healthy food) and NIDDK’s solutions; a plan with small goals; tracking your progress; rewards that are not food; setbacks; and keeping it up. Our own lines are marked: it is about habits, not the size of your body; if food or eating has become a fight, our eating disorders page; ask which activity is safe for you; 911 and 988. It builds the questions to ask, prints a card, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →Diabetes and pregnancy: getting ready, the risks, the blood glucose targets, insulin, and after the baby, in English and Spanish (the 450th tool)
A new guide for anyone with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who is pregnant, just found out, or is planning a pregnancy. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says in its page Pregnancy if You Have Diabetes (last reviewed September 2024; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish page): how to get ready; how high blood glucose can affect the baby and you; how diabetes from before pregnancy differs from gestational diabetes; the team, the checkups, food, moving, smoking and alcohol; medicines, insulin and low-dose aspirin; the blood glucose targets most often recommended in pregnancy, ketones and A1C; the baby’s tests; and the care you need after the birth, including lows and breastfeeding. Our own lines are marked: if you believe it is an emergency, or someone with diabetes passes out or cannot swallow, call 911; 988; a risk is not a certainty, and no one is to blame. It builds the questions to ask, prints a card, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →Fatty liver disease in children: NAFLD and NASH, the signs, the tests, treatment, and food, in English and Spanish (the 449th tool)
A new guide for a parent or caretaker whose child was told they have fatty liver disease, or whose child had a blood test with high liver enzymes. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says in its pages Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and NASH in Children (last reviewed December 2021; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish pages): the two types, NAFL and NASH; how common it is and who gets it; why it is usually silent; the health problems, genes and other causes doctors check for; the blood tests, ultrasound, elastography and liver biopsy; gradual weight change and habits for the whole family; why no medicine is approved for children and why supplements need the doctor first; and food. Our own lines are marked: if you believe it is an emergency, call 911; 988; no blame, and no shame about a child’s body. It builds the questions to ask, prints a card, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →How digestion works: the digestive system, how food moves, how it is broken down, and how the body controls it, in English and Spanish (the 448th tool)
A new guide for anyone who wants to understand their stomach and gut, or who was told something is wrong with their digestion and wants to follow what their care team says. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page Your Digestive System and How It Works (last reviewed December 2017; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish page): the GI tract from the mouth to the anus, with the liver, pancreas and gallbladder, and the parts in plain words; why digestion matters; how food moves by peristalsis, step by step; how chewing, stomach acid, bile and enzymes break it down, organ by organ; where the nutrients go; and how hormones and nerves, talking with the brain, control it. Our own lines are marked: if you believe it is an emergency, call 911; and 988. It builds the questions to ask, prints a card, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →How the kidneys work: where they are, what they do, the nephrons, and how blood flows through them, in English and Spanish (the 447th tool)
A new guide for anyone who wants to understand their kidneys, or who was told something is wrong with them and wants to follow what their care team says. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page Your Kidneys and How They Work (last reviewed June 2018; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish page): where the kidneys are and how big; what they do (remove wastes, extra fluid and acid, keep the balance of water, salts and minerals, and make hormones for blood pressure, red blood cells and bones); the million nephrons, each with a filter (the glomerulus) and a tubule; how blood flows in and out; about 150 quarts filtered a day and 1 to 2 quarts of urine; and the words in plain language. Our own lines are marked: if you believe it is an emergency, call 911; and 988. It builds the questions to ask, prints a card, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →Simple kidney cysts: what they are, the symptoms, the tests, and when they need treatment, in English and Spanish (the 446th tool)
A new guide for anyone who was told a scan found a cyst on their kidney; anyone waiting to hear what a kidney cyst means; anyone with a kidney cyst who now has pain, fever or blood in their urine; and anyone looking after someone who does. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page on simple kidney cysts (last reviewed June 2019; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish page, which says the same): what they are and that they are usually harmless; how common they are (about 1 in 10 people in one large study, nearly 1 in 5 people age 50 and older) and who gets them; the rare problems they can cause; the ultrasound, CT scan, MRI and lab tests that rule out more serious problems; watching them, draining them (sclerotherapy) and surgery; and how they differ from polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Our own lines are marked: if you believe it is an emergency, call 911; and 988. It builds the questions to ask, prints a card, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →Anemia in chronic kidney disease: the symptoms, the causes, the tests, iron, ESA medicines, and food, in English and Spanish (the 445th tool)
A new guide for anyone with kidney disease who was told their hemoglobin or iron is low; anyone with kidney disease who is tired, weak or short of breath and wondering why; anyone on dialysis being given iron or ESA shots; and anyone looking after someone with kidney disease. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page on anemia in chronic kidney disease (last reviewed September 2020; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish page, which says the same): what anemia is and why damaged kidneys cause it (less of the hormone EPO, shorter-lived red blood cells, low iron, vitamin B12 or folate, blood loss); how common it is and who is more likely to have it; the symptoms, and NIDDK’s own line that chest pain that won’t go away is a 911 call; the blood tests; iron as a pill or IV, vitamins, ESA medicines, and why blood transfusions may be limited for people hoping for a kidney transplant; and planning food with a dietitian. Our own lines are marked: if you believe it is an emergency, call 911; and 988. It builds the questions to ask, prints a card for your numbers, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →Mineral and bone disorder in chronic kidney disease (CKD-MBD): the bones, the heart, the tests, phosphorus, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 444th tool)
A new guide for anyone with kidney disease who was told their phosphorus, calcium or PTH is off; anyone with kidney disease whose bones or joints hurt; anyone on dialysis wondering why the binders and the diet matter so much; and anyone looking after a child with kidney disease who is not growing as expected. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page on mineral and bone disorder in chronic kidney disease (last reviewed November 2021; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish page, which says the same except one age, and says so): what the disorder is and why the kidneys matter to the bones; how common it is (anyone with CKD is likely to have some level of it); who has it; the bones, the heart and blood vessels, and children; the tests; phosphorus in food and reading labels for “PHOS”; the kinds of medicine NIDDK names, dialysis, a transplant and parathyroid surgery; and how to slow it down. NIDDK does not name 911; our own lines are marked: if you believe it is an emergency, call 911, and the signs of a heart attack or stroke are a 911 call; and 988. It builds the questions to ask, prints a card for your numbers, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →Abdominal adhesions (scar tissue inside the belly): the symptoms, a blocked intestine, the tests, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 443rd tool)
A new guide for anyone with belly pain that keeps coming back after abdominal surgery, even years later; anyone told they have adhesions, or whose scan showed nothing; anyone worried about a blocked intestine; and anyone about to have belly surgery. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page on abdominal adhesions (last reviewed June 2019; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish page, which says the same): what adhesions are and how common they are (more than 9 out of every 10 people who have surgery that opens the abdomen, though most never have symptoms); who gets them and the causes; the symptoms, a blocked intestine, and when to seek medical attention right away; infertility; why imaging most often cannot show them; treatment, and why surgery to release them can cause new ones; and what surgeons do to lower the chance. NIDDK does not name 911; our own lines are marked: if you believe it is an emergency, call 911; and 988. It builds the questions to ask, prints a card, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →Hirschsprung disease (a birth defect of the intestine): the signs, the tests, surgery, and after, in English and Spanish (the 442nd tool)
A new guide for a parent or caregiver of a newborn who has not had a first bowel movement or has green vomit and a swollen belly, of a baby or child whose constipation laxatives don’t help, or of a child just told it is Hirschsprung disease. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page on Hirschsprung disease (last reviewed September 2021; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish page, which says the same): what it is (some nerve cells are missing in the large intestine) and the types; who gets it (about 1 in 5,000 newborns); the signs in a newborn and in an older child; enterocolitis, its most common complication, whose signs mean going to the hospital right away; the tests, from the exam to a rectal biopsy; the pull-through surgery, an ostomy first for some children, and what to expect after; and eating. NIDDK does not name 911; our own lines are marked: if you believe it is an emergency, call 911; and 988. It sits beside the child constipation guide, builds the questions to ask, prints a card, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI): the symptoms, the tests, enzyme pills (PERT), and eating, in English and Spanish (the 441st tool)
A new guide for anyone with loose, greasy, bad-smelling stools, bloating, gas or weight loss; anyone with pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, or surgery on the pancreas; and anyone just told they have EPI. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page on exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (last reviewed January 2023; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish page, which says the same): what EPI is and how the pancreas works; that it is rare but much more common with chronic pancreatitis or cystic fibrosis; the symptoms, causes and complications, such as low vitamins A, D, E and K and weak bones; the stool elastase test and the other tests; and the treatment, enzyme pills (PERT) taken with meals and snacks, no alcohol, no smoking, small frequent meals and a registered dietitian. NIDDK names no emergency signs on this page; our own lines are marked: if you believe it is an emergency, call 911; and 988. It sits beside the pancreatitis guide, builds the questions to ask, prints a card, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →
Acid reflux in children and teens (heartburn, regurgitation, GER and GERD): the signs, the tests, and the treatment, in English and Spanish (the 440th tool)
A new guide for a parent or caregiver of a child or teen with heartburn, food or a sour taste coming back up, chest or belly pain, or a cough or hoarse voice that won’t go away. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page on acid reflux (GER and GERD) in children (last reviewed November 2020; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish page, which says the same): that GER once in a while is common, that about 10 percent of children may have GERD symptoms at least once a week (more from age 10), who is more likely to get it, and its complications; NIDDK’s list of signs that mean calling a doctor right away, such as blood or green vomit, forceful vomiting, trouble breathing or swallowing, or refusing food; the tests; and the treatment, from sleeping with the head raised and no food before bed to medicines (only if the doctor says) and surgery. Our own lines are marked: if you believe it is an emergency, call 911; and 988. It sits beside the reflux in babies guide, builds the questions to ask, prints a card, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →Reflux in babies (spitting up, GER and GERD): what is normal, the warning signs, and the treatment, in English and Spanish (the 439th tool)
A new guide for anyone looking after a baby who spits up a lot, arches, gags or fusses at feeds, or who was told it may be reflux. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page on acid reflux (GER and GERD) in infants (last reviewed November 2020; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish page, which says the same): that spitting up is normal in babies younger than 1 (70 to 85 out of 100 spit up every day by 2 months, and most have no symptoms by 12 to 14 months); when it may be GERD; NIDDK’s list of signs that mean calling a doctor right away, such as blood or green vomit, forceful vomiting, trouble breathing, or no wet diapers for 3 hours; the tests; the treatment, from burping and holding upright to medicines; and changes to feeding, always with the doctor first. Our own lines are marked: if you believe it is an emergency, call 911; choking; and 988. It builds the questions to ask, prints a card, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →Urinary diversion (a urostomy, a stoma, a catheter or a new bladder): the types, the care, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 438th tool)
A new guide for anyone who has, or is about to have, a new way for urine to leave the body, and for the people close to them. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page on urinary diversion (last reviewed June 2020; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish page, which says the same): what it is and why it may be needed (most often bladder cancer); the types, from a catheter, a nephrostomy tube or a ureteral stent to a urostomy, a reservoir inside the body or a new bladder; caring for a stoma and a pouch day to day, with NIDDK’s numbers for emptying and draining; the signs of an infection; and activity, sex, feelings and food. Our own lines are marked: if you feel very ill or it is getting worse fast, call 911; and 988. It builds the questions to ask, prints a card, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →Hydronephrosis in newborns (a swollen kidney in a baby): the causes, the tests, and the treatment, in English and Spanish (the 437th tool)
A new guide for anyone looking after a baby, or expecting one, who has been told a kidney is swollen or dilated, on a pregnancy ultrasound or after the birth. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page on hydronephrosis in newborns (last reviewed October 2019; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish page, which says the same): what it is and how common it is (1 or 2 in every 100 pregnancies, about half gone by birth); when it can be a sign of a blockage or of urine backing up; the signs in a newborn; the causes, from the transient kind to birth defects such as UPJ obstruction, VUR and posterior urethral valves; how it is found before and after birth; and the treatment (watchful waiting, preventing infections, and surgery). Our own lines are marked: if you believe it is an emergency, call 911; call about a fever; and 988. It builds the questions to ask, prints a card, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →Perineal injury in males (an injury between the legs): the signs, the causes, and the treatment, in English and Spanish (the 436th tool)
A new guide for anyone hurt in the perineum, the area between the anus and the scrotum: a fall onto a bar or a bike frame, a wound, a burn, surgery, abuse, or long hours on a narrow bike seat. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page on perineal injury in males (last reviewed April 2020; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish page, which says the same): sudden and slow injuries and who is more likely; the signs; what it can lead to (bladder, bowel and erection problems, and rarely an erection that will not go away); the exam and the scans; treatment; and how riders, workers and people having surgery can protect themselves. Our own lines are marked: when to call 911 or go in now, that it is not your fault if someone hurt you, and 988. It builds the words to say, prints a card, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →Kegel exercises (pelvic floor muscle training): finding the right muscles, the method, and every day, in English and Spanish (the 435th tool)
A new guide for anyone, women and men, who leaks urine, stool or gas, or who was told to try Kegel exercises. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page on Kegel exercises (last reviewed November 2021; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish page, which says the same): what they are and who they can help; to check with your health care professional before you begin; four ways to find the right muscles, and why not to make a habit of stopping your urine; the easy start (squeeze, hold for 3 seconds, fully relax, work up to 10 to 15 times); at least three times a day, lying down, sitting and standing; that it may take 3 to 6 weeks; and not to overdo them. Our own lines are marked: leaks are a medical problem, not a failing, and 988 is there if it is all too much. It builds the words to say, prints a card with blanks for your own plan, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →Peyronie’s disease (a curved penis): the signs, the causes, and the treatment, in English and Spanish (the 434th tool)
A new guide for anyone whose penis has started to curve or bend, or who has found a hard lump in it, and for their partners. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page on penile curvature (Peyronie’s disease) (last reviewed August 2019; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish page, which says the same): that it is scar tissue, called plaque, that is not cancer and not contagious; the two phases; the signs; that more than 1 in 10 men may have it; who is more likely to get it; the visit and the exam; that not everyone needs treatment; the injections, the pills that do not help the curve, and the three kinds of surgery; and the complications, including distress, depression and strain in a relationship. Our own lines are marked: say how it is affecting you, and call or text 988 if it is all too much. It builds the words to say, prints a card, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →Kidney infection (pyelonephritis): the signs, sepsis, and the treatment, in English and Spanish (the 433rd tool)
A new guide for anyone with a fever and pain in the back or side, anyone whose bladder infection may be spreading, and anyone looking after them. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page on kidney infection (last reviewed October 2024; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish page from April 2017, which differs, and each guide marks what it takes from the other): the signs, which vary by age (a baby may only have a high fever; NIDDK’s Spanish page says an older adult may only be confused); that you should seek care right away; that, rarely, it can lead to sepsis, which can be life threatening; who is more likely to get one; the tests; the treatment (antibiotics, finished even when you feel better; the hospital; what to do if it comes back); and preventing the next one. Our own lines are marked: 911 or the emergency room for the signs of sepsis or sudden confusion. It builds the words to say, prints a card, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →Urinary retention: when you cannot pee, or cannot empty your bladder, in English and Spanish (the 432nd tool)
A new guide for anyone who suddenly cannot pee, or who goes but never feels empty, and for anyone looking after them. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page on urinary retention (last reviewed December 2019; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish page, which says the same): that acute urinary retention, a sudden inability to urinate, can be life threatening and needs emergency treatment right away; that chronic retention may cause few or no symptoms but can still harm the bladder and kidneys; what can cause it (an enlarged prostate, medicines such as cold and allergy medicines, surgery, nerve problems); the visit and the tests; the treatment (a catheter, medicines, procedures, surgery); and what you can do. Our own lines are marked: the emergency room now, and 911 if you cannot get there safely and quickly. It builds the words to say, prints a card, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →Erectile dysfunction (ED): the causes, the tests, and the treatment, in English and Spanish (the 431st tool)
A new guide for anyone who has trouble getting or keeping an erection, and for their partners. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page on erectile dysfunction (last reviewed October 2024; the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s older Spanish page, from 2017): that ED is common but not a routine part of aging, that it may be a sign of another health problem such as diabetes or heart disease, what can cause it (medicines included), the visit and the tests, the treatment choices, when to call right away (an erection longer than 4 hours, or losing sight or hearing after an ED medicine), and what helps prevent it. Our own lines are marked: the emergency room if you cannot reach your professional, and 911 for chest pain or fainting. It builds the words to say, prints a card, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →Prolactinoma: high prolactin, the signs, the tests, and the treatment, in English and Spanish (the 430th tool)
A new guide for anyone told their prolactin is high or that they have a prolactinoma, anyone with milk from the breasts or periods that changed or stopped, and men with less interest in sex or trouble with erections. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page on prolactinoma (last reviewed September 2019, in English and Spanish): what this benign pituitary tumor is and the signs, what else can raise prolactin (some medicines, an underactive thyroid, kidney disease), the tests, the medicines, surgery and radiation, and pregnancy. Our own lines are marked: 911 for a sudden, very bad headache or sudden loss of sight, and never stopping a medicine on your own. It builds the words to say, prints a card, and saves nothing. Written with AI; not medical advice.
Open the guide →New essay and song: Still Today
An essay for anyone waiting on a medical test result, and for the people waiting with them. It says the test has a time and an address, and that the hard part comes after, when the only instruction left is “wait.” Nobody has called yet, so today is still today: fear is not writing the result, and the days in between are still days. It passes on a few plain things for the waiting: before you leave the test, ask who will tell you the results and when, and write it down; if that day passes and nobody calls, you are allowed to call them; some results take a few days or longer, and a long wait does not by itself say what the answer is; tell one person what you need, and bring someone with you to hear the result. It points to 988 and 911, and to Medical tests: find the right page, the free list of test guides. It comes with a 1950s-style trio bolero and a lyric film with closed captions. The essay was written with AI (Claude), and says an AI has never sat in a waiting room; the song, the singer’s voice and the images are AI-made too, the narrator of the song is a character and not a real person, and the page says so at the top.
Read and watch →Thyroid disease and pregnancy: an overactive or underactive thyroid, the medicines, and after the baby, in English and Spanish (the 429th tool)
A new guide for anyone pregnant with a thyroid problem, anyone who had Graves’ disease or Hashimoto’s disease, and anyone whose moods, sleep or heartbeat changed after a baby was born. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page on thyroid disease and pregnancy (last reviewed December 2017, in English and Spanish): why the baby depends on your thyroid hormone in the first 3 months; the signs, and why they are hard to tell from pregnancy; an overactive thyroid and Graves’ disease, the antithyroid medicines used in pregnancy, and the signs that mean stop the medicine and call right away; an underactive thyroid, levothyroxine, and contacting your doctor as soon as you know you are pregnant; and after the baby: postpartum thyroiditis, breastfeeding, and iodine. Ours: 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting or a seizure, and never changing a medicine on your own. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and twenty-nine free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Kidney failure: choosing a treatment (dialysis, a transplant, or conservative care), in English and Spanish (the 428th tool)
A new guide for anyone told their kidneys are failing or will fail, and for the family and friends helping them choose. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its kidney failure pages (last reviewed January 2018, in English and Spanish): the signs and when to start; the four choices (hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, a kidney transplant, or conservative management, care without dialysis or a transplant), how to choose, that you can change your mind, and putting your wishes in an advance directive; dialysis at a center or at home, the access, and the signs of infection that need care right away; the transplant waiting list and living donors; food for each treatment, work, feelings, and paying for it (Medicare covers kidney failure at any age). Ours: 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting, a seizure or sudden confusion, and a reminder that insurance rules have changed since 2018. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card with the night and weekend number. Written with AI; not medical or legal advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and twenty-eight free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Polycystic kidney disease (PKD): the types, the signs, the tests, and slowing it down, in English and Spanish (the 427th tool)
A new guide for anyone just told they have polycystic kidney disease, anyone with PKD in the family, and the parents of a baby who may have it. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its PKD pages (last reviewed January 2017; NIDDK has them only in English, so the Spanish page is our AI translation): what PKD is, the two types (autosomal dominant, usually found between 30 and 50, and autosomal recessive, found in the womb or in babies) and the genes; the signs and what it can lead to, from high blood pressure and kidney failure to brain aneurysms and liver cysts; the imaging and genetic tests and genetic counseling; pain (ask before any over-the-counter pain medicine), a blood pressure goal of less than 120/80, dialysis and transplant, and the day-to-day steps that may slow it; and the costs. Ours: 911 for a sudden, severe headache or one with confusion, weakness, trouble speaking or fainting; call the provider that day for back or side pain with a fever. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card for the wallet. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and twenty-seven free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Kidney disease in children: the signs, the causes, the treatment, and school, in English and Spanish (the 426th tool)
A new guide for anyone looking after a child who was just told they have kidney disease, or whose child has swelling, foamy or pink urine, pees much more or less, or wets the bed again. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on two pages (August 2022 and February 2023, in English and Spanish): what kidney disease is and which children get it; the causes, from birth defects (nearly 60% of childhood chronic kidney disease in the U.S.) to infections and nephrotic syndrome; the signs and what it can lead to, including growth and learning; the tests and the pediatric nephrologist; the kinds of medicine (by kind, no drug named), and dialysis and transplant if the kidneys fail; and home, school (an IEP or a 504 plan; NIDDK says making up missed work is the child’s right, not a favor), friends and feelings. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, a seizure, very hard to wake, or fainting; get care right away for very little or no urine or swelling that comes on fast. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card for the wallet or the school. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and twenty-six free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Glomerular disease: the signs, the causes, the tests, and the treatment, in English and Spanish (the 425th tool)
A new guide for anyone just told they have glomerular disease, or one of the diseases that cause it (such as FSGS, lupus nephritis, membranous nephropathy or minimal change disease), waiting on a kidney biopsy, or who saw foamy or cola-colored urine or swelling, and for their families. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its glomerular disease page (June 2022, in English and Spanish): what it is, the most common causes and who gets it; the symptoms, which may not show for years, and what it can lead to; the tests and the kidney biopsy; the kinds of medicine (by kind, no drug named) and what happens if the kidneys fail; and food, family and the research. NIDDK says that in some cases it goes away once its cause is treated. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain, sudden confusion, or fainting; get care right away for very little or no urine or swelling that comes on fast. It builds the questions to ask and prints a wallet card. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and twenty-five free tools and guides.
Open the guide →IgA nephropathy (Berger’s disease): the signs, the biopsy, and the treatment, in English and Spanish (the 424th tool)
A new guide for anyone just told they have IgA nephropathy, waiting on a kidney biopsy, or who saw pink, cola-colored or foamy urine, and for their families. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its IgA nephropathy page (September 2022, in English and Spanish): what it is, how common it is and who is more likely to have it; the signs, which may not show for years, and what it can lead to; the tests and the kidney biopsy; the kinds of medicine (by kind, no drug named), less salt and quitting smoking; and food, family and the research. NIDDK says that in many cases it does not get worse over time. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain, or fainting; get care right away for very little or no urine or swelling that comes on fast. It builds the questions to ask and prints a wallet card. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and twenty-four free tools and guides.
Open the guide →One kidney (a solitary kidney): the checkups, keeping it safe, and giving a kidney, in English and Spanish (the 423rd tool)
A new guide for anyone born with one kidney, who had one removed, who gave one to someone, or who was just told they have only one, and for the parents of a child with one. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its solitary kidney page (October 2020, in English and Spanish), with the lines on living donors from its kidney transplant page (January 2018) and the lines on pain relievers and the pharmacy from its page on keeping kidneys safe (June 2018, English only, so the Spanish guide translates those lines with AI, and says so). It covers the three main causes and how common each is; what it can lead to, which NIDDK calls rare; the urine, blood and blood pressure checkups; telling every provider, pain relievers (by kind, no drug named) and sports; and food, pregnancy, and giving a kidney. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain, or fainting; get care right away after a hit to the belly, side or back with pain, blood in the urine, or no urine. It builds the questions to ask and prints a wallet card. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and twenty-three free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Nephrotic syndrome: in adults and in children, in English and Spanish (the 422nd tool)
A new guide for anyone, or the parent of any child, with swelling and protein in the urine, or who was just told they have nephrotic syndrome. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its pages about nephrotic syndrome in adults (October 2020) and in children (October 2021), with a few lines from its glomerular disease page (June 2022). NIDDK has no Spanish version of the two nephrotic syndrome pages, so the Spanish guide is our own AI translation, and says so. It covers the four signs that make it up and the diseases that cause it; the names by age in babies and children; the signs, from puffy eyelids to foamy urine, and what it can lead to; the urine tests, the blood tests and finding the cause; the medicines adults are most often given (by kind, no drug named) and the vaccines; and in children, steroids, remission and relapse, the side effects, and food. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain, or fainting; call your provider that day when something changes fast; never stop or change a steroid or any prescribed medicine on your own. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card to keep with you. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and twenty-two free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Prostatitis: the four types, the symptoms, the tests, and the treatment, in English and Spanish (the 421st tool)
A new guide for anyone with a prostate who has pain low in the pelvis, burning or trouble when they urinate, or was just told they have prostatitis. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (its English page, last reviewed July 2014, which the guide says is old; NIDDK has no Spanish version, so the Spanish guide is our own AI translation, and says so): the four types and who is more likely to get them; the symptoms of each, and the four signs that mean seek medical care right away; the physical and rectal exam and the tests a urologist may use; treating chronic pelvic pain syndrome, the most common type, which is not an infection and has no single treatment that works for everyone; and antibiotics for bacterial prostatitis, from at least 2 weeks to up to 6 months, with more liquids and fewer bladder irritants. It names the kinds of medicine NIDDK lists, but no drug, brand or supplement. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain, or fainting; the emergency room if you cannot pee at all and cannot reach a provider; never stopping antibiotics or a prescribed medicine on your own. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card to keep with you. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and twenty-one free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Gestational diabetes: the tests, the targets, the care, and after the baby, in English and Spanish (the 420th tool)
A new guide for anyone just told they have gestational diabetes, anyone with a glucose test coming up in pregnancy, and anyone who had it before. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English and Spanish pages, May 2017, the same text): what it is, and what high blood glucose can do to the baby and to you, including preeclampsia; that it usually has no symptoms, what causes it, and who is more likely to get it; the glucose challenge test (no fasting) and the oral glucose tolerance test (at least 8 hours of fasting, 2 to 3 hours), and what the numbers mean; managing it with an eating plan, activity, ketone checks, and insulin if needed, which NIDDK says will not harm the baby; the daily targets NIDDK gives for most people; and the diabetes test no later than 12 weeks after the baby is born, then every 3 years. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain, a seizure, or fainting; calling your doctor or midwife now when something feels wrong with the pregnancy or the baby; never stopping or changing insulin or a prescribed medicine on your own. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card for the fridge with a line for each number. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and twenty free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Medical tests: find the right page, twenty-five on one list
New at /medical-tests/ (and in Spanish at /es/pruebas-medicas/): one page that lists the fifteen guides on this site for getting ready for a medical test or procedure, and ten pages that go with them, 25 in all. The guides to a colonoscopy, a flexible sigmoidoscopy, a virtual colonoscopy, a lower and an upper GI series, an upper endoscopy, ERCP, a liver and a kidney biopsy, a cystoscopy, urodynamic tests, urinary tract imaging, prostate tests, the A1C test and thyroid tests were spread out across the long list of tools. The list is sorted by what the test looks at, in eight groups: the colon; the esophagus, stomach or bile ducts; the bladder, kidneys or prostate; a biopsy; a blood test (with the cholesterol and blood lead test pages); a home pregnancy test or a sleep study; getting ready for the visit; and a test or a bill you can't afford. Pick one and it opens; a box at the top narrows the list as you type. Each line on the list is copied from the description of the page it points to, so the list adds no health facts of its own. The box at the top says to call 911 if someone has trouble breathing or faints, before or after a test. The fifteen guides now carry a line that points back to the list, and /health/ now leads to ten lists. The page keeps nothing and sends nothing, and runs no analytics. It is a list, not a new tool, so the count of tools stays at four hundred and nineteen. Written with AI (Claude); it is not medical advice and no doctor has reviewed it. Checked by programs, not yet used by people. The Spanish was translated by AI and not reviewed by a native speaker.
Find the right page →Getting ready for an A1C test: what it is, the numbers, what can change them, and your goal, in English and Spanish (the 419th tool)
A new guide for anyone sent for an A1C blood test (hemoglobin A1C or HbA1c), or holding a result they cannot read. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English page April 2018, Spanish page April 2019, the same text): that the A1C reflects your average blood glucose over the past 3 months, and that you don’t have to fast for it; the levels NIDDK gives for diagnosis (below 5.7 percent normal, 5.7 to 6.4 prediabetes, 6.5 or above diabetes) and why a second test confirms them; why it is not used to diagnose type 1 or gestational diabetes, and the tests after a pregnancy with diabetes; why results can differ, and how recent blood loss, sickle cell disease, very low iron, kidney or liver disease and hemoglobin variants can make an A1C wrong; and why goals differ from person to person after a diagnosis. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain, or fainting, or someone with diabetes who passes out or cannot swallow; never stopping or changing a prescribed medicine on your own. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card for the fridge with a line for your number. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and nineteen free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Getting ready for thyroid tests: why, the blood tests, the imaging tests, and a nodule, in English and Spanish (the 418th tool)
A new guide for anyone sent for thyroid blood tests (TSH, T4, T3 or antibodies), a thyroid ultrasound, a thyroid scan, an uptake test, or a needle biopsy of a lump in the neck. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English and Spanish pages, May 2017, the same text): what the tests look for, from an overactive or underactive thyroid to Graves’ disease, Hashimoto’s disease and thyroid nodules; why TSH is usually checked first, and what a high or low level most often means; how pregnancy, oral contraceptives, severe illness and corticosteroids can change the numbers, and why many health care professionals prefer to measure free T4; how the ultrasound, the thyroid scan and the radioactive iodine uptake test are done, including avoiding iodine for a week and not having the scan or the uptake test while pregnant or breastfeeding; and the fine needle aspiration biopsy for a nodule. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain, or fainting; never stopping or changing a prescribed medicine on your own. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card for the fridge with a line for each of your numbers. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and eighteen free tools and guides.
Open the guide →
Getting ready for urinary tract imaging: why, getting ready, the tests, and after, in English and Spanish (the 417th tool)
A new guide for anyone sent for an x-ray, ultrasound, MRI, CT or nuclear scan of the kidneys, ureters, bladder or urethra. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English and Spanish pages, April 2020, the same text): the symptoms that could require imaging, and why it helps pinpoint problems that share the same symptoms; what you may be asked first; getting ready, from water 2 hours before some ultrasounds and an enema before a transrectal ultrasound to telling the staff about a pacemaker or other metal in your body, a sedative if enclosed spaces are hard, and fasting for 12 hours; how x-rays, ultrasound, MRI, CT and nuclear scans work; and afterward, the discomfort after a catheter, the signs of infection or a reaction that mean call your health care professional immediately, what contrast dye can mean for people with kidney problems or diabetes, and when the results come. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, a swollen face or throat, chest pain, or fainting; asking what to do with diabetes medicine while you fast; never stopping or changing a prescribed medicine on your own. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card for the fridge. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and seventeen free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Getting ready for a liver biopsy: why, getting ready, how it is done, and after, in English and Spanish (the 416th tool)
A new guide for anyone with a liver biopsy coming up. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English and Spanish pages, August 2019, the same text): that a liver biopsy takes a small piece of tissue for a pathologist to examine; why doctors use it (a diagnosis blood or imaging tests cannot confirm, how severe the damage is, the best treatment, how a treatment is working); the three kinds, through the skin, through a vein in the neck, and during surgery, and why someone with clotting problems or fluid in the belly may have the one through the neck; getting ready, with every medicine and supplement (aspirin, blood thinners, diabetes medicines and NSAIDs among them), blood and imaging tests, a ride home and fasting; how each kind is done, step by step; recovery, up to 1 week without intense activity or heavy lifting, the pain in the right side or shoulder that is common, the results, the risks, and the signs that mean seek medical help right away. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain, or fainting; asking what to do with diabetes medicine while you fast; never stopping or changing a prescribed medicine on your own. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card for the fridge. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and sixteen free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Getting ready for a kidney biopsy: why, getting ready, how it is done, and after, in English and Spanish (the 415th tool)
A new guide for anyone with a kidney biopsy coming up, including on a transplanted kidney. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English and Spanish pages, March 2022): that a kidney biopsy takes one or more tiny pieces of tissue for a pathologist to examine; when it may be recommended (persistent blood or too much protein in the urine, problems with kidney function, a transplanted kidney that is not working properly, a mass on an x-ray or ultrasound) and what it can show; getting ready, with your blood pressure, every medicine and supplement (aspirin, NSAIDs and blood thinners above all), allergies, fasting, a ride home and arriving 90 minutes to 2 hours early; how the needle biopsy is done, step by step, and the laparoscopic, transjugular and open ways; recovery, pink urine for up to 24 to 48 hours, 2 weeks before heavy lifting or contact sports, the results, the risks, and the signs that mean seek medical help right away. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain, or fainting; the emergency room if you cannot pee at all and cannot reach your team; never stopping or changing a prescribed medicine on your own. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card for the fridge. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and fifteen free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Getting ready for a lower GI series (barium enema): why, the prep, the day of, and after, in English and Spanish (the 414th tool)
A new guide for anyone with a lower GI series coming up, the x-ray test also called a barium enema. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English page June 2016, Spanish page October 2016, the same text): that a doctor uses x-rays and a chalky liquid called barium to view your large intestine; that it can help find the cause of bleeding from the anus, changes in bowel activity, chronic diarrhea, belly pain or unexplained weight loss, and can show polyps, diverticula, ulcers, a fistula or cancerous growths; telling your doctor about your health, everything you take, a colonoscopy with a biopsy or polyp removal in the last 4 weeks, and a pregnancy; clear liquids for 1 to 3 days and a bowel prep at home that causes diarrhea, and why finishing it matters; what happens on the x-ray table, with no anesthesia, in 30 to 60 minutes; and the light stools afterward, flushing the barium, the risks, and the signs that mean seek care right away. It names no brand and no medicine. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, a swollen face or throat, chest pain, fainting, or a lot of blood; asking ahead which medicines change during the clear liquid days and the prep, above all for diabetes, and never stopping one on your own. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card for the fridge with the start and stop times. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and fourteen free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Getting ready for prostate tests: why, the exam and the PSA, a biopsy, and after, in English and Spanish (the 413th tool)
A new guide for anyone with a prostate who has prostate tests coming up, was told a PSA number was high, or was sent for a biopsy. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English and Spanish pages, March 2023): that the tests can show if the prostate is enlarged, if it is causing bladder problems, or if there are signs of cancer; the symptoms that can lead to testing and the questions asked first; the digital rectal exam; the PSA blood test, why it can be hard to read, and NIDDK’s ages for it; the prostate health index; the kinds of biopsy, from ultrasound-guided to MRI fusion; the other tests; how to get ready; what is normal after each test, when the results come, the risks, and the signs that mean call or see a health care professional right away. It names no medicine. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain, or fainting; the emergency room if you cannot pee at all and cannot reach your team; telling the team every medicine, blood thinners above all, before a biopsy, and never stopping one on your own. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card for the fridge, with a line for your PSA number and its date. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and thirteen free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Getting ready for urodynamic testing: why, getting ready, the tests, and after, in English and Spanish (the 412th tool)
A new guide for anyone sent for urodynamic tests because of leaks, rushing to the bathroom, trouble peeing, or a bladder that won’t empty. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English and Spanish pages, September 2021): that these tests look at how well the bladder, sphincters and urethra store and release urine; why they may be recommended; that most need no special preparations, though you might be asked to change your fluid intake, stop certain medicines, or arrive with a full bladder; how each test works, from uroflowmetry, the postvoid residual measurement and the cystometric test to leak point pressure, a pressure flow study, electromyography and video tests; the mild discomfort for a few hours after, what may ease it, when the results come, the risks, and the signs of infection that mean call right away. It names no medicine. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain, or fainting; the emergency room if you cannot pee at all and cannot reach your team; never stopping a medicine on your own; and that leaking during the test is part of what is measured, nothing to be ashamed of. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card for the fridge. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and twelve free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Getting ready for a cystoscopy or ureteroscopy: why, getting ready, the day of, and after, in English and Spanish (the 411th tool)
A new guide for anyone with a cystoscopy or ureteroscopy coming up. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English and Spanish pages, July 2021): that these are common procedures a urologist uses to look inside the urethra and bladder, or the ureters and kidneys; the problems they can help find and treat, from UTIs that keep coming back and blood in the urine to a stone; the urine test, your medicines and allergies, and the instructions you may get (when to stop certain medicines such as blood thinners, eating and drinking, emptying your bladder, a ride home); numbing gel, a local anesthetic, sedatives or general anesthesia, and about 15 to 30 minutes for a simple look; the mild burning or a little blood that should not last more than 24 hours, the care at home, a stent, the risks, and the signs that mean call or see a health care professional right away. It names no medicine. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain, or fainting; the emergency room if you cannot pee at all and cannot reach your team; never stopping a blood thinner or other medicine on your own. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card for the fridge. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and eleven free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Getting ready for an upper GI series (the barium x-ray test): why, getting ready, the day of, and after, in English and Spanish (the 410th tool)
A new guide for anyone with an upper GI series coming up, or whose child has one. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English and Spanish pages, August 2016): that a doctor uses x-rays, fluoroscopy and a chalky liquid called barium to view your upper GI tract; that it can help find the cause of nausea and vomiting, belly pain, problems swallowing or unexplained weight loss, and can show ulcers, reflux, a hiatal hernia or growths; telling your doctor about your health, everything you take, and a pregnancy, and asking about x-ray safety for a child; nothing to eat, drink, smoke or chew gum for the 8 hours before; what happens on the x-ray table, with no anesthesia, in about 2 hours and up to 5; and the light stools afterward, flushing the barium, the risks, and the signs that mean seek care right away. It names no brand and no medicine. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, a swollen face or throat, chest pain, or fainting; asking ahead which medicines change while you cannot eat, above all for diabetes, and never stopping one on your own. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card for the fridge. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and ten free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Getting ready for ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography): why, getting ready, the day of, and after, in English and Spanish (the 409th tool)
A new guide for anyone with an ERCP coming up, and the person driving them home. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English and Spanish pages, January 2024): that ERCP combines upper GI endoscopy and x-rays to find and treat problems of the bile and pancreatic ducts, such as a gallstone stuck in the common bile duct, an infection, acute pancreatitis or a growth; that for diagnosis alone, tests that do not enter the body carry less risk; telling your doctor about your health, everything you take, and a pregnancy; nothing to eat or drink for up to 8 hours, and the ride home; what happens during the procedure; and the 2 to 6 hours after, sometimes a night in the hospital, the clear liquids, the results, the risks (problems in about 5% to 10% of procedures), and the signs that mean seek care right away. It names no sedative, dye or brand. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain, fainting, or vomiting a lot of blood; asking ahead which medicines change, and never stopping one on your own; packing for a possible night. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card for the fridge. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and nine free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Getting ready for a virtual colonoscopy (CT colonography): why, the prep, the day of, and after, in English and Spanish (the 408th tool)
A new guide for anyone with a virtual colonoscopy, also called CT colonography, coming up. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English and Spanish pages, July 2024): that doctors mainly use it to screen for colon polyps and colorectal cancer, usually from age 45; how it differs from a colonoscopy (no sedatives or anesthesia and less time, but it may miss certain polyps and cannot remove them, so a follow-up colonoscopy may come next); telling your doctor about your health, everything you take, an implanted medical device, or a pregnancy; the special diet and clear liquids; the bowel prep and the contrast medium, and saying if you are allergic to contrast medium; what happens during the procedure, which usually lasts about 15 minutes; and the report, the risks, including findings outside the colon, and the signs that mean seek care right away. It names no laxative, enema, contrast medium, sedative or brand. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain, fainting, or heavy bleeding with dizziness; asking ahead which medicines change, and never stopping one on your own. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card for the fridge. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and eight free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Getting ready for a flexible sigmoidoscopy: why, the prep, the day of, and after, in English and Spanish (the 407th tool)
A new guide for anyone with a flexible sigmoidoscopy coming up. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English and Spanish pages, July 2024): why doctors use it, to find the cause of bleeding from the anus, changes in bowel movements, belly pain or weight loss, and rarely to screen for colorectal cancer, usually from age 45; telling your doctor about your health and everything you take; the special diet for a few days, then clear liquids; the bowel prep, enemas or laxatives, often less than for a colonoscopy, and why to finish it; what happens during the procedure, which usually takes about 10 to 20 minutes, typically without sedatives; and the results, the risks, and the signs that mean seek care right away. It names no laxative, enema, sedative or brand. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain, fainting, or heavy bleeding with dizziness; asking ahead which medicines change, and never stopping one on your own. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card for the fridge. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and seven free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Getting ready for an upper GI endoscopy (EGD): why, getting ready, the day of, and after, in English and Spanish (the 406th tool)
A new guide for anyone with an upper endoscopy (also called an EGD) coming up, and the person driving them home. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English and Spanish pages, October 2023, the same text): why doctors use it, to find the cause of symptoms such as ongoing pain, heartburn, vomiting or problems swallowing, to identify conditions such as reflux disease, celiac disease and Barrett’s esophagus, and to treat bleeding; talking with your doctor about your health and all your medicines, including aspirin, NSAIDs, blood thinners and iron, some of which may need to change for a short time; not eating or drinking for up to 8 hours before, and arranging a ride home; what happens during the procedure, which typically takes 10 to 20 minutes and does not interfere with your breathing; and recovery, the results, the risks, and the signs that mean seek medical care right away. It names no sedative or brand. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain, fainting, or vomiting a lot of blood; asking ahead which medicines change, and never stopping one on your own. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card for the fridge. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and six free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Getting ready for a colonoscopy: why, the prep, the day of, and after, in English and Spanish (the 405th tool)
A new guide for anyone with a colonoscopy coming up, anyone told to be screened for colorectal cancer, and the person driving them home. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English and Spanish pages, August 2023, the same text): the symptoms a colonoscopy can look into, and that screening usually starts at age 45, earlier and more often for people more likely to develop colorectal cancer; talking with your doctor about your health problems and all your medicines; the special diet, the high-fiber foods to avoid and the clear liquids most people may have; the bowel prep, finishing it completely, and calling if side effects stop you; arranging a ride home; what happens during the procedure, which usually takes less than one hour; and recovery by the next day, the results, the risks, and the signs that mean seek care right away. It names no bowel prep or brand. Ours: 911 for trouble breathing, chest pain, fainting, or heavy bleeding with dizziness; asking ahead whether any medicine should change, and never stopping one on your own. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card for the fridge. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and five free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Dumping syndrome: the signs, the causes, the tests, and how to eat, in English and Spanish (the 404th tool)
A new guide for anyone who gets diarrhea, cramps, a racing heart, sweating or shakiness after meals, especially after weight-loss surgery or surgery on the stomach or esophagus, and for the people who care for them. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English and Spanish pages, January 2019, the same text): that dumping syndrome is a group of symptoms caused by rapid gastric emptying, when food moves too quickly from the stomach into the small intestine; the two forms, early dumping within 30 minutes after a meal and late dumping 1 to 3 hours after, caused by low blood sugar, and their signs; that about 1 in 10 people who have stomach surgery develop it, more often after gastric bypass; the surgeries and the conditions behind it; the medical history, a symptom score, the oral glucose tolerance test and the gastric emptying scan; eating changes first, then kinds of medicine only, and sometimes surgery, which does not always work; and how and what to eat, from six small meals a day to waiting 30 minutes to drink. Ours: 911 if someone faints and does not wake up right away, is confused or very hard to wake, has a seizure, or has chest pain or trouble breathing; following the low blood sugar plan your care team gave you; telling them about skipped meals or weight loss. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and four free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Gas, bloating and burping: the signs, the causes, when to see a doctor, and what helps, in English and Spanish (the 403rd tool)
A new guide for anyone bothered by burping, bloating, a swollen belly or passing gas, and for the people who care for them. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English and Spanish pages, June 2021, the same text): that having gas and some gas symptoms is normal, and that some people have symptoms that bother them often or affect their daily activities; what is normal (belching up to 30 times a day; passing gas 8 to 14 times a day on average, up to 25 considered normal); bloating and distention, and how common bloating is; when to talk with a doctor; where gas comes from, swallowed air and bacteria in the large intestine, and the health conditions that can cause gas symptoms, from IBS and lactose intolerance to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and a blockage; the medical history, a food diary, the exam and the tests; swallowing less air, changing your diet, and kinds of medicine and supplements only; and the foods that may lead to gas, eating habits, special diets and a registered dietitian. Ours: 911 for chest pain or pressure or shortness of breath, even if it feels like gas; emergency care for severe belly pain that does not ease, a hard, swollen belly, or vomiting with no gas or stool passing. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and three free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Short bowel syndrome: the signs, dehydration, the stages of treatment, and day to day, in English and Spanish (the 402nd tool)
A new guide for anyone who has had part of the small intestine removed, or was told the small intestine cannot absorb enough; for anyone who gets nutrition through an IV or a tube; for parents of a baby or child with short bowel syndrome; and for the people who love them. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English and Spanish pages, April 2023, the same text): that short bowel syndrome develops when the small intestine is shortened or damaged and cannot absorb enough nutrients, most often after surgery, and that in most cases the intestines are able to heal and adapt; the signs of malabsorption, and the signs of dehydration that need medical care right away, in adults and in babies; the causes in infants (necrotizing enterocolitis and birth defects) and in older children and adults (surgery for Crohn’s disease, cancer, radiation damage, a lack of blood flow or a severe injury); what can come with it, from lactose intolerance to gallstones, kidney stones and bone problems; the medical history, the exam, and blood, stool and imaging tests; nutrition support over three stages (acute, about 3 to 4 weeks; adaptation, about 2 years in adults; maintenance), fluids and oral rehydration solutions, kinds of medicine only, surgery and transplant; and food and drinks, and a registered dietitian. Ours: 911 for fainting, confusion or being very hard to wake; calling the care team right away about a fever or a problem at an IV line; never stopping a prescribed medicine or nutrition plan on your own. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and two free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Gastritis and gastropathy: the signs, the causes, the tests, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 401st tool)
A new guide for anyone whose upper belly hurts and who has been told it might be gastritis; for anyone who tested positive for H. pylori, takes pain relievers most days, or was told an endoscopy showed an inflamed stomach lining; for anyone with anemia or low vitamin B12 whose doctor asked about the stomach; and for the people who love them. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English and Spanish pages, August 2019, the same text): that gastritis and gastropathy affect the stomach lining, and that most people who have them have no symptoms; the signs of indigestion and of bleeding in the stomach, and that bleeding means seek medical help right away; the kinds (H. pylori gastritis, reactive gastropathy from NSAIDs, alcohol or bile, autoimmune gastritis, acute erosive gastropathy) and the less common causes; that about 35% of people in the United States have H. pylori; who is more likely, and the complications, from ulcers and anemia to stomach cancer, and that early treatment of H. pylori can prevent some stomach cancers; upper GI endoscopy and the blood, stool and breath tests; treatment by the kind and the cause (kinds of medicine only), taking every dose, and testing again at least 4 weeks after; and alcohol, food, iron and vitamin B12. Ours: 911 for vomiting blood or coffee grounds, or black, tarry or bloody stool with fainting, dizziness or shortness of breath; urgent care or an emergency room when your doctor cannot see you the same day; never stopping a prescribed medicine on your own. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred and one free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Indigestion (dyspepsia): the signs, the causes, the tests, and what helps, in English and Spanish (the 400th tool)
A new guide for anyone with pain, burning or fullness in the upper belly, bloating, nausea or belching that keeps coming back, who wonders whether a medicine, stress or an infection is behind it, or who has been taking something from the drugstore that is not helping; and for the people who love them. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English pages, March 2025; NIDDK has no Spanish version, so the Spanish guide is our own translation and says so): that indigestion is not a disease but a group of symptoms, affecting up to 20% of people in the United States each year; the signs that mean see a doctor right away; why heartburn is a separate condition; functional dyspepsia, a disorder of how the gut and brain work together, which about 7 in 10 people who see a doctor about indigestion are told they have; the medicines (by kind only), ulcers and infections such as H. pylori that can cause it; the questions, the exam, upper GI endoscopy, imaging and the H. pylori tests; the kinds of medicine and mental health therapies; and the foods and drinks some people find make it worse. Ours: 911 for pain in the chest, jaw, neck or arm, shortness of breath, vomiting blood, or black, tarlike stool with dizziness or fainting; urgent care or an emergency room when your doctor cannot see you the same day; never stopping a prescribed medicine on your own. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints an indigestion card. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing. With this guide, the site has four hundred free tools and guides.
Open the guide →Microscopic colitis: the signs, the tests, treatment, and day to day, in English and Spanish (the 399th tool)
A new guide for adults who have had watery diarrhea for weeks, who were just told they have microscopic colitis, who wonder whether a medicine is causing it, or who have a colonoscopy coming up, and for the people who love them. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English pages, April 2021; NIDDK has no Spanish version, so the Spanish guide is our own translation and says so): the symptoms, from chronic watery diarrhea to night trips, urgency and accidents, and remission and relapse; the two types, lymphocytic and collagenous colitis; how common it is and who is more likely; why, unlike other kinds of inflammatory bowel disease, it does not raise the risk of colon cancer; the medicines and smoking linked to it (by kind only); blood and stool tests, and why the colon most often looks normal in a colonoscopy and only biopsies show it; the kinds of medicine that treat it, and rarely surgery; and what a doctor may suggest limiting, from caffeine and alcohol to artificial sweeteners. Ours: 911 for fainting or confusion, a lot of blood, or severe belly pain with a hard, swollen belly; a doctor the same day for signs of dehydration; never stopping a prescribed medicine on your own. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card for your medicine changes and flares. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Barrett’s esophagus: the signs, the tests, treatment, and day to day, in English and Spanish (the 398th tool)
A new guide for adults who have had heartburn or acid reflux for years, who were just told they have Barrett’s esophagus, whose biopsy showed dysplasia, or who have an endoscopy coming up, and for the people who love them. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English pages, August 2024; NIDDK has no Spanish version, so the Spanish guide is our own translation and says so): why Barrett’s esophagus has no symptoms of its own, the GERD symptoms, and when to see a doctor (trouble swallowing, weight loss without trying, signs of bleeding, vomiting that does not stop); how common it is and who is more likely; dysplasia, and why most people with it never develop cancer; upper endoscopy and biopsy, repeat endoscopy and capsule tests; proton pump inhibitors (by kind only), radiofrequency ablation, cryotherapy, endoscopic mucosal resection and surgery; and the foods linked to heartburn, eating at least 3 hours before lying down, weight and tobacco. Ours: 911 for vomiting blood, black or bloody stool with dizziness or fainting, or chest pain. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card for your endoscopy dates. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Wilson disease (too much copper): the signs, the tests, treatment, and day to day, in English and Spanish (the 397th tool)
A new guide for anyone whose liver tests came back high and who has been asked about copper, who has tremors, stiff muscles or trouble speaking with no clear cause, whose parent, brother, sister or child has Wilson disease, or who takes treatment for it every day, and for the people who love them. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English pages, October 2018; NIDDK has no Spanish version, so the Spanish guide is our own translation and says so): the signs in the liver, the nervous system, mood and the eyes (Kayser-Fleischer rings), the ATP7B gene and how it is inherited, how common it may be, acute liver failure and cirrhosis, the slit-lamp eye exam, blood tests, the 24-hour urine test, a liver biopsy and imaging, chelating agents and zinc (by kind only), why treatment is lifelong and stopping it is dangerous, pregnancy, foods high in copper, well water and copper pipes, supplements, and testing your family. Ours: 911 for vomiting blood, confusion or fainting, and a doctor the same day for yellow eyes or skin. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a copper card for your treatment and tests. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →New essay and song: A Birthday, Not a Goodbye
An essay about aging out of foster care, for the young person turning eighteen and for the adults around them. It says eighteen can feel like a date on a file, the day a case is expected to close, and that it is a birthday, not a goodbye, and not the end of what you are owed. It passes on what federal guidance says: a transition plan in the 90 days before you turn eighteen or leave care, and the papers to leave with (birth certificate, Social Security card, health insurance information, medical records, an ID, and proof that you were in foster care); Medicaid until 26 for young adults who were enrolled when they aged out; that approximately 48 states let young people stay in care past eighteen and 33 let people who left come back before 21 (a summary current through March 2022); the Foster Youth to Independence voucher, the Education and Training Voucher and the Chafee program; and going to the supervisor, then an attorney or ombudsman, if nobody listens. To adults who were never in care it asks one small thing: be one steady person, a number that answers. It points to When you’re leaving foster care, the free private guide, and to 988 and 911. It comes with a 2010s-style indie-folk stomp song and a lyric film with closed captions. The essay was written with AI (Claude), and says an AI has never been in foster care; the song, the singer’s voice and the images are AI-made too, the narrator of the song is a character and not a real person, and the page says so at the top.
Read and watch →Hemochromatosis (too much iron): the signs, the tests, treatment, and your family, in English and Spanish (the 396th tool)
A new guide for anyone whose iron or ferritin test came back high, who feels tired with aching joints, whose parent, brother, sister or child has hemochromatosis, who gets regular blood transfusions, or who has been told they will have blood drawn on a schedule, and for the people who love them. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English pages, January 2020; NIDDK has no Spanish version, so the Spanish guide is our own translation and says so): the signs and why many people have none for years, the three types and the HFE gene, who is more likely, what it can lead to without treatment (cirrhosis, liver cancer, diabetes, arthritis, heart failure), the blood tests for iron, transferrin and ferritin, gene tests and a liver biopsy, phlebotomy and how often it is done, chelating agents for people who get transfusions (by kind only), the care of newborns, food, supplements and alcohol, and why close relatives should be checked. Ours: 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing, vomiting blood, confusion or fainting. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints an iron card for your blood draws. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Hemorrhoids: the signs, what helps at home, and when to see a doctor, in English and Spanish (the 395th tool)
A new guide for anyone who has seen bright red blood on the toilet paper, felt a sore or itchy lump near the anus, or had pain when sitting, for anyone pregnant or just after a birth, for anyone not better after a week of home care, and for the people who love them. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English pages, October 2016; NIDDK has no Spanish version, so the Spanish guide is our own translation and says so): the two types and their signs, why bleeding from the rectum always deserves a doctor (it may be a sign of another bowel disease), when to seek care right away, the causes and complications, the history, the exam and anoscopy, what helps at home (fiber, liquids, not straining, sitz baths and over-the-counter products, by their common names only), the office treatments such as rubber band ligation, surgery, and the fiber and habits that help keep them away. Ours: 911 for a lot of blood from the rectum or bleeding with fainting. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a one-week note. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Ulcerative colitis: the signs, the tests, treatment, and day to day, in English and Spanish (the 394th tool)
A new guide for anyone who has had diarrhea with blood or mucus for weeks, for anyone just told they have ulcerative colitis or in the middle of a flare, for anyone whose doctor is talking about a new medicine or surgery, and for the people who love them. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English pages, September 2020; NIDDK has no Spanish version, so the Spanish guide is our own translation and says so): the signs and how severe they can be, flares and remission, the complications that cannot wait, who is more likely to have it, what can come with it in the joints, skin, eyes, liver and blood, the history, the exam, blood and stool tests, colonoscopy and flexible sigmoidoscopy, the kinds of medicine (by kind only, as NIDDK names them), why to avoid NSAIDs for pain, surgery, food, colorectal cancer checks and bones. Ours: 911 for a lot of blood from the rectum, fainting, or severe pain with a hard, swollen belly; the doctor right away for many bloody bowel movements, fever or a racing heart. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card to carry. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC): the signs, the tests, treatment, and day to day, in English and Spanish (the 393rd tool)
A new guide for anyone told a blood test shows abnormal liver enzymes, for anyone with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease whose doctor has started asking about the liver, for anyone just told they have primary sclerosing cholangitis or facing an ERCP or a stent, and for the people who love them. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says (English and Spanish pages, both February 2022, the same text): the signs (many people have none when it is found), the signs of a bile duct infection and of cirrhosis, who is more likely to have it, the inflammatory bowel disease that about 7 in 10 people with it also have, the cancers it makes more likely and the checks that can find them early, the history, the exam, liver tests, MRCP, ERCP and the other tests, opening the bile ducts, the itch, antibiotics, bones and vitamins A, D, E and K, a liver transplant, and protecting your liver and what to eat. Ours: 911 for vomiting blood, confusion, being very hard to wake, or fainting; the doctor the same day for fever, chills, new or worse yellow eyes or skin, or pain in the upper right belly. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card to carry. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC): the signs, the tests, treatment, and day to day, in English and Spanish (the 392nd tool)
A new guide for anyone told a blood test shows a high alkaline phosphatase or anti-mitochondrial antibodies, for anyone tired all the time and itchy, for anyone just told they have primary biliary cholangitis (once called primary biliary cirrhosis) or taking ursodiol for it, and for the people who love them. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: the signs (many people have none when it is found), portal hypertension and its complications, who is more likely to have it, the other autoimmune diseases that can come with it, the history, the exam, the blood tests, the scans and the liver biopsy, ursodiol, the itch, cholesterol, bones and vitamins A, D, E and K, a liver transplant, and protecting your liver and what to eat. NIDDK’s pages date from March 2021, so the guide also checked the FDA: obeticholic acid, which NIDDK still names, has been no longer FDA-approved for PBC since November 24, 2025, and the guide says so beside NIDDK’s words. Ours: 911 for vomiting blood, confusion, being very hard to wake, or fainting. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card to carry. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Autoimmune hepatitis: the signs, the tests, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 391st tool)
A new guide for anyone told a blood test shows high liver enzymes, for anyone whose eyes or skin have turned yellow, for anyone just told they have autoimmune hepatitis or taking steroids or azathioprine for it, and for the people who love them. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: the signs (many people have none), the signs once cirrhosis has started, the two types and who is more likely to have it, the other autoimmune diseases that can come with it, the history, the exam, the blood tests, the scans and the liver biopsy, the medicines, remission and relapse, the side effects, and the vaccines and tests before treatment, food, and calcium and vitamin D. NIDDK: stopping treatment without your doctor’s guidance may be very dangerous. Ours: 911 for vomiting blood, confusion, being very hard to wake, or fainting, and a doctor the same day for new yellow eyes or skin. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card to carry. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Adrenal insufficiency and Addison’s disease: the signs, adrenal crisis, and staying safe, in English and Spanish (the 390th tool)
A new guide for anyone who is always tired and weak and losing weight and wondering why, for anyone who has taken steroid pills such as prednisone for a long time, for anyone just told they have Addison’s disease or adrenal insufficiency, and for the people who love them. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: the signs, adrenal crisis and the signs that need emergency treatment, the three kinds and their causes (the most common overall is suddenly stopping steroid medicines after a long time), the blood tests and the scans, the medicines that replace the missing hormones and the extra doses during illness, injury, surgery and pregnancy, and the emergency shot, the medical alert card, salt, calcium and vitamin D. Ours: 911 for the signs of adrenal crisis, and never stop a steroid medicine on your own. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card to carry. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Cyclic vomiting syndrome: the episodes, the phases, and what helps, in English and Spanish (the 389th tool)
A new guide for anyone who keeps having bouts of severe nausea and vomiting that come and go, with weeks or months of feeling fine in between, for the parent of a child who does, and for anyone just told “it might be cyclic vomiting syndrome.” It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: the signs and the four phases (prodrome, vomiting, recovery and well), when to seek medical help and the signs of dehydration in adults and in children, who is more likely to get it (migraines, long-term marijuana use, motion sickness), the pattern doctors look for and the tests that rule out other causes, treatment phase by phase (medicines named only by what they are for), and the triggers, sleep, food and drink between episodes. Ours: 911 for fainting, confusion, trouble breathing or vomiting blood, and a written plan made with your doctor before the next episode. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card for your plan. Written with AI; not medical advice; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Colon polyps: the signs, screening, and what happens next, in English and Spanish (the 388th tool)
A new guide for anyone who is 45 or older and has never been checked, anyone who saw blood on the toilet paper or in their stool, anyone whose family had polyps or colon cancer, and anyone just told “we found a polyp.” It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: that colon polyps are growths on the lining of the colon and rectum; that most are not cancerous, but some may turn into cancer over time, and removing them can help prevent colorectal cancer; that most people with polyps feel fine; that screening for most people starts at 45, earlier and more often at higher risk; what colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy and the other tests do; that doctors remove almost all polyps without surgery; the warning signs after a polyp is removed; and the steps that may lower your chances. NIDDK's Spanish pages are older and still say 50, so the guide says so in both languages. Ours: a lot of blood, or blood with dizziness or fainting, means 911. It builds the words to say to a doctor, prints a card to keep, and saves nothing. Written with AI; no doctor has reviewed it.
Open the guide →Interstitial cystitis (bladder pain syndrome): the signs, the tests, and what helps, in English and Spanish (the 387th tool)
A new guide for anyone whose bladder hurts and gets worse as it fills, anyone who has to go all the time, anyone told again and again that their urine tests show no infection, and anyone whose bladder pain comes in flares. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: that interstitial cystitis, also called bladder pain syndrome, is a long-lasting condition that between 4 and 12 million people in the United States may have; that it is found by ruling out other conditions, such as a urinary tract infection; what can set off a flare, from certain foods and drinks to stress; what can go with it; and that lifestyle changes, bladder training, pelvic floor physical therapy, medicines and bladder procedures can help, though you may need to try several. NIDDK's Spanish pages are older than its English ones, so where a line comes from only one, the guide says which. Ours: fever, back or side pain or throwing up with bladder pain means a doctor the same day, and not being able to pee at all means the emergency room. It names medicines only by kind, builds the words to say to a doctor, prints a card to keep, and saves nothing. Written with AI; no doctor has reviewed it.
Open the guide →Bowel control problems (fecal incontinence): the signs, the causes, the tests, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 386th tool)
A new guide for anyone who leaks stool or does not make it to the toilet in time, anyone too embarrassed to tell a doctor, anyone whose leaking started after giving birth, anyone caring for an older person who has accidents, and the parent of a child older than 4 who soils their underwear. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: that fecal incontinence, also called accidental bowel leakage, affects about 1 in 3 people who see a primary care provider; that it is a medical problem, not something to be ashamed of, and usually does not go away on its own; its causes, from diarrhea and constipation to childbirth, nerve damage and diseases such as diabetes, dementia and stroke; the questions, the exam and the tests; and that simple treatments (diet changes, medicines, bowel training and pelvic floor exercises) can improve symptoms by about 60 percent. Ours: a sudden loss of control with back pain, numbness between the legs or weak legs means the emergency room or 911. It names medicines only by kind, builds the words to say to a doctor, prints a card to keep, and saves nothing. Written with AI; no doctor has reviewed it.
Open the guide →Diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage from diabetes): the signs, foot care, the tests, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 385th tool)
A new guide for anyone with diabetes whose feet burn, tingle or feel numb, anyone who gets light-headed on standing or no longer feels it when their blood sugar goes low, anyone with a foot sore that is slow to heal, and anyone just told they have nerve damage from diabetes. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: that diabetic neuropathy is nerve damage caused by diabetes, in four kinds; that up to one-half of people with diabetes have the kind in the feet and legs; to check your feet every day, call your doctor right away for any foot problem, and have a foot exam at least once a year; what it can do to the heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, bladder and sensing low blood sugar; that someone who passes out from low blood sugar needs glucagon and 911; and the tests and the treatments for nerve pain. Ours: chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting or sudden weakness on one side, call 911. It names pain medicines only by kind, builds the words to say to a doctor, prints a card to keep, and saves nothing. Written with AI; no doctor has reviewed it.
Open the guide →Gastroparesis: the signs, when to get help right away, the causes, the tests, food, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 384th tool)
A new guide for anyone who feels full after a few bites or has nausea and vomiting that keep coming back, anyone with diabetes whose stomach or blood sugar has been acting up, anyone waiting on a stomach emptying test, and anyone just told they have gastroparesis. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: that gastroparesis, also called delayed gastric emptying, slows or stops the movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine even though nothing is blocking it; that diabetes is the most common known cause, though in most cases no cause is found; the signs that need a doctor right away, and the signs of dehydration and malnutrition; the tests that measure stomach emptying; small, low-fat, low-fiber meals and plenty of liquids; and blood sugar, medicines and feeding. Ours: trouble breathing, fainting or vomiting blood, call 911. It names medicines only by kind, builds the words to say to a doctor, prints a card to keep, and saves nothing. Written with AI; no doctor has reviewed it.
Open the guide →Pancreatitis: the signs, when to get help right away, the causes, the tests, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 383rd tool)
A new guide for anyone with pain in the upper belly that spreads to the back, anyone just told they have acute or chronic pancreatitis or that gallstones or alcohol caused it, anyone whose lipase or amylase came back high, and anyone caring for someone in the hospital with it. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: that pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas; that acute pancreatitis comes on suddenly and most people get better in several days with treatment, while chronic pancreatitis lasts and gets worse over time; and that the most common causes are gallstones, heavy alcohol use, genetic disorders of the pancreas and some medicines. It covers the signs NIDDK says need care right away, the two kinds and who is more likely to get them, the tests, stopping alcohol and smoking, a low-fat eating plan, the hospital stay, gallbladder surgery and ERCP, and the treatment of chronic pancreatitis. It adds our own lines: go to the emergency room now for severe belly pain, call 911 for trouble breathing, fainting or confusion, and get help to stop heavy drinking safely. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card to keep. It is on the upset-stomach list too, and the gallstones guide links it. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Fatty liver disease (NAFLD, MASLD and NASH): the signs, the tests, food and weight, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 382nd tool)
A new guide for anyone just told they have fatty liver, anyone whose liver enzymes came back high or whose scan showed fat in the liver, anyone with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, high cholesterol or extra weight, and anyone told they have NASH or scarring. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: that fatty liver disease is extra fat in the liver not caused by heavy alcohol use; that it is one of the most common causes of liver disease in the US, in about 24% of adults; that it usually has few or no symptoms; and that most people have the type that typically does not cause liver damage, while a few have NASH, which can lead to scarring and cirrhosis. It covers the two types and who is more likely to get them; the blood tests, imaging, elastography and biopsy; the food and drink changes a doctor may suggest, alcohol, and supplements; and gradual weight loss and physical activity. NIDDK's treatment page, last reviewed in 2021, says no medicine has been approved; the guide says when that was written and passes on the FDA's March 2024 approval of the first medicine for adults with NASH and liver scarring. It adds our own lines: 911 for vomiting blood, black stool, or sudden confusion, and getting help to stop heavy drinking safely. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card to keep. It is on the upset-stomach list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Health: one way in to all nine lists
New at /health/ (and in Spanish at /es/salud/): one page that leads to the nine “find the right page” lists on this site, which between them sort 197 different pages for health and care. Until now the lists were only linked from the bottom of the tools page. Each list gets a box with its name, how many pages it holds, and its own groups (131 in all), from “Low, empty or heavy for weeks” and “Chest pain, a face that droops, or someone who collapsed” to “A back that hurts” and “The first year with a baby”. Pick a group and its list opens at that group. A box at the top narrows the groups as you type, across all nine lists at once. The box at the top says to call 911 if someone is in danger right now, and to call or text 988 if you are thinking about ending your life or worried that someone is. The names, counts and groups are read from the lists themselves each time the page is built, so it adds no health facts of its own. The page keeps nothing and sends nothing, and runs no analytics. It is a way in, not a new tool, so the count of tools stays at three hundred and eighty-one. Written with AI (Claude); it is not medical advice and no doctor has reviewed it. Checked by programs, not yet used by people. The Spanish was translated by AI and not reviewed by a native speaker.
Start with what it is about →Mind and mood: find the right page, forty-four on one list
New at /mind-and-mood/ (and in Spanish at /es/mente-y-animo/): one page that lists 44 pages on this site for the mind and mood. The guides to depression, postpartum depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, OCD, trauma, psychosis, borderline personality disorder, self-harm, life after a suicide attempt, loss to suicide, eating disorders, drinking or drugs, gambling, insomnia, ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, tics and dementia, and the small tools beside them (the safety plan, the panic page, worry time, the mood and sleep diary, the psychiatric advance directive and more), were spread out across the long list of tools; no topic list on the site gathered them. The list is sorted by what you feel or what you were told, in nineteen groups, from thinking about suicide, hurting yourself, and weeks of feeling low, to sleep, grief, loneliness, the way your brain works, planning ahead while you are well, and care you can't afford. Pick one and it opens; a box at the top narrows the list as you type. Each line on the list is copied from the description of the page it points to, so the list adds no health facts of its own. The box at the top says to call or text 988 if you are thinking about ending your life or worried that someone is, and 911 if someone is in danger right now. Twenty of the guides now carry a line that points back to the list. The page keeps nothing and sends nothing, and runs no analytics. It is a list, not a new tool, so the count of tools stays at three hundred and eighty-one. Written with AI (Claude); it is not medical advice and no doctor, therapist or counselor has reviewed it. Checked by programs, not yet used by people. The Spanish was translated by AI and not reviewed by a native speaker.
Find the right page →
Heart, blood and hormones: find the right page, twenty-four on one list
New at /heart-blood-and-hormones/ (and in Spanish at /es/corazon-sangre-y-hormonas/): one page that lists 24 pages on this site for the heart, the blood, blood sugar and hormones. The guides to a heart attack, a stroke, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, high cholesterol, diabetes, prediabetes, an underactive and an overactive thyroid, anemia, sickle cell and menopause, and the blood pressure, blood sugar and weight logs, were spread out across the long list of tools; no other list on the site gathered them. The list is sorted by what you notice or what you were told: chest pain, a face that droops or someone who collapsed; high blood pressure; a heart that flutters, races or skips; shortness of breath, swelling or heart failure; high cholesterol; blood sugar too low or too high; prediabetes; the thyroid; a low blood count or sickle cell; the years around menopause; the kidneys and the eyes, where diabetes and high blood pressure can reach; medicine or a doctor you can't afford; and four tools for before a call or a visit. Pick one and it opens; a box at the top narrows the list as you type. Each line on the list is copied from the description of the page it points to, so the list adds no health facts of its own. The box at the top says to call 911 if you think someone's life is in danger, and repeats, in those pages' own words, what the heart attack, stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure pages say cannot wait. Sixteen of those pages now carry a line that points back to the list. The page keeps nothing and sends nothing, and runs no analytics. It is a list, not a new tool, so the count of tools stays at three hundred and eighty-one. Written with AI (Claude); it is not medical advice and no doctor, nurse or pharmacist has reviewed it. Checked by programs, not yet used by people. The Spanish was translated by AI and not reviewed by a native speaker.
Find the right page →Macular hole and macular pucker: the signs, who is at risk, the eye exam, and surgery, in English and Spanish (the 381st tool)
A new guide for someone who sees straight lines bent or wavy, or a blurry spot in the middle; for someone told they have a macular hole or a macular pucker; for someone facing a vitrectomy or living with a gas bubble in the eye; and for someone wondering whether it is the same as macular degeneration. It passes on, by name, what the National Eye Institute says on four pages (updated 2024-2025, Spanish 2024-2025): both are rare conditions of the macula; with a macular hole, early surgery can often restore vision, so talk to an eye doctor right away; most people with a macular pucker need no treatment, only regular eye exams. It covers the signs of each, why neither is AMD, who is at risk, the causes, the dilated eye exam and the OCT test, vitrectomy and life with a gas bubble (no flying, no laughing gas until it is gone), and the 2 surgeries for a pucker. It adds our own lines: sudden loss of sight, a curtain, or a shower of new floaters or flashes is an emergency. It names no medicine and no price, builds the words to say to the eye doctor and prints a card to keep. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Blepharitis: the signs, the causes, cleaning your eyelids, other problems it can cause, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 380th tool)
A new guide for someone whose eyelids are red, itchy, swollen or crusty when they wake up; for someone told they have blepharitis and wondering how to clean their eyelids; for someone with dandruff, rosacea or oily skin; and for someone who keeps getting a stye or a chalazion. It passes on, by name, what the National Eye Institute says (updated 2024, Spanish 2025): blepharitis is common, isn't contagious and usually doesn't cause lasting damage, and the main treatment is cleaning the eyelids every day. It covers the common symptoms and the more serious problems, who is at higher risk, the causes and the 2 types, what else it can lead to, NEI's 7 steps for cleaning the eyelids, and other treatment to ask about. It adds our own lines: sudden loss of sight, bad eye pain, or a chemical or a hit to the eye is an emergency room or 911. It names no brand and no price, builds the words to say to the eye doctor and prints a card to keep. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Eye floaters and flashes of light: what is normal, the warning signs, vitreous detachment, the eye exam, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 379th tool)
A new guide for someone who sees spots, threads or little cobwebs drifting across their vision; for someone who suddenly sees a lot of new floaters, flashes of light or a shadow like a curtain; for someone 50 or older told they have vitreous detachment; and for someone whose floaters get in the way. It passes on, by name, what the National Eye Institute says on four pages (updated 2024 and 2025): most people have floaters that come and go and often need no treatment, but suddenly a lot of new floaters, flashes or a curtain can be a retinal tear or detachment, and that means the eye doctor or the emergency room right away. It covers why floaters happen and who gets them, vitreous detachment and what it can lead to, the dilated eye exam (and the ride home), and treatment, including what recovery from vitrectomy is like. It adds our own lines: 911 in an emergency, and do not drive yourself if your sight is affected. It names no product and no price, builds the words to say to the eye doctor and prints a card to keep. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Color blindness (color vision deficiency): the signs, the types, who is more likely to have it, the color tests, and what helps, in English and Spanish (the 378th tool)
A new guide for someone who mixes up red and green or blue and yellow; for a parent whose child has trouble learning colors or has color blindness in the family; for someone whose color vision changed later in life or with a medicine; and for anyone whose job or school work depends on colors. It passes on, by name, what the National Eye Institute says on four pages (updated 2023 to 2025): most people are born with it, about 1 in 12 men have it, and most people adjust; the signs, which are often so mild they go unnoticed; when to get a child tested; the six named types; why the genes make it more common in men; the diseases, medicines, injuries and cataracts that can bring it on later; the three tests; and what helps: special glasses and contacts, apps, and support at school and at work. It adds our own line: a sudden change in sight, eye pain, or a lot of new floaters, flashes or a curtain is not something to wait on. It names no product and no price, builds the words to say to the eye doctor and prints a card to keep. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Lazy eye (amblyopia): the signs, the check between 3 and 5, the causes, and treatment with glasses, a patch or eye drops, in English and Spanish (the 377th tool)
A new guide for a parent or anyone looking after a child who squints, shuts one eye, tilts their head to see, or has an eye that drifts in or out; for a child aged 3 to 5 or one who has never had their vision checked; for a family with a patch or eye drops to manage; and for adults with a lazy eye since childhood. It passes on, by name, what the National Eye Institute says on its amblyopia page (updated November 2024): amblyopia is the most common cause of vision loss in kids and early treatment works well; the signs, which can be hard to notice; the vision check every child needs at least once between 3 and 5; which children are more likely to have it; the causes (refractive errors, strabismus, cataract); and treatment: the vision problem first, then a patch or eye drops on the stronger eye, the sooner the better. It adds our own line: a sudden change in sight, eye pain, an eye that suddenly starts to turn, or new double vision is not something to wait on. It names no brand and no price, builds the words to say to the doctor and prints a card to keep. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Refractive errors: blurry vision, the four types, the eye exam, and glasses, contacts or surgery, in English and Spanish (the 376th tool)
A new guide for anyone who squints to see far away, holds a phone or a book farther away to read, gets headaches or tired eyes from reading or screens, sees glare or halos at night, still sees blurry with glasses or contacts, has a child who may need glasses, or cannot afford an eye exam. It passes on, by name, what the National Eye Institute says on five pages (updated December 2024 and December 2025): refractive errors are the most common type of vision problem and many people do not know they could be seeing better; the signs; nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and presbyopia; who has them and what causes them; the eye exam, simple and painless; and glasses (the simplest and safest way), contact lenses and surgery. It adds our own lines: a sudden change in sight, eye pain, or a lot of new floaters, flashes or a curtain is not something to wait on; and the eye care page for low-cost exams and glasses. It names no brand and no price, builds the words to say to an eye doctor and prints a card to keep. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Uveitis: the signs, the types, the causes, the eye exam, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 375th tool)
A new guide for anyone whose eye is suddenly red, painful, blurry or bothered by light, or who sees floaters; anyone with lupus, psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis or another disease of the immune system, or with shingles or another infection; anyone who smokes; anyone given steroid eye drops, pills or a shot; and anyone whose uveitis came back. It passes on, by name, what the National Eye Institute says on its uveitis page (updated December 2024): uveitis is inflammation inside the eye and can cause vision loss if it is not treated, so see your eye doctor right away if you have symptoms; the uvea and the four types; who gets it and what causes it; the dilated eye exam; and steroid drops, pills, injections and implants, which need regular eye exams because they can raise the risk of cataracts and glaucoma. It adds our own lines: suddenly a lot of new floaters, flashes or a curtain is the warning of a detached retina; do not stop or change steroids on your own; and 988 for thoughts of suicide. It names no brand, no medicine and no dose, builds the words to say to an eye doctor and prints a card to keep. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Dry eye: the signs, who is at risk, the eye exam, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 374th tool)
A new guide for anyone whose eyes burn, sting, feel scratchy or look red; anyone who looks at a screen most of the day or wears contact lenses; anyone whose dry eyes started with a new medicine, after laser eye surgery, with age, pregnancy or menopause, or with diabetes, a thyroid problem, lupus or Sjögren syndrome; and anyone for whom drops from the store are not helping. It passes on, by name, what the National Eye Institute says on three of its pages (updated from December 2024 to August 2025): the signs, and to see your eye doctor if your eyes feel dry and scratchy; who is more likely to get it and what causes it; the dilated eye exam and the three tear tests; everyday changes that may help; and artificial tears, prescription drops, tear duct plugs and surgery. It adds our own lines: a hurt eye, sudden eye pain or a sudden change in sight is not something to wait on as dry eye; do not stop a medicine on your own; and 988 for thoughts of suicide. It names no brand and no dose, builds the words to say to an eye doctor and prints a card to keep. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Retinal detachment: the warning signs, who is at risk, the eye exam, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 373rd tool)
A new guide for anyone who suddenly sees a lot of new floaters, flashes of light, or a shadow like a curtain over part of their vision; anyone with a few floaters who wonders whether they are normal; anyone hit in the eye; anyone at higher risk after a past detachment, eye surgery, or with extreme nearsightedness or diabetes; anyone told they have a retinal tear; and anyone facing surgery or just home from it. It passes on, by name, what the National Eye Institute says on five of its pages (updated from December 2024 to November 2025): that retinal detachment is a medical emergency, and with its warning signs you should go to your eye doctor or the emergency room right away; the 3 types and who is at higher risk; the dilated eye exam; protective eye gear, and which floaters are normal; laser and freeze treatment for a tear; pneumatic retinopexy, scleral buckle and vitrectomy, and what recovery asks of you; and that treatment succeeds for about 9 out of 10 people. It adds our own lines: 911 if you cannot get there, not driving yourself, and 988 for thoughts of suicide. It names no brand and no dose, builds the words to say to an eye doctor and prints a card to keep. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Eyes and sight: find the right page, nineteen on one list
New at /eyes-and-sight/ (and in Spanish at /es/ojos-y-vista/): one page that lists 19 pages on this site for the eyes and sight. This week the site gained guides to glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration, beside the older pages on a hurt eye, pink eye in a child, fading sight and eye care you can afford; until now they were spread out across the long list of tools. The list is sorted by what you notice or what happened: an eye that is hurt or has something in it, a pink or sticky eye in a child, losing side vision, vision getting cloudy, diabetes and your eyes, straight lines that look wavy, sight that is fading, glasses or an exam you can't afford, six pages about something else that can reach the eyes (Sjögren's disease, shingles, rosacea, reactive arthritis, giant cell arteritis and an overactive thyroid), and four tools for before a call or a visit. Pick one and it opens; a box at the top narrows the list as you type. Each line on the list is copied from the description of the page it points to, so the list adds no health facts of its own. The box at the top says to call 911 if you think someone's life is in danger, and repeats, in those pages' own words, where the eye-care, fading-sight, hurt-eye and glaucoma pages say something cannot wait. The eight eye guides now carry a line that points back to the list. The page keeps nothing and sends nothing, and runs no analytics. It is a list, not a new tool, so the count of tools stays at three hundred and seventy-two. Written with AI (Claude); it is not medical advice and no doctor, eye doctor, nurse or pharmacist has reviewed it. Checked by programs, not yet used by people. The Spanish was translated by AI and not reviewed by a native speaker.
Find the right page →Age-related macular degeneration (AMD): the signs, who is at risk, the eye exam, AREDS 2 supplements, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 372nd tool)
A new guide for anyone age 55 or older or with AMD in the family; anyone just told they have AMD, dry or wet; anyone who sees straight lines look wavy or a blurry spot in the middle of their vision; anyone wondering about AREDS 2 vitamins; anyone facing eye injections; and anyone finding reading or faces harder. It passes on, by name, what the National Eye Institute says on five of its pages (updated from June 2021 to March 2026): that AMD is a leading cause of vision loss for older adults but does not cause complete blindness; the signs at each stage, and that straight lines looking wavy is a warning sign to see your eye doctor right away; dry and wet AMD, and who is at higher risk; the dilated eye exam; the healthy choices that may lower the risk; who AREDS 2 supplements may help, their risks, and why people who smoke or used to should avoid the older beta-carotene formula; anti-VEGF injections and photodynamic therapy for wet AMD; and the help that exists for living with low vision. It adds our own lines: an emergency room if vision is suddenly lost or you cannot reach your eye doctor, 911 if you cannot get there, and 988 for thoughts of suicide. It names no brand and no dose (NEI's page has the ingredient amounts), builds the words to say to an eye doctor and prints a card to keep. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Diabetic retinopathy: the signs, who is at risk, the yearly eye exam, protecting your sight, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 371st tool)
A new guide for anyone with diabetes who wants to protect their eyesight; anyone just told they have diabetic retinopathy or diabetic macular edema; anyone with blurry vision or dark floating spots; anyone pregnant with diabetes; and anyone facing eye injections, laser treatment or surgery. It passes on, by name, what the National Eye Institute says on four of its pages (updated December 2024 to March 2026): that diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of vision loss for people with diabetes and may have no symptoms at first; that everyone with diabetes should get a dilated eye exam at least once a year; who is at higher risk, including during pregnancy; how blood sugar, the A1C test, blood pressure and cholesterol protect your sight; and what injections, laser treatment and vitrectomy involve, including the signs that mean getting help right away. It adds our own lines: an emergency room if you cannot reach your eye doctor, 911 if you cannot get there, and 988 for thoughts of suicide. It names no brand and no dose, leaves out two numbers where NEI's English and Spanish pages disagree, builds the words to say to an eye doctor and prints a card to keep. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Cataracts: the signs, who is at risk, the eye exam, deciding when, and cataract surgery, in English and Spanish (the 370th tool)
A new guide for anyone just told they have a cataract; anyone whose vision is getting cloudy, faded or full of glare; anyone 60 or older wondering when to get checked; anyone deciding about surgery or getting ready for it; anyone whose vision is cloudy again after surgery; and parents of a child with a cataract. It passes on, by name, what the National Eye Institute says on three of its cataract pages (updated December 2024 to August 2026): that cataracts are very common with age; the signs; who is at higher risk and how to protect your eyes; the dilated eye exam; that most people do not need to rush into surgery, and what helps in the meantime; and cataract surgery from getting ready to healing, including the warning signs that mean calling your eye doctor right away and the secondary cataract a quick laser treatment fixes. It adds our own lines: an emergency room if you cannot reach your eye doctor, 911 if you cannot get there, and 988 for thoughts of suicide. It names no brand and no dose, builds the words to say to an eye doctor and prints a card to keep. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Glaucoma: the signs, who is at risk, the eye exam, eye drops, laser and surgery, in English and Spanish (the 369th tool)
A new guide for anyone just told they have glaucoma or high eye pressure; anyone over 60, African American and over 40, or with glaucoma in the family and wondering when to get checked; anyone using glaucoma eye drops, or offered laser treatment or surgery; anyone losing side vision; and parents of a baby with cloudy eyes. It passes on, by name, what the National Eye Institute says on six of its glaucoma pages (updated December 2024 to August 2026): that glaucoma can damage the optic nerve with no early symptoms, which is why half of people with it do not know; the sudden signs of angle-closure glaucoma that mean a doctor or an emergency room now; who is at higher risk and the types; the comprehensive dilated eye exam and eye pressure; why the daily eye drops matter even when you feel no different; and laser treatment and surgery. It adds our own lines: 911 if you cannot get there quickly, and 988 for thoughts of suicide. It names no brand and no dose, builds the words to say to an eye doctor and prints a card to keep. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Anemia: the signs, getting tested, iron and vitamin B12, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 368th tool)
A new guide for anyone told their blood count, hemoglobin or iron is low; anyone tired, weak, pale or dizzy and wondering why; anyone with heavy periods; anyone pregnant; anyone just handed iron pills or B12 shots; and anyone worried about a baby or young child. It passes on, by name, what the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says on eight of its anemia pages (updated March 2022 and December 2025): what anemia is and the signs; the causes, including blood loss, heavy periods, aspirin and NSAIDs, not getting or absorbing enough iron or vitamin B12, and some medicines; the complete blood count, NHLBI’s normal ranges and the tests that look for the cause; the foods with iron and B12; iron pills, IV iron, B12 and transfusions; and anemia in pregnancy and in young children. It adds our own lines: 911 for chest pain, fainting, trouble breathing or heavy bleeding; Poison Help (1-800-222-1222) for a child who swallowed iron pills; and 988 for thoughts of suicide. It names no brand and no dose, builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card to keep. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Prediabetes and insulin resistance: getting tested, what the numbers mean, and the steps that can prevent type 2 diabetes, in English and Spanish (the 367th tool)
A new guide for anyone just told they have prediabetes or insulin resistance; anyone wondering whether to get tested; anyone holding an A1C or fasting glucose result; anyone whose doctor brought up their weight or metformin; and anyone worried about a child or a parent. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says on its page last reviewed in March 2025: that prediabetes is when blood sugar is higher than normal but not high enough to be type 2 diabetes; that about 97.6 million U.S. adults had it in 2021; that it usually has no symptoms; who is more likely to get it and who should be tested and when; the A1C, fasting glucose and glucose tolerance tests and their numbers; healthy living, small changes and the National Diabetes Prevention Program; and what the NIH’s Diabetes Prevention Program study found about weight and metformin. It adds our own lines: the emergency room or 911 for someone very thirsty and urinating a lot who is now vomiting, breathing fast and deep or very confused; and 988 for thoughts of suicide. It speaks about weight without shame, gives no diet plan of its own, builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card to keep. The Spanish page says that NIDDK’s Spanish page is older (2018) and gives the newer English figures. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism): the signs, getting a diagnosis, the treatments, and Graves’ disease, in English and Spanish (the 366th tool)
A new guide for anyone whose heart races, whose hands shake, or who is losing weight without trying and wondering about their thyroid; anyone just told they have hyperthyroidism or Graves’ disease; anyone choosing between medicine, radioactive iodine and surgery, or taking antithyroid medicine; anyone pregnant with a thyroid problem; and anyone caring for someone with one. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: that hyperthyroidism is when the thyroid makes more thyroid hormones than the body needs; that about 1 out of 100 Americans ages 12 and older have it; and that Graves’ disease causes about 4 out of 5 cases. It covers the symptoms and what it can do to the heart, the bones and the eyes if untreated; who is more likely to get it and the causes; the blood tests, iodine uptake test, scan and Doppler ultrasound; beta-blockers, antithyroid medicines, radioactive iodine and surgery, and the side effects NIDDK says to call the doctor about right away; Graves’ eye disease and smoking; seaweed and iodine; and pregnancy and breastfeeding. It adds our own lines: 911 for chest pain, fainting, trouble breathing, or signs of a stroke; the doctor the same day for a heartbeat that is very fast or irregular and does not settle; and 988 for thoughts of suicide. It pairs with the underactive thyroid guide, builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card to keep. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →New essay and song: Longer Out Than In
An essay about panic attacks, for the person it happens to and for the person beside them. It says a panic attack can start somewhere ordinary, a checkout line or a stopped bus, and feel with total certainty like dying; that it is the body’s alarm going off at the wrong time, real and not weakness; that it rises, peaks within minutes and eases; and that fighting it tends to feed it. What helps: name it, breathe in for about four and out for about six, longer out than in, press your feet into the floor and name five things you can see. It does not leave out that panic can feel very much like a heart attack and only a doctor can tell them apart: the first time, or if it feels different, get checked, and chest pain or pressure, breathing trouble that does not ease, fainting, or weakness on one side means 911. If it keeps coming back and the world gets smaller, tell a doctor; panic is very treatable. To the helper it says: stay, speak slowly, do not say calm down, and breathe out slow where they can hear you. It points to When panic hits, the free private page for those minutes, and to 988. It comes with an early-1970s-style singer-songwriter song and a lyric film with closed captions. The essay was written with AI (Claude); the song, the singer’s voice and the images are AI-made too, the narrator of the song is a character and not a real person, and the page says so at the top.
Read and watch →Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism): the signs, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and taking the medicine, in English and Spanish (the 365th tool)
A new guide for anyone just told they have hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s disease, anyone tired, cold and wondering about their thyroid, anyone starting or changing thyroid medicine, anyone pregnant with a thyroid problem, and anyone caring for someone with one. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: that hypothyroidism is when the thyroid does not make enough thyroid hormones; that nearly 5 out of 100 Americans ages 12 and older have it; and that it most likely can be completely controlled with thyroid hormone medicine taken as instructed. It covers the common symptoms and why they alone cannot show it; who is more likely to get it and the causes, with Hashimoto’s disease the most common; the exam and the blood tests; levothyroxine, the foods and supplements that change how well it is absorbed, and when to take it; seaweed, iodine supplements and cough syrup; pregnancy, when many need a higher dose; and the follow-up blood tests. It adds our own lines: 911 for someone very hard to wake, newly confused, passing out, or with chest pain; the doctor for a racing heart after a dose change; and 988 for thoughts of suicide. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card to keep. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Cirrhosis of the liver: the signs, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and keeping it from getting worse, in English and Spanish (the 364th tool)
A new guide for anyone just told they have cirrhosis, anyone whose liver tests came back off, anyone living with fatty liver disease, hepatitis B or C, or years of drinking, and anyone caring for someone with liver disease. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: that cirrhosis is a liver scarred and permanently damaged; that many people have no symptoms until the liver is badly damaged; that about 1 in 400 adults in the US have it; and that while doctors have no specific treatment that cures it, treating the causes may slow the damage. It covers the early and later signs; who is more likely to get it, the causes and the complications; the exam, blood tests, imaging and biopsy; treating the causes, from stopping alcohol to the antiviral medicines that cure most chronic hepatitis C, and the complications; liver cancer checks and a transplant; and what NIDDK says to do: no alcohol, ask before any medicine, pain reliever or supplement, get the vaccines, and eat often. It adds our own lines: 911 for vomiting blood, black stool, or sudden confusion; the doctor the same day for a fever with a swollen belly; and getting help to stop heavy drinking safely. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card to keep. It is on the upset-stomach list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →GI bleeding: the signs, when to call 911, finding the cause, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 363rd tool)
A new guide for anyone who has seen black stool, blood in the stool or the toilet, or blood in their vomit; anyone told a test found blood in their stool; and anyone home after a bleed. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: that GI bleeding is any bleeding that starts in the digestive tract, a symptom of another disease or condition rather than a disease of its own; that black or tarry stool and vomit that looks like coffee grounds are signs of bleeding; that some bleeding is too small to see and can cause anemia over time; and that severe bleeding can lead to shock, which is life-threatening. It covers the signs of acute and chronic bleeding; the causes in the upper GI tract, the small bowel and the lower GI tract; the exam, stool and blood tests, endoscopy and imaging; how doctors often find and stop the bleeding at the same time; and how NSAIDs and blood thinners raise the risk. It adds our own lines: 911 for vomiting blood, a lot of blood, or blood with fainting or dizziness; medical help the same day for black stool; and never stopping a prescribed blood thinner on your own. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card to keep. It is on the upset-stomach list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Crohn’s disease: the symptoms, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 362nd tool)
A new guide for anyone who has had weeks of diarrhea, belly cramps and weight loss, anyone just told they have Crohn’s disease, and anyone living with it. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: that Crohn’s disease is a chronic disease in which abnormal reactions of the immune system cause inflammation in the digestive tract; that it comes in flares, with periods of remission between that can last weeks or years; and that a blockage in the intestines can be life-threatening. It covers the symptoms and the serious complications; who is more likely to get it and what may play a role; the exam, blood and stool tests, endoscopy and imaging; medicines, which do not cure it but can bring on and keep remission, why to avoid NSAIDs, and why to ask before any over-the-counter medicine or supplement; bowel rest and surgery; colorectal cancer screening; food and supplements; children’s growth; and the stress, depression and anxiety NIDDK says are common. It adds our own lines: 911 for a lot of blood, the emergency room for severe pain or a swollen belly with vomiting, and 988 for a mental-health crisis. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card to keep. It is on the upset-stomach list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Diverticulosis and diverticulitis: the symptoms, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and food, in English and Spanish (the 361st tool)
A new guide for anyone with pain low on the left side of the belly, anyone told that a scan or a colonoscopy found pouches in the colon, and anyone who has had diverticulitis. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: that diverticulosis, small pouches in the wall of the colon, is very common with age and usually causes no problems; that less than 5 percent of people with it develop diverticulitis, when the pouches become inflamed; and that bleeding from the rectum, even a small amount, means seeing a doctor right away. It covers the symptoms of diverticulitis and diverticular bleeding; what may play a role and who gets it; the exam and the tests; treatment at home and in the hospital, why not everyone needs antibiotics, and why doctors may suggest acetaminophen instead of NSAIDs; surgery; keeping it from coming back; and fiber, including why most people no longer need to avoid nuts, popcorn and seeds. It adds our own lines: 911 for a lot of blood or blood with dizziness, the emergency room for severe pain or pain with fever, and calling back the same day if home treatment is not working. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card to keep. It is on the upset-stomach list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Lactose intolerance: the symptoms, getting a diagnosis, food, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 360th tool)
A new guide for anyone who gets gas, bloating or diarrhea after milk, anyone just told they are lactose intolerant, and parents of a child who seems to have trouble with milk. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: that lactose intolerance means digestive symptoms after foods or drinks with lactose, the sugar in milk; that it is not a milk allergy; and that most people who have it can still have some lactose, many about a cup of milk. It covers the symptoms; the four causes and who gets it more; how doctors diagnose it, including the hydrogen breath test, and what else it could be; ways to keep some milk, and where lactose hides in packaged foods, on labels and in some medicines; lactase products; and how to get enough calcium and vitamin D without much milk. It adds our own lines: 911 for trouble breathing or swelling after eating, which can be a severe allergic reaction; ask the baby's doctor before changing a baby's formula; and do not stop a prescribed medicine because it has lactose. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card to keep. It is on the upset-stomach list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): the symptoms, getting a diagnosis, food, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 359th tool)
A new guide for anyone with belly pain and bowel changes that keep coming back, anyone just told it is IBS, and parents of a child with belly pain that keeps returning. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: that irritable bowel syndrome is a group of symptoms, repeated belly pain with diarrhea, constipation or both, without visible damage to the digestive tract; that it is a disorder of gut-brain interaction; and that it can be painful but does not damage the digestive tract. It covers the symptoms and the three types; what causes it and who gets it more; how doctors diagnose it in adults and in children, and the warning signs, such as blood in the stool or weight loss, that point to something else; fiber, gluten and the low FODMAP diet; and treatment, from daily habits and medicines (named only by kind) to probiotics and therapies for the gut and brain. It adds our own lines: 911 for a lot of blood or sudden severe belly pain; see a doctor soon for any blood, black stools or weight loss; and that IBS is real and not your fault. It builds the words to say to a doctor and prints a card to keep. It is on the upset-stomach list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Celiac disease: the signs, getting tested, the gluten-free diet, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 358th tool)
A new guide for anyone who thinks it could be celiac disease, was just told they have it, or is caring for a child who has it. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: that celiac disease is a chronic digestive and immune disorder that damages the small intestine, triggered by gluten in wheat, barley and rye; that many people who have it have not been diagnosed; and that the treatment is a gluten-free diet, for life. It covers the signs in children and adults, from belly trouble and slow growth to an itchy, blistering rash; why to keep eating gluten until you are tested; the blood tests and biopsies, and who should ask about testing; what has gluten, cross-contact, labels and eating out; the hidden gluten in lip balm, toothpaste and medicines; and what to do when the diet is not enough. It adds our own lines: 911 for trouble breathing or swelling after eating, which can be a severe allergic reaction; call the doctor now for a child with diarrhea who seems very sick; do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own because of gluten; and where to find food help when gluten-free food costs too much. It names no brand and no dose, builds the words to say to a doctor, a pharmacist or a restaurant, and prints a card to keep. It is on the upset-stomach list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Pachyonychia congenita: the types, the signs, what causes it, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 357th tool)
A new guide for anyone just told it is pachyonychia congenita, parents of a baby or child with it, and adults who have lived with it for years. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: that it is a rare genetic disorder that mainly affects the skin and nails; that what affects people most is severely painful calluses on the soles that make walking hard; and that there is no cure yet, but there are ways to manage the pain. It covers the signs NIAMS lists, from thick nails, calluses, blisters and cysts to a white film in the mouth that is often mistaken for thrush and the brief, sharp pain of “first bite syndrome”; how it is passed on; the exam and the genetic test; callus care (regular, but not too much), nails, cysts and the team; and shoes, gloves, mouth care and support. It adds our own lines: 911 for trouble breathing, because NIAMS says a white film on the throat can block the airway; call the doctor today for a new hoarse cry or a baby who is not feeding well, and the same day for a nail or cyst that looks infected; and 988 for anyone it has worn down to hopelessness. It names no brand and no dose, builds the words to say to a doctor or nurse, and prints a card to keep. It is on the rashes and skin list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Juvenile osteoporosis: the signs, what causes it, the bone density test, treatment, and when no cause is found, in English and Spanish (the 356th tool)
A new guide for parents of a child or teen just told it is juvenile osteoporosis, for teens themselves, and for families whose child takes a medicine that can weaken bones. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: that osteoporosis in a child or teen comes during the major bone-building years, so it can slow growth and bring a high risk of fractures; that it is usually caused by another illness, a medicine for it, or habits around food and exercise; and that in very rare cases no cause is found, and that form often goes away on its own. It covers the illnesses and medicines NIAMS names, the bone density test and the Z-score (from the NIAMS page on what the numbers mean), and treatment: the cause first, the lowest possible dose, calcium, vitamin D and activity. It adds our own lines: never stop or change a prescribed medicine on your own, even one that can weaken bones; keep a bone that may be broken still and get care today; 911 for a bone through the skin or a hurt head, neck or back; and 988 for anyone it has worn down to hopelessness. It names no brand and no dose, builds the words to say to a doctor or nurse, and prints a card to keep. It is on the pain, bones and joints list and the child health list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Osteopetrosis: the types, the signs, what causes it, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 355th tool)
A new guide for anyone just told that they or their child have osteopetrosis, for parents of a baby with the severe infantile form, and for teenagers and adults whose x-ray found it. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: that osteopetrosis is a group of rare genetic disorders that make bones grow abnormally and become overly dense, so they are brittle and break easily; that the thick bone can press on nerves, changing sight and hearing, and crowd out the bone marrow, which can lead to anemia, infection and bleeding; and that it comes in three types, from a severe form in infants to a later form that can be mild. It covers how each type is inherited; x-rays, genetic testing and blood tests; the two medicines NIAMS names, therapy, bone care, a bone marrow transplant and the team; and checkups, exercise, food and support. It adds our own lines: a fever or another sign of infection means calling the doctor today; 911 for bleeding that will not stop, trouble breathing or a face that droops suddenly; keep a bone that may be broken still and get care today; and 988 for anyone it has worn down to hopelessness. The Spanish page says where a fact comes only from NIAMS's longer English page. It names no brand and no dose, builds the words to say to a doctor or nurse, and prints a card to keep. It is on the pain, bones and joints list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Fibrous dysplasia: the signs, what causes it, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 354th tool)
A new guide for anyone just told that they or their child have fibrous dysplasia, and anyone whose x-ray, taken for something else, found it by chance. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: that fibrous dysplasia happens when abnormal fibrous (scar-like) tissue replaces healthy bone, which weakens the bone over time and can lead to bone pain, misshapen bones and breaks; that it can be in one bone or many, alone or as part of McCune-Albright syndrome; that a gene changes early in the pregnancy, so nothing the mother did caused it, and it is not inherited or passed on to children; and that there is no cure, but treatments may help relieve pain. It covers the bones it affects most and what it can do to the legs, face, sinuses, spine, eyes and ears; x-rays, scans and a biopsy; physical therapy, a cast, splint or brace, surgery, medicines and the team; and checkups, exercise and support. It adds our own lines: if a bone may be broken, keep it still and get care today; 911 for a bone through the skin, a badly bent limb or trouble breathing; an emergency room for sight lost suddenly; and 988 for anyone it has worn down to hopelessness. The Spanish page says where a fact comes only from NIAMS's longer English page. It names no brand and no dose, builds the words to say to a doctor or nurse, and prints a card to keep. It is on the pain, bones and joints list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Ichthyosis: the types, the signs, what causes it, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 353rd tool)
A new guide for anyone just told it is ichthyosis, parents of a baby born with thick scales or a tight, shiny covering, and adults whose skin turned dry and scaly later in life. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: that ichthyosis is a group of skin disorders that lead to dry, itchy skin that appears scaly, rough, and red; that most of it is genetic, though some people get it from another condition or a medicine; and that there is no cure yet, but treatments help. It covers the types NIAMS names, from the common, mild ichthyosis vulgaris to the types present at birth; the scales, and what it can do to the eyes, hearing, sweating and joints; how it is passed on, with the odds NIAMS gives, and why a genetic counselor helps; the history, the exam and the tests; creams on damp skin, long baths, medicines that reduce scaling and the team; and baths, a cool home, a humidifier, soft clothes and coping. It adds our own lines: 911 for someone who sweats little and is overheated and confused or faint; call the doctor the same day about a wound that looks infected; 988 for anyone it has worn down to hopelessness; and never stop a prescribed medicine on your own. The Spanish page says where a fact comes only from NIAMS's longer English page. It names no brand and no dose, builds the words to say to a doctor or nurse, and prints a card to keep. It is on the rashes and skin list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Epidermolysis bullosa: the types, the signs, what causes it, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 352nd tool)
A new guide for families of a baby whose skin blisters or tears at the slightest rub, anyone just told it is epidermolysis bullosa, and adults whose blisters began later. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: that epidermolysis bullosa is a group of rare diseases that make the skin fragile, so it blisters and tears easily; that most of it is inherited; and that there is no cure, but the symptoms can be treated. It covers the four major types and the rare autoimmune form; how it is passed on, with the odds NIAMS gives, and why a genetic counselor helps; the exam, the skin biopsy and genetic testing; pain and itch, bandage changes, preventing infection and the signs NIAMS says to call about right away; the other treatments and the team, from nurse educator to dietitian; and keeping the skin cool, food that is easy to eat, moving, and coping. It adds our own lines: call the doctor the same day if someone cannot eat or drink enough; 911 for trouble breathing; 988 for anyone it has worn down to hopelessness; and never stop a prescribed medicine on your own. The Spanish page says where a fact comes only from NIAMS's longer English page. It names no brand and no dose, builds the words to say to a doctor or nurse, and prints a card to keep. It is on the rashes and skin list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Pemphigus: the types, the signs, what causes it, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 351st tool)
A new guide for anyone with blisters or sores in the mouth or on the skin that will not go away, anyone just told they have pemphigus, and the people who care for them. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: that pemphigus is a rare autoimmune disease that blisters the skin and the inside of the mouth, nose, throat, eyes and genitals; that early diagnosis is important; and that there is no cure, but treatment can control it in most people. It covers the two main types and the rarer forms; who gets it and what causes it; the exam, the tissue sample and the blood test; the medicines NIAMS names, from corticosteroids and rituximab to the treatments tried if those do not work; when the hospital is needed, and the team, from dermatologist to dentist; and caring for a sore mouth and skin, and for your mood. It adds our own lines: call the doctor the same day or go to an emergency room if sores spread fast, you cannot eat or drink, or you have a fever; 911 for trouble breathing; 988 for anyone it has worn down to hopelessness; and never stop a prescribed medicine on your own. It names no brand and no dose, builds the words to say to a doctor or dentist, and prints a card to keep. It is on the rashes and skin list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Hip replacement surgery: why it is done, getting ready, the surgery, recovery, and life with a new hip, in English and Spanish (the 350th tool)
A new guide for anyone whose hip pain limits what they can do, anyone told they may need a new hip or with a surgery date, and the people who will help them at home. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: why the surgery is done and what is usually tried first; getting ready weeks before, with a ride, help at home, and a recovery corner with everything in reach; the anesthesia, the incision and the new parts; going home the same day or a stay in the hospital or a rehab facility, the exercises, a recovery that goes on for a year, and the problems that can lead to a second surgery; and life with a new hip, with NIAMS’s full list for preventing falls outdoors and at home. It adds our own lines: 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing or a bad fall; asking before you go home which signs mean call the surgeon’s office and whom to call at night; and 988 for anyone the long recovery has left hopeless. It names no brand, implant, medicine or dose, builds the words to say to the surgeon, and prints a card to keep by your chair. It is on the pain, bones and joints list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Acne: the types, what causes it, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 349th tool)
A new guide for any teen or adult with pimples, blackheads or deep, painful lumps, and for anyone whose skin has them feeling ashamed or anxious. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: that acne happens when hair follicles become clogged with oil and dead skin cells, and that for most people it goes away by their thirties; the types, from whiteheads to deep nodules; who gets it, what causes it, and what may make it worse; what a provider asks and who treats it; the treatments NIAMS names, on the skin and by mouth, and procedures for severe acne and scars; and gentle skin care, sunscreen and dark spots. NIAMS says acne can make you feel embarrassed, shy or anxious, and to talk to your doctor; the guide puts 988 first for anyone it has left hopeless. It adds our own lines: tell the doctor first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, and never stop a prescribed medicine on your own. It names no brand and no dose, builds the words to say to a provider, and prints a card for the visit. It is on the rashes and skin list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Growth plate injuries in children and teens: the signs, who gets them, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and recovery, in English and Spanish (the 348th tool)
A new guide for any parent or caregiver whose child or teen is still hurting after a fall, a hit or a hard season of one sport, and for any young athlete. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: that growth plates, near the ends of a child’s long bones, are weak spots in a growing skeleton; the signs, from pain that will not go away to a limb a child will not use; who gets these injuries, from competitive sports to long hours of training in one sport; why an x-ray can miss them, and the MRI, CT and ultrasound that can show them; the Salter-Harris types; a cast or splint, setting the bone, and surgery; and the follow-up visits that watch the bone grow. NIAMS says that with proper treatment most heal without any lasting effect. It adds our own rule: a bone through the skin, a badly bent limb, a numb, cold or pale hand or foot, or a hurt head, neck or back means 911. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Carpal tunnel syndrome: the signs, what causes it, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 347th tool)
A new guide for anyone whose fingers go numb or tingle, especially at night, anyone who wakes up shaking out a hand, and anyone who now drops things or finds buttons hard. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: that carpal tunnel syndrome happens when the median nerve is pressed or squeezed at the wrist; how it starts at night and moves into the day; what can add to it, from a wrist injury and vibrating machinery to diabetes, thyroid problems, rheumatoid arthritis, pregnancy and menopause, while researchers do not know the causes; the exam and the tests; a night splint, a steroid injection, and open or endoscopic carpal tunnel release surgery; and the everyday steps: ice, rest, short breaks and ergonomic tools. It adds our own rule: sudden numbness or weakness on one side, a drooping face or trouble speaking means 911, because it may be a stroke. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease): the signs, the types, what causes it, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 346th tool)
A new guide for anyone whose bones break easily, from a small bump or for no clear reason, anyone with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) in the family, and anyone just told that they or their child have it. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: that OI is a genetic disease, also known as brittle bone disease, in which bones break easily; the signs, from the bones to the eyes, teeth, hearing and breathing; the types, from type I, the mildest and most common, to type II, the most severe; the collagen genes and the chances of passing OI on; the history, x-rays, bone density and genetic tests; therapy, medicines by kind, casts, rodding surgery, mobility aids, and dental and hearing care; and food, activity and support. NIAMS's Spanish page is shorter, so the Spanish guide says where a fact comes from the English page. It adds our own rules: if a bone may be broken, keep it still and get care today, and call 911 for a bone showing through the skin, a hurt head, neck or back, or trouble breathing. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Marfan syndrome: the signs, what causes it and who gets it, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 345th tool)
A new guide for anyone with long arms, legs and fingers, loose joints or a chest that caves in or sticks out who wonders whether it is Marfan syndrome, anyone with it in the family or a relative who died young of a heart problem nobody could explain, and anyone just told that they or their child have it. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: that it is a genetic disorder of connective tissue that can affect the skeleton, eyes, heart and blood vessels, skin and lungs; the signs, and the problems that can develop, including an aortic aneurysm; the FBN1 gene, the 1 in 2 chance of passing it on, and who gets it; that no single test can diagnose it, and what the tests are; the medicines by kind, braces, glasses, therapy and surgery; and check-ups, activity, pregnancy and support. NIAMS's Spanish page is shorter, so the Spanish guide says where a fact comes from the English page. It adds our own rules: 911 for sudden, severe pain in the chest, back or belly, fainting or sudden trouble breathing, and eye care today for a curtain over your sight. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Reactive arthritis: the signs after an infection, who gets it, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 344th tool)
A new guide for anyone whose knee, ankle or heel started to hurt and swell a few weeks after a stomach bug, food poisoning, a bladder infection or a sexually transmitted infection, anyone with sore joints and red eyes or burning when they pee, and anyone just told they have reactive arthritis. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: that it is a reaction to a bacterial infection and usually starts 1 to 6 weeks later, when the infection is gone; the signs in the joints, heel and toes, eyes and urinary tract; the bacteria that trigger it, HLA-B27 and who gets it; that there is no single test, and what the tests are; that it often clears up on its own within weeks or months; the medicines by kind and physical therapy; and living with it. It adds our own rules: care today for a hot, very swollen joint with a fever or an eye that hurts with blurry sight, and 911 for sight that is suddenly lost. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →
Sprains, strains and other sports injuries: the signs, home care (R-I-C-E), when to see a provider, treatment, and getting back to activity, in English and Spanish (the 343rd tool)
A new guide for anyone who twisted an ankle, pulled a muscle or took a fall, anyone whose elbow, knee or shoulder hurts from doing the same motion over and over, at play or at work, and parents of young athletes. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: that sports injuries are not limited to athletes; the signs of a sudden injury and of an overuse injury; sprains, strains, fractures, dislocations, tendinitis and bursitis, and the common shoulder, elbow, knee, leg and ankle injuries; what raises the risk, including a class of antibiotics linked to tendon rupture; the signs that mean you should see a provider; R-I-C-E at home (ice 20 minutes at a time, no heat before 72 hours); casts, braces and surgery; and rehabilitation. It adds our own rules: 911 for a head, neck or back injury with confusion or numbness, and an emergency room now for a bone through the skin or out of place. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Osteonecrosis (avascular necrosis): the symptoms, who gets it, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 342nd tool)
A new guide for anyone with hip, groin or joint pain that is getting worse, anyone who has taken steroid medicine for a long time, and anyone just told they have osteonecrosis. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: that blood flow to part of a bone is disrupted, the bone tissue dies and the joint can collapse; that it most often affects the hip and is most common in people in their 30s and 40s; the risk factors, from an injury and long use of corticosteroids at high doses to sickle cell disease, lupus and HIV; why an x-ray can look normal early and an MRI finds it sooner; treatment without surgery, and the four surgeries NIAMS names; and living with it. It adds our own rules: an emergency room now when a fall may have broken a bone, a same-day call when the pain suddenly gets much worse, and 911 for joint pain or numbness after a dive. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. The lupus guide and the pain, bones and joints list now point to it. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Paget’s disease of bone: the symptoms, who gets it, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 341st tool)
A new guide for anyone with bone pain that will not go away, anyone whose x-ray or blood test pointed to Paget’s disease, and anyone just told they have it. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: that it makes bones grow larger and weaker than normal, usually in one or a few bones, and does not spread to normal bones; the symptoms and what can follow, from arthritis and hearing loss to pressure on nerves; who gets it; the x-ray, blood test and bone scan, and the five kinds of doctors who treat it; when treatment is needed, the two kinds of medicine NIAMS names, surgery for complications, calcium, vitamin D and exercise; and preventing falls. It adds our own rules: an emergency room now when a fall may have broken a bone, and 911 when someone cannot move or feel their legs. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. The spinal stenosis guide and the pain, bones and joints list now point to it. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Scoliosis: the signs in a child, who gets it, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 340th tool)
A new guide for a parent or caregiver who has noticed a child’s uneven shoulders or hips, a family with a note from a school screening, and anyone just told their child has scoliosis, needs a brace, or may need surgery. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: the signs, and that mild scoliosis usually causes no pain; who gets it and the causes; the history, exam and x-rays, and who treats it; watching it, a brace worn as directed, surgery and physical therapy, and what decides between them; and exercise, the brace and support for a child and family. It adds our own rules: 911 for a child who has trouble breathing, and care the same day for new weakness or numbness in the legs. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. The back pain guide, the child health list and the pain, bones and joints list now point to it. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Spinal stenosis: the symptoms, who gets it, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 339th tool)
A new guide for anyone whose legs burn, ache or go numb when they stand or walk and ease when they sit or lean forward, anyone whose neck hurts with tingling or weak arms or hands, and anyone just told they have spinal stenosis. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: the symptoms in the lower back and in the neck; who gets it and the causes; the history, exam and imaging, and that imaging alone will not determine whether it needs treatment; who treats it; physical therapy, a brace, medicines by kind, and when surgery comes up and what it can and cannot do; and the self-care tips. It adds our own rule: an emergency room now, or 911, for new trouble controlling the bladder or bowels, or legs that go weak or numb fast. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. The back pain guide and the pain, bones and joints list now point to it. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis: the symptoms, who gets them, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with them, in English and Spanish (the 338th tool)
A new guide for someone past 50 whose shoulders and hips ache and stiffen every morning, someone with a new headache at the temples, a tender scalp or jaw pain when chewing, anyone just told they have polymyalgia rheumatica or giant cell arteritis, and anyone taking a steroid for it. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: the symptoms of each and how the two are linked; who gets them; the exam, blood tests, biopsy and imaging, and who treats them; corticosteroids and the other kinds of medicine; and the side effects of steroids, with what helps protect the bones. NIAMS says sight problems from giant cell arteritis need a provider right away, because untreated they can lead to permanent vision loss within hours or days. It adds our own rules: 911 or an emergency room now for sight that blurs, doubles or goes dark, even for a few minutes, and the same day for a new headache at the temples, a tender scalp or jaw pain when chewing after 50. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. The pain, bones and joints list now points to it. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Juvenile arthritis (JIA): the signs in a child, the types, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 337th tool)
A new guide for a parent or caregiver whose child limps in the morning or has a swollen, stiff joint, a child with daily fevers and a rash that comes and goes, and anyone just told their child has juvenile idiopathic arthritis. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: the signs in the joints, eyes, skin and growth, and why eye exams matter even when the eyes seem fine; who gets it, the six types and the cause; the exam, blood tests and imaging, and the care team; the kinds of medicine, physical therapy and check-ups; and rest and exercise, caring for the joints, working with the school, diet and stress. NIAMS says to see a doctor early for swollen or stiff joints, because delaying therapy can lead to joint damage, and that with treatment most children reach remission. It adds our own rules: the same day for a child’s eye that hurts, turns red or is bothered by light, and 911 for a child who has trouble breathing or is very hard to wake. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. The child health list and the pain, bones and joints list now point to it. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Psoriatic arthritis: the symptoms, who gets it, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 336th tool)
A new guide for anyone with psoriasis whose joints have started to hurt, anyone with a swollen finger or toe, a sore heel or pitted nails, and anyone just told they have psoriatic arthritis. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: the symptoms in the joints, spine, skin, nails and eyes; who gets it and what may trigger it; the family history, exam, blood tests and imaging, and who treats it; the kinds of medicine; and a healthy weight, low-impact exercise, protecting your joints, not smoking, and support. NIAMS says to see a doctor soon when joint symptoms start, because early treatment is linked to better outcomes. It adds our own rules: the same day for an eye that hurts, turns red or blurs, and 911 for chest pain or severe trouble breathing. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. The psoriasis guide and the pain, bones and joints list now point to it. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Ankylosing spondylitis: the symptoms, who gets it, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 335th tool)
A new guide for anyone whose lower back is stiff and sore, worse after rest and better when they move, and anyone just told they have ankylosing spondylitis. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: the back and hip pain and stiffness and how it can reach the eyes, ribs, skin and gut; who gets it, and what the HLA-B27 gene does and does not mean; the history, exam, x-rays, MRI and blood tests, and who treats it; the kinds of medicine, physical therapy and surgery; and exercise, posture, help getting around, not smoking, and support. It adds our own rules: the same day for an eye that hurts or vision that changes, and 911 for chest pain or severe trouble breathing. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. It is on the pain, bones and joints list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Sjögren’s disease: the symptoms, who gets it, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 334th tool)
A new guide for anyone whose eyes and mouth are dry all the time, and anyone just told they have Sjögren’s disease. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: the dry eyes and dry mouth, the tiredness and aches, and how it can reach the rest of the body; who gets it and what causes it; the eye, saliva and blood tests and who treats it; the kinds of treatment for the eyes, the mouth and the rest; and caring for your eyes and teeth day to day, with support. It adds our own rules: the same day for an eye that hurts badly or vision that changes suddenly, and 911 for chest pain or severe trouble breathing. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. It is on the pain, bones and joints list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Scleroderma: the types, the symptoms, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 333rd tool)
A new guide for anyone whose skin is getting tight, hard or thick, and anyone just told they have scleroderma. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: the localized and systemic types and their symptoms, who gets it and what may cause it, how a doctor diagnoses it and who treats it, the kinds of medicine and therapy, and the checks that matter for the lungs, heart and kidneys, including NIAMS’s rule to call your doctor right away if your blood pressure is higher than usual. It adds our own rule: 911 for chest pain, severe trouble breathing, fainting, or a sudden, severe headache. Day to day: keeping warm, skin and tooth care, eating when digestion is affected, and support. NIAMS’s Spanish page is shorter, so the Spanish guide says where a fact comes only from the English page. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. It is on the rashes and skin list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Raynaud’s phenomenon: what happens in an attack, the two types, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 332nd tool)
A new guide for anyone whose fingers or toes turn white, then blue, in the cold, and anyone just told they have Raynaud’s phenomenon. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: what happens in an attack, the primary and secondary types, who gets it and what sets it off (cold, stress, smoking and vaping, and some medicines NIAMS names), how a doctor diagnoses it and who treats it, the treatment, and what helps day to day, from keeping your core warm to ending an attack with warm (not hot) water. It puts first our own rules for when it is serious: 911 for a whole hand, arm, foot or leg that suddenly turns cold, pale and painful, and care the same day for a finger or toe that turns black or stays white or blue after warming. NIAMS names no medicine that treats it, so neither do we. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. It is on the rashes and skin list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Alopecia areata: the signs, the types, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 331st tool)
A new guide for anyone whose hair suddenly fell out in a round patch, and anyone just told they have alopecia areata. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: the signs and the three types, what may happen next (in most cases the hair regrows), who gets it, how a doctor diagnoses it and who treats it, the treatments NIAMS names, and that many people need none and some choose none. It covers support, protecting bare skin from the sun, and covering up if you want to. It puts first 988 for anyone the hair loss has left hopeless, and our own rule for hair loss that does not fit the picture, and names no brand and no dose. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. It is on the rashes and skin list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Rosacea: the symptoms, what can set it off, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 330th tool)
A new guide for anyone whose face flushes and stays red, and anyone just told they have rosacea. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: the symptoms and what rosacea can do to the eyes, who gets it (including that it may be missed on darker skin) and the common triggers, how a doctor diagnoses it and who treats it, the treatments NIAMS names (creams and gels, medicines by mouth, laser and light, and surgery), and what you can do day to day: learn your triggers, treat your skin gently, wear sunscreen, watch your eyes, and find support. It puts first our own rule for an eye problem that cannot wait, and names no brand and no dose. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. It is on the rashes and skin list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Vitiligo: what it is, the symptoms, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 329th tool)
A new guide for anyone with patches of skin that are losing their color, and anyone just told they have vitiligo. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: what vitiligo is and what it can affect, who gets it and what can set it off, how a doctor diagnoses it and who treats it, the treatments NIAMS names (medicines and skin creams, light therapy, depigmentation and surgery), and what you can do day to day: protect your skin from the sun, cover patches if you want to, and find support. It puts first our own rule for an eye problem that cannot wait, since NIAMS says vitiligo can come with an inflammation in the eye, and names no brand and no dose. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. It is on the rashes and skin list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS): the symptoms, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 328th tool)
A new guide for anyone with painful lumps or boils that keep coming back in the armpits, the groin or other places where skin rubs, and anyone just told they have HS. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: the symptoms and where they show up, who gets it and what may raise the chances, how a doctor diagnoses it and who treats it, the kinds of medicine, surgery and laser hair removal, and what you can do day to day: keep the areas clean, wear comfortable clothes, use warm compresses, quit smoking, and find support. It says plainly, with NIAMS, that HS is not contagious and that poor hygiene does not cause it. It puts first our own rule for when it cannot wait, and names no brand and no dose. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. It is now on the rashes and itching list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Psoriasis: the symptoms, the kinds, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 327th tool)
A new guide for anyone with thick, red, scaly patches that itch or burn, and anyone just told they have psoriasis. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: the symptoms and the five kinds, who gets it and what may raise the chances, psoriatic arthritis and why stiff or swollen joints should be seen soon, how a doctor diagnoses it and who treats it, the kinds of medicine and light, and what you can do: moisturize, find and avoid your triggers, quit smoking, go easy on alcohol, take a little sun, and find support. It puts first our own rule for when it cannot wait, and says plainly that psoriasis does not spread from person to person. It names no brand and no dose. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. It is now on the rashes and itching list too. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Lupus: the symptoms, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 326th tool)
A new guide for anyone with symptoms that come and go, such as painful joints, fevers, tiredness and rashes, anyone told a test came back positive, and anyone just told they have lupus. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: the symptoms and the organs lupus can affect, who gets it and what may set it off, why no single test diagnoses it (and why a positive ANA alone does not mean lupus), who treats it, the kinds of medicine, and what you can do: know your flare warning signs, protect yourself from the sun, lower stress, change your work if you need to, and plan a pregnancy with your doctor. It puts first our own rule for when it cannot wait. It names no brand and no dose. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Gout: the symptoms, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 325th tool)
A new guide for anyone whose big toe or another joint suddenly hurts, swells and turns red, anyone just told they have gout, and anyone whose flares keep coming back. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: the symptoms, the stages and the hard lumps called tophi, who gets it and what raises the chance (foods, drinks, conditions and medicines), how a provider finds out, who treats it, the kinds of medicine for a flare and for lowering urate, and what you can do: ice, raising the limb and rest during a flare, and food, drink and weight over time. It puts first our own rule for a hot, swollen joint with a fever, which may be something else. It names no brand and no dose. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Fibromyalgia: the symptoms, getting a diagnosis, treatment, and living with it, in English and Spanish (the 324th tool)
A new guide for anyone who hurts all over and is worn out, anyone just told they have fibromyalgia, and anyone whose tests keep coming back normal. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: the symptoms (fibro fog too), who gets it and what causes it, why there is no single test and how a doctor rules out other causes, who treats it, cognitive behavioral therapy and the three kinds of medicine NIAMS names, and living with it: exercise that starts low and builds slowly, support, sleep habits and pacing yourself. It puts first our own rule for when a pain may be something else. It names no brand and no dose, and gives no exercise program. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Osteoporosis: the signs, who is at risk, the bone test, and preventing broken bones, in English and Spanish (the 323rd tool)
A new guide for anyone told they have weak bones, anyone who broke a bone from a small fall, and anyone wondering whether they need a bone density test. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: why it is called a silent disease, the signs of a broken bone in the spine, who is more likely to get it (men too), who the test is for and what to tell the doctor, food, calcium and vitamin D (with NIAMS's chart), habits, exercise and the kinds of medicine, and how to prevent falls at home and outdoors. It puts first our own rule for when it cannot wait after a fall. It names no brand and no dose, and gives no exercise program. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →New essay and song: Show Me Again
An essay for grown people who were never shown how to use a computer, and for whoever is leaning over their shoulder. It says the people who never had one at home, who worked with their hands, who were away for years or always had someone else do “that part” are not slow; they are new, and the difference is the whole essay. It says asking again is how everybody learns, and that steps written on paper by the keyboard are a notebook, not a crutch. To the helper it says: take your hand off the mouse, one step at a time in plain words, wait, and show it again the same way without the sigh. It names the few truly risky things (passwords, anyone who asks for money or codes, messages that hurry you) and points to the free practice pages at New to computers, where nothing you type is sent anywhere. It comes with a 1960s-style highlife song and a lyric film with closed captions. The essay was written with AI (Claude); the song, the singer’s voice and the images are AI-made too, the narrator of the song is a character and not a real person, and the page says so at the top.
Read and watch →Pain, bones and joints: find the right page, fifteen on one list
New at /pain-bones-and-joints/ (and in Spanish at /es/dolor-huesos-y-articulaciones/): one page that lists 15 pages on this site for pain, bones and joints. Until now they were spread out across the long list of tools. The list is sorted by where it hurts or what happened: back pain, joints and arthritis, pain that has lasted for months, headaches and a hit to the head, a bone that might be broken or a sprain, pain in the chest, arm, jaw or back, four pages about something else that each touch on pain (sickle cell, shingles, getting older and falls, being hurt at work), and four tools for before a call or a visit. Pick one and it opens; a box at the top narrows the list as you type. Each line on the list is copied from the description of the page it points to, so the list adds no health facts of its own. The box at the top says to call 911 if you think someone's life is in danger, and repeats, in those pages' own words, that the heart attack page names chest pain and pain in the arm, jaw or back among the signs, and that the back pain, head injury, broken bone and sickle cell pages each say when it is 911. Six of the guides now carry a line that points back to the list, and the lists for an upset stomach and for the kidneys and bladder link to it. The page keeps nothing and sends nothing, and runs no analytics. It is a list, not a new tool, so the count of tools stays at three hundred and twenty-two. Written with AI (Claude); it is not medical advice and no doctor, nurse or pharmacist has reviewed it. Checked by programs, not yet used by people. The Spanish was translated by AI and not reviewed by a native speaker.
Find the right page →Back pain: when to see a doctor, what can cause it, and what helps, in English and Spanish (the 322nd tool)
A new guide for anyone whose back hurts, whether it started yesterday after lifting something or has gone on for months. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says: how back pain can feel and the signs that mean see a doctor, the causes and who is more likely to have it, the questions a doctor asks and why most people need no scan, treatment and who gives it, and how to sit, sleep, lift and carry. It puts first our own rule for when it cannot wait: when it is the emergency room now, and when it is a 911 call. It names no single medicine and gives no exercise program. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Blood in the urine (hematuria): what it looks like, when to get care, and the tests, in English and Spanish (the 321st tool)
A new guide for anyone who sees pink, red or brown urine, or was told a urine test found blood. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: the two types, the reasons people may have blood in the urine (from an infection, a stone or hard exercise to more serious ones), who is more likely to have it, the urine test and why a period can change it, the other tests, and treatment of the cause. It puts first our own rule for when to call a provider, when it is the emergency room now, and when it is a 911 call. It names no single medicine. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. With it, the kidneys and bladder list has no gap left that it names. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Enlarged prostate (BPH): the signs, when to get care, and the treatment choices, in English and Spanish (the 320th tool)
A new guide for anyone with a prostate who has trouble starting to pee, a weak stream, dribbling, or gets up at night to go. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: the symptoms and when to tell a provider right away, what causes it and what it can lead to, the everyday medicines (such as cold and cough medicines) that can make it worse, the exam and the tests, watchful waiting, medicines, procedures and surgery, and what to expect after surgery. It puts first our own rule for when it is the emergency room now, and when it is a 911 call. It names no single medicine and gives no doses. It builds the words to say to a provider and prints a card for the visit. With it, the kidneys and bladder list now has a page for the prostate. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Bladder leaks (urinary incontinence): the types, when to get care, and what helps, in English and Spanish (the 319th tool)
A new guide for any adult who leaks urine: with a cough, a sneeze, a laugh or lifting, after a sudden urge, at night, or with no warning. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: the signs and when to seek care right away, the seven types and what causes them in women and in men, the exam, the bladder diary and the tests, what you can try yourself (liquids, habits, bladder training and pelvic floor exercises), and medicines, devices, surgery and products. It puts first our own rule for when it is the emergency room now, and when it is a 911 call. It names no single medicine and gives no doses. It builds the words to say to a provider, for anyone too embarrassed to bring it up, and prints a card for the visit. It is now on the kidneys and bladder list. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Kidneys, bladder and urine: find the right page, thirteen on one list
New at /kidneys-and-bladder/ (and in Spanish at /es/rinones-y-vejiga/): one page that lists 13 pages on this site for the kidneys, the bladder and urine. Until now they were spread out across the long list of tools and the list for a baby or child. The list is sorted by what is going on: burning when you pee, a bladder infection or a kidney stone (the two adult guides), kidney disease and dialysis, a child with a bladder infection or a child who wets the bed, four pages about something else that each touch on it (sepsis, menopause and bladder leaks, high blood pressure, diabetes), and four tools for before a call or a visit. Pick one and it opens; a box at the top narrows the list as you type. Each line on the list is copied from the description of the page it points to, so the list adds no health facts of its own. The box at the top says to call 911 if you think someone's life is in danger, and repeats, in those pages' own words, that the bladder infection page names the signs that an infection has spread to the kidneys and that the kidney stones page says when it is the emergency room or 911. The five kidney and bladder guides now carry a line that points back to the list, the lists for a baby or child and for an upset stomach link to it, and the guide for a UTI in a child now links to the guide for adults. The page keeps nothing and sends nothing, and runs no analytics. It is a list, not a new tool, so the count of tools stays at three hundred and eighteen. Written with AI (Claude); it is not medical advice and no doctor, nurse or pharmacist has reviewed it. Checked by programs, not yet used by people. The Spanish was translated by AI and not reviewed by a native speaker.
Find the right page →Kidney stones: the signs, when it is an emergency, passing a stone, and preventing the next one, in English and Spanish (the 318th tool)
A new guide for any adult with sharp pain in the back, side, lower belly or groin, or pink, red or brown urine. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: the signs and when to see a professional right away, the four types of stone and who gets them, the urine, blood and imaging tests, passing a stone at home and the ways a urologist removes one, and liquids, food by type of stone and medicines to prevent the next. It puts first our own rule for when it is the emergency room now, and when it is a 911 call. It names no medicines and gives no doses. It builds the words to say at a clinic and prints a card for the visit. It goes with the new page on bladder infection in adults. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Bladder infection (UTI) in adults: the signs, when it is the kidneys, and antibiotics, in English and Spanish (the 317th tool)
A new guide for any adult with burning when they pee, needing to go again and again, or cloudy or bloody urine. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: the signs, the signs that it may have reached the kidneys and why quick treatment matters, pregnancy, who gets them, the urine test and culture, antibiotics and why to finish them, liquids and care at home, repeat infections and prevention, and what cranberry does and does not do. It puts first our own rule for getting care the same day, and for when it is a 911 call. It names no antibiotics and gives no doses. It builds the words to say at a clinic and prints a card for the visit. Until now the site only had a page for a UTI in a baby or child. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Appendicitis: the signs, why it cannot wait, and surgery, in English and Spanish (the 316th tool)
A new guide for anyone with belly pain that is getting worse, a parent with a child in pain, or someone told they need their appendix out. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: that appendicitis is a medical emergency, how the pain may start and move, the other signs and why children may not have them, a burst appendix and peritonitis, what a doctor will ask and the tests, surgery and antibiotics, and recovery. It puts first our own rule for when it is a 911 call. It names no medicines and gives no doses. It builds the words to say at the emergency room and prints a card with the answers a doctor will ask for. It also fills a gap the stomach list named: that list now has 19 pages. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Peptic ulcers (stomach and duodenal ulcers): the signs, the causes, and treatment, in English and Spanish (the 315th tool)
A new guide for adults with a burning or dull pain in the upper belly, an ulcer or H. pylori a doctor has found, or who take aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen often. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: the common signs and the ones that need a doctor right away, the two most common causes (H. pylori and the pain medicines called NSAIDs) and who gets ulcers more, the tests, treatment and why every dose matters, and why no special diet is needed. It puts first our own rule for when it is a 911 call, and says not to stop a medicine a doctor prescribed without asking. It names medicines only by kind, with no brands or doses. It builds the words to say and prints a card for your pain and medicines. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Gallstones and gallbladder attacks: the signs, when to get care, and surgery, in English and Spanish (the 314th tool)
A new guide for adults with pain in the upper right belly after a meal or at night, gallstones found on a scan, or a gallbladder that a surgeon says should come out. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: what a gallbladder attack is, the signs that mean seeing a doctor right away, silent gallstones that usually need no treatment, what causes gallstones and who gets them more, the tests, surgery to remove the gallbladder and what comes after, and food, weight and moving. It puts first our own rule for when it is a 911 call or an emergency room. It names no medicine or brand and gives no doses. It builds the words to say and prints a card to note each attack. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →An upset stomach, heartburn or constipation: find the right page, sixteen on one list
New at /belly-and-stomach/ (and in Spanish at /es/estomago-y-barriga/): one page that lists 16 pages on this site for an upset stomach. Until now they were spread out across the long list of tools, the first-aid pages and the list for a baby or child. The list is sorted by what is going on: something swallowed, a poisoning or a reaction to a food right now (the poisoning page, a severe allergic reaction, and the first-aid page), throwing up, diarrhea, heartburn or constipation (food poisoning and stomach bugs, heartburn and acid reflux, constipation in adults), a baby or child who is throwing up, has diarrhea or is constipated, four pages about something else that each have a part about feeling sick, eating or keeping food down (morning sickness, hepatitis, eating disorders, diabetes), and four tools for before a call or a visit. Pick one and it opens; a box at the top narrows the list as you type. Each line on the list is copied from the description of the page it points to, so the list adds no health facts of its own. The box at the top says to call 911 if you think someone's life is in danger, and repeats, in those pages' own words, that the poisoning page says when it is 911 and when it is Poison Help, and that the heartburn page says when chest pain is a 911 call. Six of the guides now carry a line that points back to the list, and the lists for a baby or child and for a cough link to it. The page keeps nothing and sends nothing, and runs no analytics. It is a list, not a new tool, so the count of tools stays at three hundred and thirteen. Written with AI (Claude); it is not medical advice and no doctor, nurse or pharmacist has reviewed it. Checked by programs, not yet used by people. The Spanish was translated by AI and not reviewed by a native speaker.
Find the right page →Constipation in adults: the signs, when to see a doctor, what helps, and laxatives, in English and Spanish (the 313th tool)
A new guide for adults with hard stools, few bowel movements, straining, a laxative they can’t stop taking, or constipation that began with a new medicine, travel, a move or a shelter. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: the signs, the ones that mean seeing a doctor right away, the kinds of medicine and the changes that can cause it, 22 to 34 grams of fiber a day with plenty of liquids, moving and a routine, the kinds of laxative and stopping one slowly, what a doctor can do, and the tests. It puts first our own rule for when it is a 911 call. It names no medicine or brand and gives no doses. It builds the words to say and prints a card to track two weeks. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Heartburn and acid reflux (GERD): the signs, when to see a doctor, what helps, and the medicines, in English and Spanish (the 312th tool)
A new guide for adults with a burning in the chest after eating, food or a sour taste coming back up, heartburn at night, or antacids taken every day. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says: heartburn and regurgitation, the signs that mean seeing a doctor, what makes GERD more likely and what it can lead to, eating at least 3 hours before lying down and raising your head for sleep, the foods commonly linked to symptoms, antacids, H2 blockers and PPIs, and tests and surgery. It puts first our own rule that chest pain which could be a heart attack is a 911 call. It names no medicine brand and gives no doses. It builds the words to say and prints a card to track a week. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Food poisoning and stomach bugs: the signs, fluids, when to get care, and keeping it from spreading, in English and Spanish (the 311th tool)
A new guide for anyone throwing up or with diarrhea after something they ate, a stomach bug going around at home, at work or in a shelter, or someone who can’t keep fluids down. Until now the site only covered vomiting and diarrhea in children. It passes on, by name, what CDC and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases say: the signs, dehydration, when to see a doctor, what to drink and eat, when over-the-counter diarrhea medicine is not safe, what a doctor may ask, keeping norovirus from spreading (soap and water rather than sanitizer, 48 hours before handling food or caring for others, cleaning up), and CDC’s clean, separate, cook, chill. Three of CDC’s food safety pages have no Spanish version, and the Spanish page says so. It builds the words to say and prints a sick-day card. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →A cough, a fever, or trouble breathing: find the right page, twenty-six on one list
New at /coughs-and-breathing/ (and in Spanish at /es/tos-y-respiracion/): one page that lists 26 pages on this site for a cough, a fever or trouble breathing. Until now they were spread out across the long list of tools, the first-aid pages and the list for a baby or child. The list is sorted by what is going on: trouble breathing or something happening right now (asthma, choking, a severe allergic reaction, carbon monoxide, panic, and the first-aid page), a cough, a fever or an illness going around or getting worse (flu, COVID-19, RSV, pneumonia, whooping cough, measles, sepsis), a baby or child with a fever, a cough, a sore throat or an earache, a cough that won't go away, getting winded, breathing at night or quitting smoking (tuberculosis, COPD, Long COVID, heart failure, sleep apnea, quitting smoking), and three tools for before a call or a visit. Pick one and it opens; a box at the top narrows the list as you type. Each line on the list is copied from the description of the page it points to, so the list adds no health facts of its own, and it says so: being on the list does not mean a thing is catching or serious, and the page cannot tell one cough from another. The box at the top says to call 911 if you think someone's life is in danger. Ten of the guides (flu, COVID-19, RSV, pneumonia, whooping cough, tuberculosis, asthma, COPD, Long COVID, and cough or cold in a child) now carry a line that points back to the list, and the lists for a baby or child and for a rash link to it. The page keeps nothing and sends nothing, and runs no analytics. It is a list, not a new tool, so the count of tools stays at three hundred and ten. Written with AI (Claude); it is not medical advice and no doctor, nurse or pharmacist has reviewed it. Checked by programs, not yet used by people. The Spanish was translated by AI and not reviewed by a native speaker.
Find the right page →Pneumonia: the signs, getting care, getting better, and the vaccines that help prevent it, in English and Spanish (the 310th tool)
A new guide for anyone with a cough and fever that is getting worse instead of better, a baby who is breathing hard, an older parent who is suddenly weak or confused, a pneumonia diagnosis and medicine to finish, or a recovery that is taking longer than expected. It passes on, by name, what CDC and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute say, and every page it uses has a Spanish version, which the Spanish page links. It covers the common signs, the different signs in older adults and babies, getting checked, finishing your medicine, getting better at home, the pneumococcal vaccine (CDC: all children under 5 and all adults 50 or older) and the other vaccines that help, and who is at higher risk, including people in shelters and nursing homes. It builds the words to say and prints a recovery card. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Tuberculosis (TB): the signs, getting tested, finishing treatment, and protecting the people around you, in English and Spanish (the 309th tool)
A new guide for anyone with a cough that will not go away, a positive TB test, a call from the health department, or months of TB medicine to finish, and for anyone who lives or works in a shelter or spent time in a jail or prison (CDC names shelters, jails and prisons among the places TB spreads more easily). It passes on, by name, what CDC’s TB pages say, and every one of them has a CDC Spanish version, which the Spanish page links. It covers the signs, inactive TB and active TB disease, the two tests and what a positive result means, taking every dose (DOT, missed doses, side effects), protecting family at home, and CDC’s promise that what you tell the health department is not shared with law enforcement or immigration. It builds the words to say and prints a TB record card. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Sepsis: the signs, acting fast, who is at higher risk, and getting better after, in English and Spanish (the 308th tool)
A new guide for anyone with an infection that is not getting better, anyone looking after someone who has one, and anyone home after sepsis. It passes on, by name, what CDC’s sepsis pages say (CDC has one of them in Spanish; the Spanish page says which ones are only in English). The box at the top says what to do right now; pick what is going on to get a place to start. It covers CDC’s six signs, acting fast and the question to ask (“Could this infection be leading to sepsis?”), who is at higher risk, what happens at the hospital, getting better at home after sepsis, and preventing infections. It builds the words to say to a nurse line, a doctor’s office or the emergency room, and prints a card to bring. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →
Lead poisoning: protecting children, the blood lead test, and lead at home, in English and Spanish (the 307th tool)
A new guide for parents and anyone raising or looking after a young child. It passes on, by name, what CDC’s childhood lead poisoning prevention pages say (CDC has one of them in Spanish; the Spanish page says which ones are only in English). The box at the top says what to do right now; pick what is going on to get a place to start. It covers who should get a blood lead test and what the number means, finger-prick and vein tests and CDC’s schedule for confirming, what lead does and who is most at risk, old paint and dust in homes built before 1978 (and asking a landlord), lead in water and baby formula, imported candies, spices, remedies and makeup, toys and jewelry, and lead brought home from work. It builds the words to say to a doctor’s office, a landlord, a water provider or the health department, and prints a card for the results. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →COVID-19: the emergency signs, testing, treatment within days, when to go back, and the vaccine, in English and Spanish (the 306th tool)
A new guide for the fall and winter season, next to flu and RSV, for anyone who has or may have COVID-19, or looks after someone who does. It passes on, by name, what seven CDC pages say (four have a CDC Spanish twin; the Spanish page says which three are only in English). The box at the top says what to do right now; pick what is going on to get a place to start. It covers CDC’s emergency warning signs, the symptoms and how it spreads, which test to use and why one negative rapid test is not enough, who is more likely to get very sick, treatment that must start within 5 to 7 days of the first symptoms (no positive test needed) and CDC’s line for finding it, staying home and the 24-hour rule for going back, and the 2026–2027 vaccine. It builds the words to say to a doctor’s office, a pharmacist, 911 or a job, and prints a card of the dates to keep. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →RSV: the signs in babies and adults, when to call, care at home, and the shots that protect, in English and Spanish (the 305th tool)
A new guide for the fall and winter season, for anyone with a baby, a child or an older adult who has a cold that might be RSV. It passes on, by name, what seven CDC RSV pages say (five have a CDC Spanish twin; the Spanish page says which two are only in English). The box at the top says what to do right now; pick what is going on to get a place to start. It covers the signs in very young babies (fussiness, less activity, eating less, pauses in breathing, often no fever), when CDC says to call for a child or for an adult, who is at highest risk, easing the symptoms at home (never aspirin for children), how long it spreads and how to keep it from spreading, and the shots that protect: one option in pregnancy or for the baby, and a one-time vaccine for everyone 75 and older and some adults 50 to 74. It builds the words to say to a doctor’s office, a pharmacist or a daycare, and prints a card of the dates to keep. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Flu: the signs, early treatment, the emergency warning signs, and the flu vaccine, in English and Spanish (the 304th tool)
A new guide for flu season, for anyone with flu symptoms or caring for someone who has them. It passes on, by name, what eight CDC flu pages say, each with a CDC Spanish twin. The box at the top says what to do right now; pick what is going on to get a place to start. It covers who should call a provider early (antiviral drugs work best when started within 2 days), why antibiotics do not treat flu, flu or a cold, how long it spreads, CDC’s emergency warning signs for children and for adults, who is at higher risk, how long to stay home and when to go back, no aspirin for children and teens, and the yearly flu vaccine: who, when, where and what to expect. It builds the words to say to a doctor’s office, work, a school or shelter staff, and prints a card of the dates to keep. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Whooping cough: the signs, early treatment, protecting babies, and the vaccines, in English and Spanish (the 303rd tool)
A new guide for anyone worried about whooping cough (pertussis) in themselves, a baby or a child. It passes on, by name, what five CDC pages say: About Whooping Cough, Symptoms of Whooping Cough, Treatment of Whooping Cough, Whooping Cough Vaccination, and Whooping Cough Vaccine Recommendations. The box at the top says what to do right now (a baby who stops breathing or turns blue: call 911); pick what is going on to get a place to start. It covers why early antibiotics matter, the signs week by week, why babies may not cough at all, what to do after being near it, caring for it at home, and the DTaP and Tdap vaccines, including in every pregnancy. It builds the words to say to a doctor’s office, a school or shelter staff, and prints a card of the dates to keep. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; it saves nothing.
Open the guide →Measles: the signs, what to do if you were near it, the vaccine, and when to get care, in English and Spanish (the 302nd tool)
A new guide for anyone who thinks they or their child may have measles, or who was near someone who has it. It passes on, by name, what five CDC pages say: About Measles, Measles Symptoms and Complications, How Measles Spreads, Measles: What to Do If You Get Sick or Exposed, and Measles Vaccination. The box at the top says first: call a doctor or hospital before you go in, so they can see you without exposing anyone; stay home until the fifth day after the rash appears; if you were near measles, call a provider right away, since CDC says the MMR vaccine within 72 hours, or immune globulin within 6 days for people at high risk, may help; and for trouble breathing, confusion, dehydration or getting worse fast, go to the emergency room with someone calling ahead. It also covers the signs day by day, how it spreads, who gets very sick, and the MMR vaccine: who gets it and when, who should wait, side effects, and paying for it. It builds the words to say to a doctor’s office, a school or shelter staff from what you tick, and prints a card of the dates to keep. It names no vaccine or medicine brand and gives no outbreak numbers. Every CDC page used has a CDC Spanish version, and the Spanish guide links to those. It is also on the rash and itch list, which used to say there was no page here for measles. It was written with AI; no doctor or nurse has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking.
Open the guide →Impetigo: the sores, treatment, and keeping it from spreading at home, in English and Spanish (the 301st tool)
A new guide for anyone with red, itchy sores that break open, leak and form a honey-colored crust, or a child with them. It passes on, by name, what CDC’s group A strep pages say (About Impetigo, Preventing Group A Strep Infection, About Group A Strep Infection, and About Post-Streptococcal Glomerulonephritis) and what the MedlinePlus summary on impetigo says. The box at the top says first: see a provider, since CDC says impetigo is treated with antibiotics, and use the prescription exactly as told; cover the sores and wash your hands; wash the person’s clothes, sheets and towels every day and don’t share them; school, daycare and work are fine once antibiotics have started and the sores are covered; and about three weeks later, watch for dark pee, less pee or a puffy face, which CDC says can be a rare kidney problem. It builds the words to say to a pharmacist, a doctor, a school, work or shelter staff from what you tick, and prints a care record. It names no medicine. Unlike the ringworm guide, every CDC page used has a CDC Spanish version, and the Spanish guide links to those. It is also on the rash and itch list, which used to say there was no page here for impetigo. It was written with AI; no doctor or nurse has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking.
Open the guide →The 300th free tool: Ringworm, athlete’s foot and jock itch, in English and Spanish
Three hundred free tools and guides, in English and Spanish. The 300th is for anyone with an itchy ring-shaped rash, itchy peeling skin between the toes, an itchy rash in the groin, a scaly bald spot on a child’s head, or a nail that turned thick and discolored. It passes on, by name, what CDC’s ringworm pages say (Ringworm Basics, Symptoms, Causes, Prevention and Treatment) and what the MedlinePlus summary on tinea infections says. The box at the top says first: don’t put a steroid cream on a rash that could be ringworm, since CDC says many anti-itch creams contain steroids and they can make it worse; skin, feet and groin are usually treated with a non-prescription antifungal for 2 to 4 weeks, used for as long as directed; the scalp and nails need a provider; and if it is spreading or not going away, contact a doctor and say where you have traveled. It then shows what ringworm looks like on each part of the body, how it is treated, who is more at risk, and how to keep it from spreading at home, in shared showers, with pets and at school. It builds the words to say to a pharmacist, a doctor, a school or shelter staff from what you tick, and prints a treatment record. It names no medicine. CDC’s pages are only in English, and the Spanish guide says so at each line. It is also on the rash and itch list, which used to say there was no page here for ringworm. It was written with AI; no doctor or nurse has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking.
Open the guide →The 299th free tool: Bed bugs, in English and Spanish
For anyone who woke up with bites, found a bug they think is a bed bug, or has bed bugs at home, in a shelter or in an apartment building. It passes on, by name, what CDC’s page About Bed Bugs says, what the Environmental Protection Agency’s bed bug pages say (How to Find Bed Bugs, Do-it-yourself Bed Bug Control, the Top Ten Tips, Safety Issues, and the pages on landlords, public places and local help), and what the MedlinePlus summary says. The box at the top says first: bed bugs are not a sign of a dirty home; don’t panic and don’t throw everything out, since most things can be treated and saved; never use rubbing alcohol, kerosene or gasoline, and never try to heat the home to kill them (EPA says these are dangerous); make sure it is a bed bug, since an extension agent can identify one at no cost; and if you rent, tell your landlord. It then has the bites and the itch, the signs and where they hide, EPA’s steps and safety warnings, keeping them out at home, at a laundromat, in a shelter and when traveling, and EPA’s plain word that it has no money for bed bug control. It builds the words to tell a landlord, shelter staff or a doctor from what you tick and prints a record card to keep. The 911 line is ours (no source page gives one) and says so. EPA’s English and Spanish pages differ in places, and the Spanish guide says where. It is also on the rash and itch list, which used to say there was no page here for bed bugs. It was written with AI; no doctor, nurse or pest control professional has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking.
Open the guide →Poison ivy on the first-aid page, and bites, stings and poison plants on the child health list
First aid: what do you see? now has twenty-nine cards. The new one, for someone who touched poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac, is shortened from the Right now box of the poison ivy guide: for swelling or trouble breathing, call 911 or go to an emergency room; rinse the skin right away and scrub under the nails; wash the clothes; do not scratch the blisters; get medical help if it is on the face or genitals or severe; never burn these plants. Typing poison ivy, poison oak, sumac or hiedra finds it. The poison ivy guide also has a card on the Help page, in English and Spanish. The list of pages for looking after a baby or child now has a seventh group, Bitten, stung, or a rash from a plant: tick bites, insect stings, spider bites, animal bites, snakebite and poison ivy (44 pages in all), and each of those six guides now has a line pointing back to the list. These pages are for anyone, not only children, and the list says so. No new health facts were written for any of this: every line is read from the guides themselves. Written with AI; no doctor or nurse has reviewed it.
Open the list →The 298th free tool: Poison ivy, oak and sumac, in English and Spanish
For anyone who touched poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac, has the itchy rash, or breathed the smoke of burning plants, or is looking after someone who did. It passes on, by name, what CDC’s page Poisonous Plants and Work says (from NIOSH, updated and reviewed October 1, 2026; its Spanish twin says the same), what FDA’s Outsmarting Poison Ivy and Other Poisonous Plants says, and what the MedlinePlus summary says (from the National Library of Medicine). The box at the top says first: for swelling or trouble breathing, call 911 or go to an emergency room (CDC’s own line, which also covers anyone who has had a severe reaction to these plants before); rinse the skin right away with rubbing alcohol, a poison plant wash or dishwashing soap and lots of water, and scrub under the nails; wash the clothes, the tools and the pet that touched it; do not scratch the blisters; the rash is not catching. It then has the signs, what CDC names for the itch (with no amounts), CDC’s and FDA’s lists of when to get care, what the plants look like, and how to keep the oil off you, including never burning them. It builds the words to tell a nurse, a doctor or a pharmacist from what you tick and prints a card to fill in. It is also on the rash and itch list, which used to say there was no page here for poison ivy. It was written with AI; no doctor or nurse has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking.
Open the guide →The 297th free tool: Bee, wasp and fire ant stings, and scorpions, in English and Spanish
For anyone who was just stung by a bee, a wasp, a hornet, fire ants or a scorpion, or is looking after someone who was. It passes on, by name, what CDC’s page Insects and Scorpions at Work says (from NIOSH, updated and reviewed September 28, 2026; its Spanish twin says the same) and what the MedlinePlus summary on insect bites and stings says (from the National Library of Medicine). The box at the top says first: for trouble breathing, swelling that spreads, chest pain or slurred speech, call 911 (CDC says anaphylaxis requires immediate emergency care; the 911 line is ours); stay with the person to see if an allergic reaction starts; scrape the stinger out with gauze or a fingernail, never squeeze it or use tweezers, wash and put ice on it; rub fire ants off briskly; when many insects attack, run, get indoors and do not jump into water; and after a scorpion sting, contact a health care provider or a poison control center. It then has the signs CDC lists for emergency care, what CDC and MedlinePlus say to carry if you know you react badly, fire ants, the signs of a scorpion sting, and how to keep from being stung. It builds the words to tell a nurse, a doctor or a poison center from what you tick and prints a card to fill in. It names no medicine brand other than the one CDC names, and no amounts. It was written with AI; no doctor or nurse has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking.
Open the guide →Bitten or stung: a sting card on the first-aid finder, and all five bite and sting guides on Get help now
The first-aid finder at /first-aid/ (and /es/primeros-auxilios/) now has twenty-eight cards: the new one is for a sting from a bee, a wasp, a hornet, fire ants or a scorpion, shortened from the Right now box of /insect-stings/ (no new facts). And Get help now at /help/ (and /es/ayuda/) now lists the five bite and sting guides, after bleeding: /snakebite/, /spider-bites/, /animal-bites/, /tick-bites/ and /insect-stings/, each with what it covers. Type bee, wasp, fire ant or scorpion (abeja, avispa, hormigas, alacrán) in the finder's filter box. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker or a clinician; general information, not medical advice.
Open Get help now →First aid finder: four new cards, for a snakebite, a spider bite, an animal bite and a tick
The first-aid finder at /first-aid/ (and /es/primeros-auxilios/ in Spanish) now has twenty-seven cards. The four new ones are for a snakebite, a spider bite, a bite or scratch from a dog, a cat, a bat or another animal, and a tick attached to the skin. Each gives the first thing to do and opens the full guide: /snakebite/, /spider-bites/, /animal-bites/ and /tick-bites/ (and their Spanish twins). Like every card there, they add no new facts: each line is shortened from the Right now box of the page it opens. Type snake, spider, dog bite, rabies or tick (serpiente, araña, perro, rabia, garrapata) in the filter box to find them. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker or a clinician; general information, not medical advice.
Open the finder →The 296th free tool: Animal bites: dogs, cats, bats, and rabies, in English and Spanish
For anyone who was just bitten or scratched by a dog, a cat, a bat or a wild animal, or is looking after someone who was. It passes on, by name, what five CDC pages say (Dogs and Cats, from Healthy Pets, Healthy People, updated and reviewed June 15, 2026; Rabies Prevention and Control; About Rabies; and Preventing Rabies from Bats) and what the MedlinePlus summary on animal bites says (from the National Library of Medicine). The box at the top says first: for bleeding that will not stop, or feeling faint or weak, call 911 (that line is CDC’s); wash the bite or scratch right away with soap and water, for 15 minutes if the animal could have rabies; after a wild animal, a bat, a stray or a pet whose rabies shots you do not know, talk with a health care provider or the health department right away, because rabies is deadly once symptoms start; do not let a bat in the house go; and see a provider for a deep or serious wound, signs of infection or a last tetanus shot more than 5 years ago. It then has first aid for minor and deep wounds and for cat bites; when to see a provider; rabies, the animals that carry it, and the care after an exposure (PEP); how to report a dog or cat bite and what to ask the owner; what to do about a bat in the house, including how CDC says to catch one safely for testing; and how to keep from being bitten. It builds the words to tell a nurse, a doctor or the health department from what you tick and prints a card to fill in. CDC’s Dogs and Cats pages exist only in English: the Spanish guide says so wherever it uses them. It names no medicine brand. It was written with AI; no doctor or nurse has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking.
Open the guide →The 295th free tool: Spider bites: first aid, the signs, and when to get care, in English and Spanish
For anyone who was just bitten by a spider, is looking after someone who was, or is about to clean out a shed, a garage or a woodpile. It passes on, by name, what CDC’s page Venomous Spiders at Work says (from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, updated and reviewed September 28, 2026) and what the MedlinePlus summary on spider bites says (from the National Library of Medicine). The box at the top says first: for trouble breathing or signs of a severe allergic reaction, call 911 (CDC lists difficulty breathing among the symptoms; the 911 line is ours); stay calm and wash the bite with soap and water; put a cloth dampened with cold water, or ice in a cloth, on it and raise it if you can; do not try to remove the venom; and get care for a small child, for severe symptoms and for a brown recluse sore. It then has the symptoms as CDC lists them; when to get care, where the two pages differ (CDC’s worker page says every bitten worker should seek professional medical attention; MedlinePlus says most spider bites are harmless), giving both; how to tell a black widow and a brown recluse, and where they live; how to keep from being bitten; and tetanus boosters every 10 years. It builds the words to tell a nurse or doctor from what you tick and prints a card to fill in. It names no medicine brand and no amount. It was written with AI; no doctor or nurse has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking.
Open the guide →The 294th free tool: Snakebite: what to do right away, what not to do, and the signs, in English and Spanish
For anyone who was just bitten by a snake, is with someone who was, or will be working or walking where snakes live. It passes on, by name, what CDC’s page Venomous Snakes at Work says (from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, updated and reviewed September 23, 2026), with a few lines from an older NIOSH bulletin (July 9, 2019), marked each time. The box at the top says first: call 911 and get emergency care as soon as possible, without waiting for symptoms; get away from the snake and do not try to catch or kill it, even dead (a photo from a safe distance may help); do not drive yourself, because the bite can make you dizzy or pass out; while you wait, lie or sit down with the bite in a neutral, comfortable position, take off rings and watches, wash and cover the bite, and mark the edge of the swelling with the time; and do not cut, suck, ice or soak it, use a tourniquet, drink alcohol or take pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen. It then has the signs of a venomous bite as CDC lists them; the four kinds of venomous snakes in the US and where they live; how to keep from being bitten; and what CDC says about treatment and lasting injuries. Where the two pages differ (the 2019 bulletin said to keep the bite below the heart; the current page says a neutral position of comfort), the guide follows the current page and says so. It builds the words to tell 911 from what you tick and prints a card to fill in. It was written with AI; no doctor or nurse has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking.
Open the guide →The 293rd free tool: After a tick bite: taking it off, what to watch for, and Lyme disease, in English and Spanish
For anyone who just found a tick on themselves, a child or someone they look after, or who is heading out to a yard, a park or a trail. It passes on, by name, what six pages say, each read on October 14, 2026: five from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (What to Do After a Tick Bite; Preventing Tick Bites; Signs and Symptoms of Untreated Lyme Disease; About Lyme Disease; Treatment and Intervention for Lyme Disease) and the National Library of Medicine’s own MedlinePlus summary, Tick Bites. The box at the top says first what CDC says: take an attached tick off as soon as possible and do not wait to see a provider to do it; grasp it close to the skin with clean fine-tipped tweezers and pull with steady, even pressure, without twisting or jerking; no petroleum jelly, heat or nail polish; and see a doctor for a rash or fever within several weeks. It then has where to check a body and clothes (CDC’s seven places, a tumble dry on high heat for 10 minutes, a shower within two hours); what to watch for, and the National Library of Medicine’s list of other illnesses ticks can spread; the early and later signs of Lyme disease as CDC lists them, and what is not Lyme disease (a small red bump right away is common); CDC’s four reasons why testing the tick is generally not recommended; prevention before and after you go out and in the yard; and what CDC says to tell a doctor: the bite, when it happened and where you most likely picked up the tick. The only medicine named is doxycycline, in CDC’s own line that a single dose after a bite, where Lyme disease is common, may lower the risk in certain cases; no amount is given and no brand is named. None of the six pages names 911: the 911 line is ours and is marked ours. CDC’s treatment page exists only in English, and the Spanish prevention page lacks three lines of the English one, so in the Spanish guide those lines are marked as our translation. It builds the words to say from what you tick and prints a card to fill in. It was written with AI; no doctor or nurse has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking.
Open the guide →New essay and song: Twenty Minutes
An essay about anger, for the moment in an argument when the sharpest sentence is already lined up. It starts by saying something kind about anger: it usually means something matters. The trouble is what it does to the next five minutes. The essay offers one sentence to say out loud: “I’m too angry to talk well. I’m taking twenty minutes, and I’m coming back.” Coming back is the part people leave off, and it is a promise to keep. It suggests what to do with the twenty minutes (go somewhere else, breathe out longer than in, cold water, don’t rehearse the fight) and what to bring back: the softer thing under the anger, one true thing, not the whole history. It is honest about limits: if you are afraid you will hurt someone, leave first, and call 911 if anyone is in danger; anger that has already hurt people is worth taking to a counselor or a doctor; and if you are afraid of someone else’s anger at home, it does not ask you to stay (the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-7233). It names 988. It comes with a late-1990s-style neo-soul song and a lyric film with closed captions. The essay was written with AI (Claude), which says in the essay that it is an AI; the song, the singer’s voice and the images are AI-made too, the narrator of the song is a character and not a real person, and the page says so at the top. It is general information, not professional advice. It points to When anger takes over, Make peace and Get help now.
Read and watch →The short descriptions now match the guides: the last American Academy of Pediatrics credits and one Spanish phone line are out
Thirteen guides on this site stopped passing on the American Academy of Pediatrics this week, because its terms do not allow its content to be used with AI tools and these pages are written with AI. Some of the short descriptions elsewhere had not caught up. Get help now (/help/ and /es/ayuda/), the tools list and the pages built from it (Where to start, Pass it on) still named the Academy for the LGBTQ+ guide and the burns guide; they now name the sources those guides use. One Academy line had also stayed behind in Spanish: “espera en la línea para recibir ayuda en español” (wait on the line for help in Spanish) for Poison Help, 1-800-222-1222. We have not read another page that says how the line answers in Spanish, so on /es/ayuda/, /es/primeros-auxilios/, /es/monoxido-de-carbono/ and the printable card of /es/envenenamiento/ it now says ours: if they do not answer in Spanish, ask for Spanish or an interpreter. Written with AI.
Open Get help now →Broken bones page: a young child’s pulled elbow now follows the orthopaedic surgeons, not the American Academy of Pediatrics
The page for when a bone might be broken (/broken-bones/, and /es/huesos-rotos/) used to pass on lines from the American Academy of Pediatrics’ page on nursemaid’s elbow, on HealthyChildren.org. Its terms do not allow its content to be used with AI tools, and these pages are written with AI, so those lines are gone. The part on a young child who won’t use an arm now follows the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ Nursemaid’s Elbow page on OrthoInfo (in English and Spanish): most often between ages 1 and 4, usually from a sudden pull on the hand or wrist or swinging a child by the arms, rarely from a fall (a fall onto the hand or elbow may mean a broken bone instead), and lift a child under the arms. The Academy of Pediatrics’ page is linked without a summary, and dated notes on the page say what changed.
Open the broken bones page →Burns page: the lines from the American Academy of Pediatrics are out; burn, fire, product-safety and federal health pages stand in
The page for when someone is burned (/burns/, and /es/quemaduras/) used to pass on many lines from three American Academy of Pediatrics pages on HealthyChildren.org. Its terms do not allow its content to be used with AI tools, and these pages are written with AI, so those lines are gone. The part on children and scalds now follows the American Burn Association’s scald page (when to get emergency help, including blisters on a baby), the U.S. Fire Administration’s messages for children (cool water for 3 to 5 minutes, tell an adult; keep children 3 feet from anything hot; lighters and matches locked up high) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s sheet on tap water scalds (water heaters at 120 degrees Fahrenheit, and hand-testing bath water). Sunburn in babies now follows the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, sunscreen the CDC, and a chemical on the skin Poison Control. A few things had no other source we read and are gone: an oozing burn, not rubbing a burn, a year out of the sun for a healed burn, the microwave, glass-door fireplaces, hot playground slides and when to call about an older child’s sunburn. The Academy’s pages are still linked, without a summary. Written with AI; not reviewed by a clinician, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Open the burns page →House fire page: the lines from the American Academy of Pediatrics are out; the fire-safety agencies’ own pages stand in
The page for a fire at home (/house-fire/, and /es/incendio-en-casa/) used to pass on lines from the American Academy of Pediatrics’ fire-safety page on HealthyChildren.org. Its terms do not allow its content to be used with AI tools, and these pages are written with AI, so those lines are gone. Closing doors on the way out, firefighters and rescues, the fire department’s number and telling guests the plan now follow the National Fire Protection Association; the stairs, the two minutes and the lines for children follow the U.S. Fire Administration; teaching children not to hide from firefighters and practising in the dark follow Ready.gov. A few things had no other source we read and are gone: testing a door with the back of the hand, a damp cloth over the nose and mouth, dusting alarms monthly, what to leave for a sitter, and a price for a smoke alarm. The Academy’s page is still linked, without a summary. Written with AI; not reviewed by a fire professional, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Open the house fire page →Choking page: back blows now follow the American Heart Association’s own announcement, for adults as well as children
The page for when someone is choking (/choking/, and /es/atragantamiento/) used to pass on lines from two American Academy of Pediatrics pages on HealthyChildren.org: back blows for a child, the steps for a baby, sign lists, and lists of foods and small things for young children. Its terms do not allow its content to be used with AI tools, and these pages are written with AI, so those lines are gone. Back blows now follow the American Heart Association’s own news release on its 2025 guidelines, which says to alternate five back blows and five abdominal thrusts for adults as well as children, and five back blows and five chest thrusts for a baby, “using the heel of one hand”. Food for young children now follows the CDC’s list, toys the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Nemours KidsHealth and Safe Kids Worldwide, and a swallowed button battery Poison Control. The Academy’s two pages are still linked, without a summary. Written with AI; not reviewed by a clinician, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Open the choking page →Severe allergic reaction page: the children’s part and the steps after epinephrine no longer come from the American Academy of Pediatrics
The page for when it might be a severe allergic reaction (/allergic-reaction/, and /es/reaccion-alergica/) used to pass on lines from the American Academy of Pediatrics’ HealthyChildren.org page on anaphylaxis in children: its steps for after the epinephrine, its list of signs in a child, where an injector goes, two doses, and school. Its terms do not allow its content to be used with AI tools, and these pages are written with AI, so those lines are gone. Where the injector goes now follows the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (the thigh, or a nasal spray), two doses the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, and what epinephrine does Food Allergy Research & Education. The children’s part now points to the same sign lists as for anyone, gives Food Allergy Research & Education’s three steps, and leaves how to lay a child down to the 911 operator. Lines marked “Ours” say what is our own. The Academy’s page is still linked, without a summary. Written with AI; not reviewed by a clinician, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Open the allergic reaction page →Bleeding page: nosebleeds now follow the American Academy of Family Physicians, and a child’s tooth points to its own page
The page for when someone is bleeding (/bleeding/, and /es/sangrado/) used to pass on lines from four pages of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ HealthyChildren.org: nosebleeds, a child’s lip or tongue, a knocked-out tooth, and fingertips. Its terms do not allow its content to be used with AI tools, and these pages are written with AI, so those lines are gone. Nosebleeds now follow the American Academy of Family Physicians’ familydoctor.org page, which is for adults as well as children: sit down, lean slightly forward, squeeze the soft part of the nose for at least 5 minutes, then another 5 to 10 if it is still bleeding, and see a doctor if it goes on for more than 20 minutes. A knocked-out or broken tooth now points to our own tooth page. For a cut lip or tongue or a crushed fingertip we found no other source we could use, so only our own general lines are left, and the page says so. The Academy’s pages are still linked, without a summary. Written with AI; not reviewed by a clinician, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Open the bleeding page →Poisoning page: button batteries, children and medicines now follow Poison Control, the CDC, the CPSC and Up and Away
The page for when it might be a poisoning (/poisoning/, and /es/envenenamiento/) used to pass on lines from two pages of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ HealthyChildren.org. Its terms do not allow its content to be used with AI tools, and these pages are written with AI, so those lines are gone. A swallowed button battery now follows Poison Control’s own pages (call the battery hotline, 1-800-498-8666, right away; a battery stuck in the esophagus can do severe damage in just 2 hours; storing, recycling and taping battery compartments), and the CDC’s botulism page now gives the age for honey: none for a child younger than 1. Measuring medicine, safety caps, laundry packets, carbon monoxide alarms and keeping things out of reach now follow the CDC, Up and Away, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency. Some details only the Academy gave, like the age for laundry packets and liquid nicotine, are no longer on the page, and it says so. The Academy’s pages are still linked, without a summary. Written with AI; not reviewed by a clinician or a poison specialist, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Open the poisoning page →Knocked-out tooth page: the American Academy of Pediatrics’ symptom checker is now linked, not passed on
The page for a knocked-out, broken or loose tooth (/knocked-out-tooth/, and /es/diente-caido-o-roto/) used to pass on about twenty lines from the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Tooth Injury symptom checker on HealthyChildren.org. Its terms do not allow its content to be used with AI tools, and these pages are written with AI, so those lines are gone. Where another page we read says the same thing, that page is quoted instead: how to hold a tooth back in place now follows the International Association of Dental Traumatology (bite on a handkerchief and go to the dentist), carrying it in milk follows the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and a loose tooth follows the American College of Emergency Physicians (be seen within 30 minutes if you can). Some details only the checker gave, like a 10-minute time for bleeding and care at home while a loose tooth settles, are no longer on the page, and it says so. The checker is still linked, without a summary. Written with AI from pages read on October 3, 2026; not reviewed by a dentist, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Open the tooth page →Drowning page: CPR now follows the American Heart Association’s own pages; the rest follows the Drowning Prevention Alliance, the CDC and Safe Kids
The page for when someone is in trouble in the water (/drowning/, and /es/ahogamiento/) used to pass on lines from six pages of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ HealthyChildren.org. Its terms do not allow its content to be used with AI tools, and these pages are written with AI, so those lines are gone. CPR after drowning (call 911, start CPR with rescue breaths, compressions only if you can’t give breaths, everyone who needed any resuscitation goes to a hospital) now follows the American Heart Association’s announcement of the 2024 update and its own news stories. A missing child (check the water first, then call 911), the five layers of protection, the bath, buckets, fences and lessons now follow the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Safe Kids Worldwide, Pool Safely and MedlinePlus. Some details only the Academy gave, like gate-latch heights and the age to start lessons, are no longer on the page, and it says so. The Academy’s pages are still linked, without a summary. Written with AI from pages read on October 3 and 14, 2026; not reviewed by a clinician or a lifeguard, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Open the drowning page →LGBTQ+ page: the part for parents now follows a SAMHSA guide
The LGBTQ+ page (/lgbtq/, and /es/lgbtq/) used to pass on the American Academy of Pediatrics’ HealthyChildren.org in its part for parents. Its terms do not allow its content to be used with AI tools, and these pages are written with AI, so those lines are gone. The part for parents now follows SAMHSA’s 2014 guide “Helping Families to Support Their LGBT Children”, which says it is in the public domain: that families can learn to support their child, what it counts as support (talking with your child about who they are, welcoming their LGBT friends, a positive role model, support for yourself), what it says hurts even when it is meant to help, and that “a little change makes a difference.” The page gives no figures. The Academy’s page is still linked, without a summary, and the page says what changed and when. Written with AI from pages read on October 7 and 14, 2026; not reviewed by a counselor or an LGBTQ+ organization, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Open the LGBTQ+ page →Electric shock guide: the American Academy of Pediatrics lines are out
When someone gets an electric shock (/electric-shock/, and /es/descarga-electrica/) used to pass on lines from the American Academy of Pediatrics’ HealthyChildren.org. Its terms do not allow its content to be used with AI tools, and these pages are written with AI, so those lines are gone. The first steps still follow the CDC and the American College of Emergency Physicians, now with the CDC’s own “turn off the source of electricity if possible”. The part on children now uses MedlinePlus (how small children get hurt, and why to see a doctor), the Emergency Physicians (a burn that looks minor can hide serious damage) and the National Fire Protection Association (tamper-resistant outlets and ground-fault circuit interrupters), and says plainly which lines are our own. The Academy’s pages are still linked, without a summary. The page says what changed and when. Written with AI from pages read on October 3 and 14, 2026; not reviewed by a clinician, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Open When someone gets an electric shock →Carbon monoxide and cold weather guides: the American Academy of Pediatrics lines are out, and boats now follow the U.S. Coast Guard
When it might be carbon monoxide (/carbon-monoxide/, and /es/monoxido-de-carbono/) and When it’s dangerously cold (/cold-weather/, and /es/frio-peligroso/) used to pass on lines from the American Academy of Pediatrics’ HealthyChildren.org. Its terms do not allow its content to be used with AI tools, and these pages are written with AI, so those lines are gone. On the carbon monoxide page the other sources (the CDC, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the EPA, the National Fire Protection Association and Poison Control) still cover alarms, heaters, generators and garages; the boats part now passes on the U.S. Coast Guard’s Boating Safety Division instead: treat seasickness as possible CO poisoning, stay off the swim platform while engines run, where CO gathers around a boat, and alarms on board. On the cold weather page the part on children in the cold is now a pointer to the hypothermia and frostbite parts and a plain note that we have not yet read a federal page to replace it. The Academy’s pages are still linked, without a summary. Each page says what changed and when. Written with AI from pages read on October 2 and 14, 2026; not reviewed by a clinician, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Open When it might be carbon monoxide →When gambling is the problem: how one state’s self-exclusion works, what 1-800-GAMBLER is, taxes on winnings, bankruptcy basics, and Gam-Anon’s questions for parents
When gambling is the problem (/gambling/, and /es/juego-y-apuestas/ in Spanish) said until today that it had not read any state’s self-exclusion rules, anything on taxes or bankruptcy, or Gam-Anon’s page for parents. It now shows New Jersey’s self-exclusion program as one state’s example, from the state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement: what you can be shut out of, the periods you can choose, the ways to sign up and its phone line. It explains that 1-800-GAMBLER is a state helpline (New Jersey’s, and the name of a West Virginia program), not the national one, which is 1-800-MY-RESET. The debts panel now says what the IRS says about taxes on gambling winnings and deducting losses, and links the federal courts’ Bankruptcy Basics. The teens panel passes on Gam-Anon’s questions for parents. The American Academy of Pediatrics article on teens and online gambling is linked but not summarised, because its terms do not allow its content to be used with AI tools. Written with AI from pages read on October 14, 2026; not reviewed by a counselor, tax preparer or lawyer, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Open When gambling is the problem →Help as you get older: Medicare Open Enrollment (October 15 to December 7), the parts of Medicare, when to sign up and the late penalties, hospice, and wills and financial powers of attorney
Help as you get older (/getting-older/, and /es/al-envejecer/ in Spanish) said until today that it had not read when you must sign up for Medicare, the late penalties, what each part covers, or anything on wills. Medicare’s Open Enrollment opens tomorrow, so we read Medicare.gov and the National Institute on Aging and filled those gaps. The Medicare panel now says what Open Enrollment lets you change (join, drop or switch a Medicare Advantage or drug plan, or move between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, with new coverage on January 1), what Parts A, B and D, Medicare Advantage and Medigap are, the 7-month first chance to sign up, the 8 months you get after job coverage ends (and that COBRA and retiree coverage don’t count), the January to March General Enrollment Period, second chances after losing Medicaid, a disaster, wrong information or release from jail or prison, and how the Part A, B and D penalties work, with Medicare.gov’s 2026 amounts. The planning panel now covers wills, durable powers of attorney for finances and living trusts as NIA describes them, keeping your papers in one place, letting your doctor or bank talk to your caregiver, and hospice: who qualifies, what you pay and for how long. It still does not tell you which plan to choose: your free SHIP does that. Written with AI from pages read on October 14, 2026; not reviewed by a benefits counselor, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Open Help as you get older →Help at school: what the Section 504 regulation says, the 180-day civil rights complaint deadline, where ADHD and dyslexia fall under IDEA, summer services, and when rights pass to a teenager
Help at school for your child (/school-help/, and /es/ayuda-en-la-escuela/ in Spanish) said until today that it could not tell you who qualifies under Section 504, how long you have to file a civil rights complaint, which IDEA category fits ADHD, dyslexia or anxiety, or when rights pass to a teenager, because the Department of Education’s own sites refused our connection. They still do, so we read the federal regulations themselves on the government’s eCFR site, and the page now names the section for each line. From 34 CFR part 104: who Section 504 covers (an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity such as learning, a record of one, or being regarded as having one), that a public school owes each qualified student a free appropriate public education, an evaluation before placement or any significant change in placement, notice, records, an impartial hearing and a review procedure, and a 504 coordinator in any school system with 15 or more employees. From 34 CFR 100.7, which Section 504 borrows: a written complaint to the Department within 180 days of the discrimination unless the Department extends the time, and no retaliation. From IDEA’s regulations: ADHD is named among the examples of an “other health impairment” and dyslexia among those of a “specific learning disability”, and anxiety is not named; extended school year services when the IEP team decides a child needs them, at no cost; taking part by phone or video, and a free copy of the IEP; rights that a state may transfer to the student at the age of majority, with a statement in the IEP a year before; and services from 3 through 21 that end with a regular diploma but not with a GED or a certificate, with a summary of performance at the end. Still not on the page, because we could not read them: how the Office for Civil Rights takes complaints today, what a written 504 plan usually holds, what the law requires of a school about bullying, and any state’s rules; the page says so. General information, not legal advice. Written with AI from the regulations read on October 14, 2026; not reviewed by a lawyer or an advocate, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Open Help at school →For veterans: the decision review deadlines, care with an other than honorable discharge, and the Women Veterans Call Center
The page for veterans and the people beside them (/veterans/, and /es/veteranos/ in Spanish) said until today that there are deadlines to ask VA for another look at a decision, but that we had not read them, so we did not give them. Now we have, on VA’s own pages, and the page gives them as VA does: for most VA benefits, 1 year from the date on the decision letter to request a Higher-Level Review or a Board Appeal; shorter limits for some benefits, which the letter will state; 60 days for a Board Appeal on a contested claim; a Supplemental Claim at any time, though VA recommends filing within 1 year to keep the effective date; after 1 year, VA says, a Supplemental Claim is the only option; and after a Board decision, 120 days to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, which is filed with the Court, not with VA. The discharge part now lists the care VA says may be open with an other than honorable discharge without enrolling (care for a VA-rated service-connected disability, care related to military sexual trauma, mental health care after at least 100 days and service in a combat theater, emergency mental health care in a crisis, and Vet Center counseling), says VA encourages applying anyway, and says how an upgrade is applied for (by mail or with a Veterans Service Organization, using the forms and the address VA’s tool gives). The Women Veterans Call Center, 855-829-6636, call or text, with its hours, is now on the health care and military sexual trauma parts. Still not on the page, because we did not read them or they change each year: copay amounts, compensation and pension rates, each housing program’s rules, and what a Character of Discharge review involves; the page says so. General information, not legal advice. Written with AI from VA’s pages read on October 14, 2026; not reviewed by a lawyer or a VA-accredited representative. The Spanish has not been read by a native speaker, and we could not confirm whether the Women Veterans Call Center answers in Spanish.
Open the veterans page →The 292nd free tool: Tic-tac-toe for two, a grid that knows the rules
A tic-tac-toe grid for two people (also called noughts and crosses; in Spanish tres en línea, tres en raya, gato or ta te ti): three rows, three columns, X and O. Sit at one screen, pass a phone back and forth, or send a link after each move to someone far away. The page knows the rules: a square that has a mark takes no other, and the page says which squares are still empty; when a player has three of their own marks in one straight line (a row, a column or a diagonal) the page marks the three, says who won and takes no more moves; and when all nine squares are full and nobody has three, it says the game is a draw. The moves are listed by square number (1 to 9, read like a page), a move can be taken back, the square numbers can be hidden, and the arrow keys walk the squares for people who use a keyboard. X and O are drawn as shapes, so they differ without colour. On this page X always moves first (Wikipedia's article says there is no rule everyone agrees on). Under the grid, the rules are explained in plain words. There is no computer opponent and no AI inside: the page never picks, rates or suggests a move. There is no clock, no score and no account. The game is kept in one place only, the address of the page after the # sign, which browsers do not send to a website; nothing is saved on the device and nothing is sent. How it was tested: each time the page is built, a program plays out every game the page would allow and counts them, 255,168, the published number (sequence A061526 in the On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences); it counts the different positions after each number of marks, a grid and its turned or flipped copies once, 765 (A008907), and the positions where a game is over, 138 (A048245), of which it finds 91 won by X, 44 by O and 3 drawn, as Wikipedia's article gives; the build stops unless every count is equal. It also checks small positions we made ourselves and two drawn games from that article. The rules on the page are our own wording; they were not checked by a referee, and the page is not an official rulebook. A program tried it in one browser (Chromium) with a mouse and a keyboard, in both languages; it has not been tried on a touch screen or with a screen reader, and no person has read it through or played a game on it yet. Also: Games and puzzles now lists thirteen pages, and the other four boards link to this one. No ads, no tracking. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. Scarlet Beast has no tie to either website. The count of free tools is now two hundred and ninety-two.
Open the grid →
Games and puzzles: the twelve pages for play in one place
This site now has twelve free pages for playing, and a new page puts them in one place, in four groups. Two people, one board: chess, checkers, reversi and four in a row, each a board that knows the rules of its game, for two people at one screen, passing a phone, or sending a link after each move; none has a computer opponent. Puzzles to solve on the screen or on paper: sudoku, mazes and coloring pages, made new on your own device each time you ask. Make your own, print it, play together: bingo cards, crosswords and word searches made from words you type, for a class, a party or a family table. And for any game: a page that picks who goes first, teams, a coin or dice by chance where everybody can watch, and a visual timer for a turn. Each card says what the page does in a few lines cut down from that page's own description. Under them, what all twelve have (free, no account, no ads, no tracking, no AI inside, nothing kept and nothing sent, a twin in Spanish, and a way to save each one for use without the internet) and what they do not do (no stranger to play, a link is not live, no scores, not an official rulebook, and how they were tried). The page is a list, not a tool: the count of free tools does not change. It has no script, and the little pictures on it are our own drawings, made with AI. Written with AI; checked by a program, not yet by people, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Games and puzzles →The 291st free tool: Four in a row for two, a board that knows the rules
A four in a row board for two people: seven columns, six rows, red discs and yellow discs. Sit at one screen, pass a phone back and forth, or send a link after each move to someone far away. The page knows the rules: press a column and the disc falls to the lowest empty place; a full column takes no more discs, and the page says which columns are still open; when a player has four of their own discs next to each other in one straight line (across, up and down, or on a diagonal) the page marks the four, says who won and takes no more moves; and when all 42 places are full and nobody has four, it says the game is a draw. The moves are listed by column number, a move can be taken back, the landing marks and the column numbers can be hidden, and the left and right arrow keys walk the columns for people who use a keyboard. Each column is one button, and its label reads out the discs in it from the bottom. The discs are drawn as shapes, and a yellow disc has a dot in the middle so the two sides can be told apart without colour. On this page Red always moves first. Under the board, the rules are explained in plain words. There is no computer opponent and no AI inside: the page never picks, rates or suggests a move. There is no clock, no rating and no account. The game is kept in one place only, the address of the page after the # sign, which browsers do not send to a website; nothing is saved on the device and nothing is sent. Whoever has a link can see that game and move in it for either side, and a link is not live: a move does not appear on the other screen by itself. How it was tested: each time the page is built, a program counts every different board the page would allow after each number of discs from none to ten, 1,662,623 boards after ten, and the build stops unless each count equals the published one (sequence A212693 in the On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences, fetched October 13, 2026). Nobody can have four in a row before the seventh disc, so from seven discs on the count comes out right only if the page stops a game at four in a row; a four on a diagonal needs at least ten discs. The count was also run once by hand, for every number of discs up to fourteen: 75,437,595 different boards after fourteen discs, the published number, and every count before it equal too. The same program checks small positions we made ourselves: where a disc lands, a full column, four in each direction, three that is not four, a row broken by the other colour, five in a row, and a full board with no four. The rules on the page are our own wording, compared with Wikipedia’s article on the game; they were not checked by a referee, and the page is not an official rulebook. It has the seven-by-six board and the plain game only. A program tried it in one browser (Chromium) with a mouse and a keyboard at three widths, in both languages; it has not been tried on a touch screen or with a screen reader, and no person has read it through or played a game on it yet. No ads, no tracking. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. Scarlet Beast has no tie to either website. The count of free tools is now two hundred and ninety-one.
Open the board →The 290th free tool: Reversi for two, a board that knows the rules
A reversi board for two people. Sit at one screen, pass a phone back and forth, or send a link after each move to someone far away. The page knows the rules: it marks the squares where the player to move may put a disc; it will not place a disc that would turn over nothing; it turns over every row the new disc closes in, in all directions at once; when a player has no move it hands the turn back and says so; and when neither player can move it says the game is over and gives the count of discs, a win or a tie. The moves are listed by the names of the squares (f5, d6), a move can be taken back, the marks and the letters on the edge can be hidden, and the arrow keys walk the squares for people who use a keyboard. The discs are drawn as shapes, not letters from a font, so they look the same on every device. Under the board, the rules are explained in plain words. There is no computer opponent and no AI inside: the page never picks, rates or suggests a move. There is no clock, no rating and no account. The game is kept in one place only, the address of the page after the # sign, which browsers do not send to a website; nothing is saved on the device and nothing is sent. Whoever has a link can see that game and move in it for either side, and a link is not live: a move does not appear on the other screen by itself. How it was tested: each time the page is built, a program counts every game the page would allow from one to nine turns deep, 3,005,288 games at nine, and the build stops unless each count equals the one published on Aart Bik’s Perft for Reversi page (fetched October 13, 2026). That page says turns with no move begin to appear nine turns deep and games that end early eleven turns deep, so the count was also run once by hand, to twelve turns deep: 1,939,886,636 games, the published number. Of those, 584 were games that had ended early because neither side could move, which is also the published number. The same program checks small positions we made ourselves: rows turned over in all eight directions, a row that runs to the edge and is not closed, a turn with no move, and a game that ends with the board not full. The rules on the page are our own wording, compared with the rules section of Wikipedia’s Reversi article; they were not checked by a tournament referee, and the page is not an official rulebook. The page shows the plain count of discs at the end and does not add empty squares to the winner’s count, which Wikipedia says tournaments do. It always starts with four discs in the middle; an older way to play, starting from an empty board, is not in it. A program tried it in one browser (Chromium) with a mouse and a keyboard at three widths, in both languages; it has not been tried on a touch screen or with a screen reader, and no person has read it through or played a game on it yet. No ads, no tracking. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. Scarlet Beast has no tie to either website. The count of free tools is now two hundred and ninety.
Open the board →Chess for two: the pieces are now drawn by the page, the same on every device
When Chess for two went up earlier today, its pieces were characters of the device’s own font. That is a risk: phones and computers carry different fonts, some draw those characters as small colored pictures, and an old device may show an empty box. No person had seen the page on a phone, so we could not say how it looked there. The six pieces are now plain shapes that the page draws itself, white ones with a dark edge and black ones with a light edge, so the board is the same wherever it opens, and it no longer depends on a font. The pictures used when the page is shared were redrawn with the same shapes. Nothing else changed: the rules, the links to games already sent, and the keyboard keys all work as before, and the same test of 500,117 counted games runs on every build. The shapes are our own drawings, made with AI; they are not copied from a chess set or a font, and a king or a knight may not look just like the one in a reader’s box. A program checked them in one browser (Chromium) at phone and desktop widths, in English and Spanish; no person has looked at them on a phone yet.
Open the board →The 289th free tool: Checkers for two, a board that knows the rules
A checkers board for two people. Sit at one screen, pass a phone back and forth, or send a link after each move to someone far away. The page knows the rules of American checkers (English draughts): press a piece and it marks the squares that piece may go to; it will not make a move the rules do not allow; when a jump is there it marks the pieces that have to jump and refuses a plain step; a piece that can jump again has to go on, and when there is more than one way the player chooses, square by square; a man that reaches the far row is crowned and the turn ends; and it says who has won, whether the other side has no pieces left or has pieces and no move. Two players may agree a draw with a button, and the page says when the same position has come up three times; it has no rule that counts moves toward a draw. The moves are listed by square number, a move can be taken back, the board can be turned around (or turned after every move, for two people facing each other), the square numbers can be hidden, and the arrow keys walk the dark squares for people who use a keyboard. The pieces are drawn as shapes, not letters from a font, so they look the same on every device. Under the board, the rules are explained in plain words. There is no computer opponent and no AI inside: the page never picks, rates or suggests a move. There is no clock, no rating and no account. The game is kept in one place only, the address of the page after the # sign, which browsers do not send to a website; nothing is saved on the device and nothing is sent. Whoever has a link can see that game and move in it for either side, and a link is not live: a move does not appear on the other screen by itself. How it was tested: each time the page is built, a program counts every game the page would allow from one to nine moves deep, 3,963,680 games at nine, and the build stops unless each count equals the one published on Aart Bik’s Perft for Checkers page (fetched October 13, 2026). Nine moves deep hardly reaches kings, so the count was also run once by hand to twelve moves deep, 388,623,673 games, the published number, with 1,354,789 of the final moves made by kings. The same program checks small positions we made ourselves for the forced jump, the double jump, crowning, kings and both ways of winning. The rules on the page are our own wording, compared with the rules section of Wikipedia’s English draughts article; they were not checked by a checkers referee, and the page is not an official rulebook. It knows this one set of rules and no house rules. A program tried it in one browser (Chromium) with a mouse and a keyboard at three widths, in both languages; it has not been tried on a touch screen or with a screen reader, and no person has read it through or played a game on it yet. No ads, no tracking. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. Scarlet Beast has no tie to either website. The count of free tools is now two hundred and eighty-nine.
Open the board →The 288th free tool: Chess for two, a board that knows the rules
A chess board for two people. Sit at one screen, pass a phone back and forth, or send a link after each move to someone far away. The page knows the rules: press a piece and it marks the squares that piece may go to; it will not make a move the rules do not allow; it handles castling, the en passant capture and promotion (it asks what the pawn becomes); and it says when it is check, checkmate, stalemate, or a draw because neither side has the pieces left to give checkmate. When the same position has come up three times, or each side has made fifty moves with no pawn moved and nothing captured, it says a draw may be claimed and leaves that to the players. The moves are listed the way chess books write them, a move can be taken back, the board can be turned around (or turned after every move, for two people facing each other), and the arrow keys walk the board for people who use a keyboard. Under the board, the rules are explained in plain words: how each piece moves, the three special moves, and how a game ends. There is no computer opponent and no AI inside: the page never picks, rates or suggests a move. There is no clock, no rating and no account. The game is kept in one place only, the address of the page after the # sign, which browsers do not send to a website; nothing is saved on the device and nothing is sent. Whoever has a link can see that game and move in it for either side, and a link is not live: a move does not appear on the other screen by itself. How it was tested: each time the page is built, a program counts every game the page would allow a few moves deep from six test positions, 500,117 games in all, and the build stops unless each count equals the one published on the Chess Programming Wiki’s Perft Results page (fetched October 13, 2026); the same program plays through a few well-known short games. That test covers which moves are allowed; the draw rules and the wording were not checked by a chess arbiter, and the page is not an official rulebook. The pieces were at first drawn with the device’s own font; later the same day they became shapes drawn by the page (see the update above). A program tried it in one browser (Chromium) with a mouse and a keyboard at three widths, in both languages; it has not been tried on a touch screen or with a screen reader, and no person has read it through or played a game on it yet. No ads, no tracking. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. Scarlet Beast has no tie to the wiki. The count of free tools is now two hundred and eighty-eight.
Open the board →The 287th free tool: Make a passphrase, a few random words instead of a password
A passphrase is a password made of several random words in a row. The new page makes one. Press the button and it picks 4 to 8 words (six unless you change it) at random from the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Long Wordlist, a public list of 7,776 English words, one for every way five dice can fall. The picking happens in your own browser, with the random numbers browsers make for security, and every word has the same chance. Or, if you would rather not trust a web page with the picking, roll five real dice, type the five numbers, and the page looks up the word EFF’s list gives for that roll; do it once for each word. The page can put a space, a hyphen or a period between the words, and add a capital letter, a number or a symbol for sites that insist on them. Under the phrase it says how many characters it has (CISA, the U.S. cybersecurity agency, says at least 16) and how many phrases could have come up: for six words, 221,073,919,720,733,357,899,776, the same number EFF prints. What it says CISA and EFF say (long, random and unique; 4 to 7 unrelated words; EFF’s suggestion of six; one phrase for one purpose; a password manager; multifactor authentication; writing the phrase down and keeping it in a safe place) was read on their two pages on October 13, 2026, and a program checks those sentences are still in the copies we kept each time the page is built. CISA’s page now carries a notice that it is archived. The word list was fetched the same day; a program checks on every build that it has 7,776 lines, every five-dice roll once and in order, no word twice, and that the roll 43463 gives the word in EFF’s own example. Nobody typed or changed a word. The list is used under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License that EFF’s copyright page gives; EFF has not looked at the page and does not endorse it, and Scarlet Beast has no tie to EFF or CISA. What it does not do: it never asks for a password you already use and has no box for one; it cannot tell you whether a password is strong; it says nothing about how long a phrase would take to guess; it cannot remember your phrase, because it keeps nothing and sends nothing, so a lost phrase cannot be given back; it does not know a site’s rules; it cannot inspect your browser or device; it is not a password manager and not professional security advice. The words are English, also on the Spanish page: the EFF page we read offers its lists in English, and we were not going to make one up. A program tried it in one browser (Chromium) with a mouse and a keyboard at three widths, in both languages; it has not been tried on a touch screen or with a screen reader, and no person has read it through yet. No account, no ads, no tracking. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and eighty-seven.
Make a passphrase →The 286th free tool: Citizenship reading and writing practice, with USCIS’s two word lists
The U.S. citizenship test has an English part as well as the civics questions. USCIS says a person must read 1 of 3 sentences out loud correctly, and write 1 out of 3 sentences correctly. USCIS publishes the words to study for each: a reading vocabulary list and a writing vocabulary list. The new page has both, word for word: 64 entries for reading and 75 for writing, in USCIS’s own groups (people, civics, places, holidays, months, question words, verbs and two groups it calls other). There are two ways to practice. Reading: the page shows one word, large; you read it out loud, and a button says it with the device’s own voice to compare; then you mark it yourself, and a word marked Not yet comes back later. Writing: the word is hidden; a button says it; you write it on paper or type it in a box; then the page shows the word. If you typed it, the page says whether what you typed is the same as USCIS’s list letter for letter, or differs only in capital letters, or is different. The whole list can also be seen at once. Where the words come from: a program took them out of USCIS’s text-only lists (marked rev. 07/14), fetched on October 13, 2026, and each time the page is built it checks that every word is also in USCIS’s PDF of the same list (marked rev. 08/08), that the PDF holds no other word, and that the counts are 64 and 75. Nobody typed or changed a word. What it does not do: the test uses sentences, and USCIS’s lists are words, so this page practices words; it makes up no sentences, because a sentence written by us would not be USCIS’s. It translates no word. It cannot hear, so it cannot tell whether a word was read correctly. It cannot see handwriting. When it compares typed letters it says nothing about what an officer accepts. What is typed stays in the box, is not kept and not sent, and is gone at the next word; the page keeps nothing at all, so it does not remember which words were done. Nobody has listened to the voice (the AI that wrote the page cannot hear), and a single short word may come out oddly on some devices. A program tried it in one browser (Chromium) with a mouse and a keyboard at three widths, in both languages; it has not been tried on a touch screen or with a screen reader, and no person has read it through yet. It is not from the government, Scarlet Beast has no tie to USCIS, and it is not legal advice. No account, no ads, no tracking. Written with AI; the Spanish of the page has not been read by a native speaker. The Citizenship test practice page for the civics questions now links to it. The count of free tools is now two hundred and eighty-six.
Citizenship reading and writing practice →The 285th free tool: Citizenship test practice, with every civics question from USCIS
At the U.S. citizenship interview an officer asks civics questions out loud, and the person answers out loud. The new page is a place to practice that. It has every question and answer from both of USCIS’s lists, word for word: the 100 questions of the 2008 test and the 128 questions of the 2025 test. Which list applies depends on the day Form N-400 was filed: before October 20, 2025 it is the 2008 test, and on or after that day it is the 2025 test. There are three ways to use it. One question at a time: say the answer out loud, then look at USCIS’s answers and mark it Known or Not yet; a Not yet question comes back later. A practice interview: the page draws questions by chance and stops where USCIS says an officer stops, at 6 right or 5 wrong on the 2008 test, and at 12 right or 9 wrong on the 2025 test. Or the whole list, to read. USCIS marks 20 questions on each list with a star for people who are 65 or older and have been lawful permanent residents for 20 years or more; one tick shows only those. A button reads the question aloud in English with the device’s own voice. On the Spanish page every question stays in English, because the test is given in English unless a person qualifies for an exception, and USCIS’s own Spanish translation of the 2008 list is shown under it as a study aid. Where the words come from: a program took the questions and answers out of USCIS’s own files, fetched on October 13, 2026 (the 2025 list is form M-1778, dated 09/25; the 2008 list is the revision of 08/21; the Spanish translation is USCIS’s, revision 01/19, which is older than the English). Each time the page is built, the program checks that every question, answer and note is in USCIS’s file, that each list is whole, and that 20 on each are starred. Nobody typed or reworded a question. Some answers are the names of people in office. The page prints no such names: USCIS’s lists say to visit its Civics Test Updates page for them, and the page links there. What it cannot do: it cannot hear, and it cannot tell whether an officer would accept an answer, so each person marks their own. It does not practice the English reading and writing parts. It keeps nothing, so it does not remember which questions were known. Nobody has listened to the read-aloud voice (the AI that wrote the page cannot hear). A program tried it in one browser (Chromium) with a mouse and a keyboard at three widths, in both languages; it has not been tried on a touch screen or with a screen reader, and no person has read it through yet. It is not from the government, Scarlet Beast has no tie to USCIS, and it is not legal advice: it says nothing about who can apply or when. It asks nothing about the person using it and has nowhere to type. No account, no ads, no tracking. Written with AI; the Spanish of the page has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and eighty-five.
Citizenship test practice →The 284th free tool: Piano, to learn a tune one key at a time
A piano costs money and lessons cost more, and plenty of people have never sat at one. The new page is a small piano that plays in the browser: seventeen keys, ten white and seven black, starting at middle C. It is played with a mouse, a finger, or the letters of a computer keyboard (the row that starts A S D F for the white keys, the row above for the black ones). There are seven things to learn on it: up and down the white keys, Hot Cross Buns, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, the first eight bars of Ode to Joy, London Bridge, Row Row Row Your Boat, and Frère Jacques, which is the one with a black key. Pick one, and the key that comes next turns gold and shows a small arrow, and the page says its name. Press it and the mark moves on. A different key still sounds; the page says which key that was and which one it is waiting for, and nothing is counted. There is no clock and no score. Hear it first plays the tune and lights each key as it sounds, which is where to hear how long each note lasts. The notes are written out in order under the piano, with a check mark on the ones already played. The names on the keys can be letters (C D E), Do Re Mi, or nothing. The page also says how to find the notes on any piano: the black keys come in twos and threes, and the white key just to the left of two black keys is a C. Where the tunes come from: the notes of the six tunes, and how long each lasts, are compared by a program, every time the page is built, with the scores printed on Wikipedia’s pages for them, read on October 13, 2026. Three are played higher or lower than those scores so that they fit on seventeen keys. The sound is not a recording of a piano and not AI-made audio. The code adds three sine waves for each note and lets them fade over about a second and a half; the A above middle C is 440 vibrations a second and every key is set from that. The most important thing to say about it: nobody has listened to it yet. The AI that wrote this page cannot hear. A program checked the pitch of every key as a number; whether it sounds pleasant is for a person’s ears, and the page asks anyone who hears something wrong to write. What it cannot do: it has seventeen keys and tunes for one hand; it does not teach which finger to use, how to read music or how to keep time; holding a key does not make the note longer and pressing harder does not make it louder; on a phone the keys are narrow; and it keeps nothing, so it does not remember which tunes were played. A program tried it in one browser (Chromium) with a mouse and a keyboard at three widths, in both languages. It has not been tried on a touch screen or with a screen reader. It never asks for a microphone. It is not a course of lessons and not treatment of any kind. What the page says about the keys and their names is general knowledge, not read from a source for this page. No account, no ads, no tracking. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and eighty-four.
Piano →The 283rd free tool: Beat maker, a drum machine in your browser
Join now, the open door on this site, says that music matters here and asks for the thing made at 4am. Until today the site had nothing to make it with. The new page is a small drum machine that runs in the browser: eight drum sounds (kick, snare, clap, closed hat, open hat, tom, rim and cowbell), sixteen squares for each, and a Play button. Sixteen squares are one bar of four beats. A square that is on sounds when a moving light reaches it, the bar goes round until it is stopped, and squares can be changed while it plays. The tempo goes from 60 to 180 beats a minute. Swing, from 0 to 10, holds back every second square by up to a third of a square. There are five starting points: Backbeat, Four on the floor, Slow with swing, Half time, and Three-two clave, and one press brings back what was there before. Under the grid the page says the beat in words, which sound is on which squares. The grid can be worked with a mouse, a finger, or the arrow keys with Space or Enter; a square that is on is gold and carries a dark dot, so it does not rest on color alone; the moving light can be turned off, and it starts off for anyone whose device asks for less motion. On a narrow screen each line is folded in two. The beat leaves the page in two ways. One is a link: the squares, the tempo and the swing are written after the # of the address, a part that browsers do not send to a website’s server, and the address follows the beat as it changes, so a bookmark keeps it. The other is a sound file: a WAV file, 1, 2, 4 or 8 times through the bar, made on the device, with what rings past the end folded onto the start so that it can go round without a gap. The page puts no name, mark or tag in the file. The sounds are not recordings, not samples of anyone’s record, and not AI-made audio. The code makes each one from sine waves, square waves and random numbers, and they sound like a machine, not like a drum kit in a room. The most important thing to say about them: nobody has listened to them yet. The AI that wrote this page cannot hear. Every time the page is built a program checks the eight sounds as numbers (that each starts at once, dies away to exactly nothing, has no standing offset and stays under its set level, that the kick and tom are the low ones and the hats the brightest), sends 20,000 made-up beats through the address code and back, throws 20,000 junk addresses at it, makes 24 sound files to check their length and header, and checks at 256 places that a hit lands on the exact sample its square and the swing ask for. Whether the sounds are good is for a person’s ears, and the page asks anyone who finds one harsh or wrong to write. What it cannot do: it has one bar of sixteen squares, with no second bar, no triplets, no notes or bass line, and no loudness for each sound; it cannot tell how loud a device is; the beat may stutter or stop when the page is in the background or a phone locks, which has not been tried on a real phone; and it keeps nothing, so a beat with no link and no file is gone when the page closes. A program tried it in one browser (Chromium) with a mouse and a keyboard at three widths, in both languages. It has not been tried on a touch screen or with a screen reader. It never asks for a microphone. It is not teaching and not treatment of any kind. What the page says about beats, bars, tempo and the clave is general knowledge, not read from a source for this page. No account, no ads, no tracking. Join now links to it. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and eighty-three.
Beat maker →Everyday machines: the six practice machines in one place, in an order
Today this site gained six practice pages for the machines of an ordinary day: a pretend store card reader, a pretend cash machine (ATM), a pretend self-checkout, a pretend gas pump, a pretend train and bus ticket machine, and a pretend phone line that says “press 1”. Each asks a string of questions, quickly, usually with other people waiting behind, and plenty of people were never shown: people who have been away for years, people who always paid in cash or always had someone else do this part, people in a new country or a new town. The new page, Everyday machines, puts the six in one place. At the top is a short list, “Which one is coming up?”, with six links: paying with a card at a store, taking cash out of a machine, scanning my own groceries, putting gas in a car, buying a train or bus ticket, calling a line that says “press 1”. Under it the six machines stand in an order, each with what its page covers, how many short lessons it has (6, 6, 6, 6, 6 and 7), and a line that says when it is enough for now. The card reader comes first because some of its questions (tap or insert, credit or debit, the PIN) come back at the other machines; the order is only a suggestion. Below the path are 30 words the machines use, from PIN and cash back to bagging area, grade, fare card and the pound key, each said the way the practice pages say it; seven things to know at a real machine; a list for someone sitting beside a learner; and what the page does not do. The path prints on its own as a short list with a square to tick beside each machine. The page has no moving parts: words and links, no account, no tracking, and it keeps nothing. In the six practice pages nothing is paid, no call is made, and no card or PIN of the reader’s is asked for. It is not any real machine and names no bank, store or transit system; what it says about machines is general knowledge, not read from any bank’s, store’s or agency’s page, and a real machine’s screens will differ. It cannot practice the hands, does not cover every machine, gives no certificate, and makes no promise about how any real visit will go. It is not a new tool, so the count of free tools is the same. Each of the six practice pages, and New to computers, now links to it. In English and Spanish; written with AI (Claude), checked by a program, not yet by people new to these machines, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Everyday machines →The 282nd free tool: Ticket machine practice, a pretend train and bus ticket machine
The ticket machine in a train or bus station asks a string of questions, one screen after another: where to, one way or round trip, how many, which fare, how to pay. A train is coming and a line is forming behind. People who have always driven, people in a new town, people whose ride fell through, and people coming back after years away often meet one for the first time with nobody to ask. The new page is a quiet place to try it where no train is leaving. It draws a pretend machine: a pale screen that shows what the machine is asking, the fares or the sale so far, and its choices as buttons; one button that stays under the screen, “Cancel”; and a box with a dashed edge that stands for the hands, with five buttons that stay (“Touch the screen”, “Put the bank card in, and take it out”, “Feed a bill into the slot”, “Take what is in the tray”, “Take the change”), a line that says what is in the hand and how much cash has gone in, and a yellow line underneath that says what the last press did and what comes now. It gives 6 short lessons, 12 steps in all: starting, and the language; where to and which ticket, twice, each time only to see the price and then press Cancel so that nothing is paid; paying with a card, once as credit with a ZIP code and once as debit with a PIN; paying with cash, once with one bill and once with more than one, with the screen saying how much is still owed and then how much change is owed back; adding money to a fare card, once with cash and once with a card; and a whole trip to the machine, twice, from the first touch to the ticket in the hand. The stations, the fares, the cash and the fare card are made up by the page each time, and the page says that if a station has the name of a real place, that is chance. There is nowhere on the page to type: no card number, PIN or ZIP code is asked for or taken, and “Type the ZIP code” and “Type the PIN” are one press each that stands for typing. A choice the step is not after changes nothing. Cancel pressed out of turn cancels nothing, and the page says what a real machine would do. The steps choose “Full fare” every time; the page says that this is only because it cannot know who is reading, and that who gets a reduced fare is each transit system’s own rule. Nothing is counted against anyone, and there is no clock: nothing is timed, though the page says that a real machine has one. Under the lessons the page says in plain words how a ticket machine often goes: that machines differ, that going through the screens to see a price and then pressing Cancel is an ordinary thing to do, what one way and round trip mean, that many systems have reduced fares with rules of their own, what the ZIP code question is, how bills go in and that many machines give change only in coins, that the ticket, the change and the receipt drop into a tray that is worth a look before walking away, that some tickets have to be stamped or scanned before the ride, what a fare card is, and what is usually done when a machine keeps money and gives no ticket. Every time the page is built, a program makes 6,000 lessons and walks through their 12,000 steps, pressing the buttons itself, to know that the choice a step is after is on the screen, that the right presses in order end the step, that every other button and choice leaves the machine where it is, that the machine shows no total before the sale is whole, that the total is the fare times the trips times the tickets (it does the sums again in its own way), that nothing comes out of the machine before it is paid, that no bill is fed once nothing is owed, that the change is the cash less the total, and that the fare card ends with what it had plus what was added. What it cannot do: it is not any real machine, and a real machine’s screens, words and order will be different; it does not practice tapping a card or a phone, a transit app, coins, passes or transfers; it does not know any system’s fares, times or rules; and it cannot practice the hands, such as turning a bill the right way. A program tried it in one browser (Chromium) with a mouse and with a keyboard. It has not been tried on a touch screen or with a screen reader, and not yet by people who are new to ticket machines. What it says about machines is general knowledge, not read from any transit system’s, maker’s or agency’s page; at a real machine, the signs on it are the ones to follow. It gives no certificate and makes no promise about how any real trip will go. Nothing that is pressed is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Gas pump practice now links to it. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and eighty-two.
Ticket machine practice →The 281st free tool: Gas pump practice, a pretend pump for paying, picking a grade and filling a tank
To someone who has never used one, a gas pump is a strange machine. It asks for a card, a ZIP code and a grade, and then expects you to know what to do with a heavy nozzle, while other cars wait behind. People who grew up where a worker pumps the gas, as in New Jersey, people with a first car or a borrowed one, and people coming back after years away often meet it for the first time with nobody to ask. The new page is a quiet place to try it where nothing can spill. It draws a pretend pump: a pale screen that shows what the pump is asking, the price of a gallon of each fuel, and its choices as buttons; four grade buttons that stay under the screen (“Regular”, “Midgrade”, “Premium”, “Diesel”); and a box with a dashed edge that stands for the car and the hands, with seven buttons that stay (“Turn the engine off”, “Take the gas cap off”, “Lift the nozzle”, “Put the nozzle in the tank”, “Squeeze the handle”, “Put the nozzle back”, “Put the gas cap back on”), a line that says whether the engine is running, whether the cap is on and where the nozzle is, and a yellow line underneath that says what the last press did and what comes now. It gives 6 short lessons, 12 steps in all: the engine, the cap and the grade; the nozzle, with the handle that clicks off by itself when the tank is full; paying at the pump with a card, once as credit with a ZIP code and once as debit with a PIN; paying inside with cash, once for a set amount that the pump stops at and once for a full tank with change to go back for; the questions that can be answered no, which are a rewards card and a car wash; and a whole stop, twice, from turning the engine off to putting the cap back on. The prices, the gallons, the pump number and the cash are made up by the page each time. There is nowhere on the page to type: no card number, PIN or ZIP code is asked for or taken, and “Type the ZIP code” and “Type the PIN” are one press each that stands for typing. The pretend car takes gasoline every time and never diesel, and the page says why the Diesel button changes nothing. A choice the step is not after changes nothing. The steps say no to the rewards card and to the car wash every time; the page says that this is only so that saying no gets practiced, and that what to buy is the driver’s to decide. Nothing is counted against anyone, and there is no clock: nothing is timed. Under the lessons the page says in plain words how a stop for gas often goes: that pumps differ, that on many cars a small arrow on the dashboard points to the side the gas goes in, that the signs on a pump usually say to turn the engine off and not to smoke, where a car says which fuel it takes, that diesel is a different fuel, what the ZIP code question is, that a pump often sets aside more money on a card than the sale for a while, how paying inside goes, why the price ends in a small 9, what the click of the handle is, and that in New Jersey a worker pumps the gas. Every time the page is built, a program makes 6,000 lessons and walks through their 12,000 steps, pressing the buttons itself, to know that the choice a step is after is on the screen, that the right presses in order end the step, that every other button, grade and choice leaves the pump where it is, that diesel is never taken, that the pump shows no gallons and no sale until the handle has been squeezed, that the gallons times the price of the grade come out to the cent (it does the sums again in its own way), that a pump paid ahead stops at the amount paid, and that the change is the cash less the sale. What it cannot do: it is not any real pump, and a real pump’s screens, words and order will be different; it does not practice tapping a card, paying with a phone, a diesel car, charging an electric car or filling a gas can; it does not know any station’s prices, which fuel a car takes, or how much a bank will hold; and it cannot practice the hands, such as turning the cap or holding the handle. A program tried it in one browser (Chromium) with a mouse and with a keyboard. It has not been tried on a touch screen or with a screen reader, and not yet by people who are new to gas pumps. What it says about pumps is general knowledge, not read from any station’s, maker’s or agency’s page; at a real pump, the signs on it are the ones to follow. It gives no certificate and makes no promise about how any real stop for gas will go. Nothing that is pressed is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Self-checkout practice now links to it. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and eighty-one.
Gas pump practice →The 280th free tool: Self-checkout practice, a pretend machine for scanning, bagging, looking up fruit and paying
In many stores the lanes with a cashier are few and the line is long, and next to them stands a row of machines where shoppers scan and bag their own things. The machine talks, beeps, stops and turns on a light, with other people waiting behind. For someone who has never used one, or tried once and had it stop, that can feel like a test in front of strangers. The card reader page that came before this one said in plain words that it did not practice a self-checkout. The new page does. It draws a pretend machine: a pale screen that shows what the machine is asking, the list of what has been scanned with its total, and its choices as buttons; three buttons that stay under the screen (“Look up item”, “Finish and pay”, “Call for help”); and a box with a dashed edge that stands for the basket and the hands, where each thing in the basket is a button (“Scan: A box of cereal”) and “Put it in the bag” sets it down, with a yellow line underneath that says what the last press did. It gives 6 short lessons, 14 steps in all: scanning and bagging, with one item, with two, and once with a barcode that is not read the first time; things with no barcode, once sold by weight and once by the piece, found with “Look up item”; the times the machine stops, once for a thing scanned twice that only a worker can take off the list, and once for a thing that needs a worker’s OK; finishing and paying, once by card and once in cash with change; the questions that can be answered no, which are your own bags, a rewards number and rounding up for a cause; and a whole trip, twice, from the first question to taking the bags. The basket, the prices, the weights and the cash are made up by the page each time. There is nowhere on the page to type: no card number, PIN, phone number or rewards number is asked for or taken, and paying is one press that stands for the card reader or for putting bills in. The pretend machine takes no new item until the last one is in the bag, as many real ones do, and says so on the yellow line. A choice the step is not after changes nothing. The steps say no to the rewards number and to rounding up every time; the page says that this is only so that saying no gets practiced, and that what to give is the shopper’s to decide. Nothing is counted against anyone, and there is no clock: nothing is timed. Under the lessons the page says in plain words how self-checkout often goes: that machines differ, what a barcode is, what often helps when an item is not read, why the bagging area makes machines stop, that the light and the worker coming over are part of how the machines work and not an accusation, that a worker is usually nearby and “this is my first time” is an ordinary thing to say, how things with no barcode are found, that some things need a worker’s OK, that not every machine takes cash, and that the lane with a cashier is still a choice. Every time the page is built, a program makes 24,000 lessons and walks through their 56,000 steps, pressing the buttons itself, to know that the choice a step is after is on the screen, that the right presses in order end the step, that every other button, choice and basket item leaves the machine where it is, that a thing with no barcode cannot be scanned, that each price by weight and by the piece, the list, the total and the change come out to the cent (it does the sums again in its own way), that the total is on the screen before any money is asked for, and that everything in the basket ends up in the bag. What it cannot do: it is not any real machine, and a real machine’s screens, words, voice and order will be different; it does not practice the card reader’s own screens, coupons, store apps, bag charges, sales tax or returns; it does not know any store’s prices or rules; and it cannot practice the hands, such as finding the barcode or feeding a bill into a slot. A program tried it in one browser (Chromium) with a mouse and with a keyboard. It has not been tried on a touch screen or with a screen reader, and not yet by people who are new to self-checkout. What it says about the machines is general knowledge, not read from any store’s, maker’s or agency’s page. It gives no certificate and makes no promise about how any real checkout will go. Nothing that is pressed is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Card reader practice now links to it. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and eighty.
Self-checkout practice →The 279th free tool: Card reader practice, a pretend store checkout for tap or insert, the PIN, cash back and the tip screen
At a store checkout, the small machine by the register asks for a lot, quickly, with a cashier and a line of people waiting: tap or insert, credit or debit, a PIN, cash back, whether the amount is OK, sometimes a tip or a donation, a receipt. For someone who has never paid with a card, or not for years because they have been away, always paid in cash, or someone else always did the paying, the first time can feel like a test in front of strangers. This site already had a pretend cash machine; that page said in plain words that it did not practice a store’s card reader. The new page does. It draws a pretend card reader: a pale screen whose choices are buttons, two buttons that stand for the card (“Tap the card”, and “Put the card in”, which says “Take the card out” while the reader holds it), ten number keys, and the three keys with names, Cancel, Clear and Enter, with a yellow line underneath that says what the last press did. It gives 6 short lessons, 16 steps in all: the keys; the card, tapped once, put in once, and once tapped and not read, so that the reader asks for it to be put in; credit or debit, with the PIN for debit and none for credit; cash back, refused once and taken once, with the sale, the cash and the new total on the screen before anything is agreed to; the questions that can be answered no, a $1 donation and a tip screen, where “No tip” is chosen once and a percentage once; and a whole checkout, twice, from the first question to the receipt. The card, its PIN, the prices and the store are made up by the page each time. The only PIN the reader takes is the made-up one printed on the pretend card, and the page says in two places never to type a real PIN on a website, this one included; the page has no box to type into at all. The typed PIN shows as dots. A choice the step is not after changes nothing, and the yellow line says so. The steps say no to the donation every time and to the tip once; the page says that this is only so that saying no gets practiced, and it does not say how much to tip or whether to give. Cancel in the middle puts the step back at its start. The pretend reader does not count misses, the pretend card is never declined, and there is no clock: nothing is timed. No bank is reached and nothing is paid. Under the lessons the page says in plain words how card readers often go: that readers differ, the three ways of giving a card, that a card put in stays in until the screen says so, that a tap that is not read is common, what “credit or debit?” usually leads to, that cash back at a checkout comes out of the same account, that “Is this amount OK?” can be answered no, that a donation, a tip, a phone number or an email can each be declined and the payment goes on, what a declined card can and cannot tell you, and that nobody honest asks for a PIN, with a link to the scam page. Every time the page is built, a program makes 24,000 lessons and walks through their 64,000 steps, pressing the keys itself, to know that the choice a step is after is on the screen, that the right presses in order end the step, that every other key and every other choice leaves the reader where it is, that a PIN with a digit off is not taken, that each tip choice, each cash back amount and each total comes out to the cent (it does the sums again in its own way), that cash back is never added without the new total on the screen, and that a card that went in comes back out. What it cannot do: it is not any real reader, and a real reader’s screens, words, order and keys will be different; it does not practice swiping, signing on a screen, paying with a phone, a self-checkout or a gas pump; it does not know the fees, limits or rules of any bank, card, store or benefits program; and it cannot practice the hands, such as which way a card faces. A program tried it in one browser (Chromium) with a mouse and with a keyboard. It has not been tried on a touch screen or with a screen reader, and not yet by people who are new to paying with a card. What it says about card readers is general knowledge, not read from any bank’s, store’s or agency’s page. It gives no certificate and makes no promise about how any real checkout will go. Nothing that is pressed is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. ATM practice now links to it. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and seventy-nine.
Card reader practice →The 278th free tool: ATM practice, a pretend cash machine for the card, the PIN and the fee screen
A cash machine asks for a lot, quickly, often with a line of people waiting behind: the card, a PIN, a choice from a list, an account, an amount, a screen about a fee, a question about a receipt. Then it hands things back, and each of them has to be taken. For someone who has never used one, or not for years because they have been away or someone else always handled the money, the first time can feel like a test in front of strangers. This site has a guide to opening a bank account and a page for counting cash; nothing here helped with the machine in between. The new page draws a pretend cash machine: a blue screen whose choices are buttons, a card slot, ten number keys, and the three keys with names, Cancel, Clear and Enter, with a yellow line underneath that says what the last press did. It gives 6 short lessons: the keys; the card and the PIN, once plainly and once with a digit the page gets off on purpose, to be wiped away with Clear; seeing a balance, on the screen and on a receipt; taking out cash, from the amounts on the screen and by typing another amount; the fee screen, answered yes once and no once; and a whole visit, from “Please choose a language” to taking the card and the cash. The card, its PIN, the two accounts, the balances and the fee are made up by the page each time. The only PIN the machine takes is the made-up one printed on the pretend card, and the page says in two places never to type a real PIN on a website, this one included; the page has no box to type into at all. The typed PIN shows as dots, as on a real machine. A choice the step is not after changes nothing, and the yellow line says so. Cancel in the middle gives the card back and puts the step back at its start. The pretend machine does not count misses, and there is no clock: nothing is timed. No bank is reached and no money moves. Under the lessons the page says in plain words how cash machines often go: that machines differ, that some hold the card and some want it pulled straight out, what the three named keys do, that many machines give only $20 bills, that a machine that is not the card’s own bank’s often charges a fee and shows it on the screen before going on, that the card, the cash and the receipt each have to be taken, that a few PIN misses in a row can lock a card, and that nobody honest asks for a PIN, with a link to the scam page. Every time the page is built, a program makes 24,000 lessons and walks through their 60,000 steps, pressing the keys itself, to know that the choice a step is after is on the screen, that the right presses in order end the step, that every other key and every other choice leaves the machine where it is, that a PIN with a digit off is not taken, that an amount $20 bills cannot make is not taken, that the fee is on the screen before any cash comes out, and that the card that went in comes back out. What it cannot do: it is not any real machine, and a real machine’s screens, words, order and fees will be different; it does not practice deposits, transfers or a store’s card reader; it does not know the fees, limits or rules of any bank, card or benefits program; and it cannot practice the hands, such as which way a card faces. A program tried it in one browser (Chromium) with a mouse and with a keyboard. It has not been tried on a touch screen or with a screen reader, and not yet by people who are new to cash machines. What it says about cash machines is general knowledge, not read from any bank’s or agency’s page. It gives no certificate and makes no promise about how any real machine will go. Nothing that is pressed is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and seventy-eight.
ATM practice →New essay and song: Before the Work Is Done
An essay about rest, for anyone who is tired and waiting to be finished before they sit down. “You can sit down when you’re finished” is a fair rule for a child with one page of sums, because the page ends; the sink, the laundry and the inbox have no last line, so a rest that waits for the end of them does not come. The essay says to put rest on the clock instead, at the size you really have: ten minutes in the chair by the window counts, with the dishes still in the sink. It says a person who sits down is not worth less than one who is still standing. It also says what ten minutes does not do: it does not fix a load that is too heavy (that takes more hands), and tiredness that rest doesn’t touch, week after week, is worth telling a doctor or a nurse about. It names 988 and 911. It comes with a slow 1950s-style doo-wop ballad and a lyric film with closed captions. The essay was written with AI (Claude), which says in the essay that it does not get tired; the song, the singers’ voices and the images are AI-made too, the narrator of the song is a character and not a real person, and the page says so at the top. It is general information, not professional advice. It points to Breathe and ground, Energy budget and Get help now.
Read and watch →The 276th free tool: select text practice, picking words with your own hand on a pretend page
Before a confirmation number can be copied, it has to be picked: that number, all of it, and not the period after it. Before a sentence can be moved or made bold, it has to be picked. Programs call this “selecting”, and it is done with the hand: a press, a slide and a letting go, or two quick clicks. It often lands a letter short or takes in a letter too many, and the two practice pages before this one, Document practice and Copy and paste practice, both name it and do not practice it. The new page draws one pretend page, “A pretend message”, with six made-up sentences about a visit that does not exist, and gives 8 short lessons: one word; a few words in a row; a number and nothing else (“2:30”, “KR-4471-B”, “555-0134”, each without the period or the words beside it); a whole sentence; a long stretch of two or three sentences; everything, and then letting go of it, to see that the page is as it was; a pick the page makes that stops short, to be made whole; and all of it together, seven steps. The picking is real: the pretend page is a box of words, and the visitor’s own mouse, finger or keyboard picks words in it the way it does anywhere else. A yellow line under the page says at every moment what is picked, and whether that is what the step asks for, more than it, or part of it. “Next step” answers only while the step’s own thing is picked. A space at either end of a pick is let through, because two quick clicks sometimes bring one along; a period or a letter too many is not. Nothing can be typed on the pretend page: a key, a paste, a cut or a drop that would change its words is turned away, so nothing on it can be changed or lost. To know whether a step is done the page reads two numbers from that one pretend page, where the pick begins and where it ends. It does not look at what is picked anywhere else on the device, and it never reads or changes the clipboard: nothing is copied. Each lesson asks for one thing at a time, in words, and waits: there is no countdown. Under the lessons it says in plain words how picking usually works on a real computer and on many phones: sliding across, two quick clicks and where they stop, three quick clicks, a click and then Shift and a click for a long stretch, Shift and the arrow keys to mend a pick that is a letter off, Select all, pressing and holding on a phone, how a pick is let go, that typing while words are picked usually replaces them and Undo usually brings them back, that a slide that begins on picked words can move them in some writing programs, that words in a picture cannot be picked, and that both ends of a pick are worth a look before copying. Every time the page is built, a program makes 32,000 lessons and walks through their 96,000 steps on a copy of the pretend page of its own, to know that the thing each step asks for is on the page exactly once, that no step is already done when it begins, that picking exactly the thing ends the step, and that a letter more or a letter less does not. It cannot do the picking for anyone or show how a given device does it; it says the usual ways in words. A program tried it in one browser (Chromium) with a mouse and with a keyboard. It has not been tried on a touch screen: pressing and holding with a finger and pulling the handles were not tried, and on some phones the pretend page may answer in another way than the steps say. It has not been tried with a screen reader, and not yet by people new to computers or by teachers. What it says about picking words is general knowledge, not re-read from any maker’s page. It gives no certificate and makes no promise about how fast anyone will learn. It is not a step of New to computers. Nothing that is picked is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and seventy-six.
Select text practice →
The 275th free tool: copy and paste practice, with a clipboard you can see
A confirmation number in a message that a form asks for, a long web address, a line that belongs further down the page: copy and paste carries something that is already on the screen to another place, with no typing it again and no letter changed on the way. For someone who has been away for years, never had a computer, or always had someone else do this part, the hard thing is that nothing can be seen. The clipboard, where the copy waits, usually has no place on the screen, and nothing says that a copy was made. The new page draws two pretend pages, “A pretend message” with five lines and “My pretend notes” with one, a row of five buttons (Select all, Copy, Cut, Paste, Undo), and a yellow line that says at every moment what the pretend clipboard holds. There are 8 short lessons: copy a line and paste it; cut a line and paste it, which is a move; paste the same thing twice, because the clipboard keeps it; copy one line and then another, and see that the paste brings the second, because the clipboard holds one thing at a time; Undo after a paste; copy a line on one page and paste it on the other; Select all, and all five lines go across at once; and all of it together, ten steps. The real clipboard of the device is never read and never changed: “Copy” here copies nothing off the page, and “Paste” cannot see what was copied somewhere else. Nothing is typed. Each lesson asks for one thing at a time, in words, and waits: there is no countdown. Only the step at hand answers. If something else is clicked, the page says what it was and the pretend pages stay as they were, so nothing can be broken. At the end both pages are shown as the lesson left them. Under the lessons it says in plain words how words are picked on a real computer and on many phones, what Copy, Cut and Paste do and which keys usually do them, that the clipboard usually holds only the last thing copied, that it can usually be pasted more than once, where the right mouse button comes in, that copied words can bring their size and color along, that some boxes do not take a paste, that a pasted number is worth reading against the one it came from, and that on a shared computer what was copied can stay behind for the next person. Every time the page is built, a program makes 32,000 lessons and walks through their 176,000 steps on pretend pages and a pretend clipboard of its own, to know that the thing each step asks for is on the screen when it is asked for and that using it changes something. It is not a real program, and real ones differ. Here a click picks a whole line and a paste lands at the end of a page; dragging across words, pressing and holding on a phone, the right mouse button and the Ctrl keys are named, not practiced. It does not teach copying a picture, a file or a link. It gives no certificate and makes no promise about how fast anyone will learn. What it says about copy and paste is general knowledge, not re-read from any maker’s page. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium) with a program doing the clicking, not with a screen reader, and not yet by people new to computers or by teachers. It is not a step of New to computers. Nothing you click is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and seventy-five.
Copy and paste practice →The 274th free tool: document practice, a pretend writing program to learn on
A letter to a landlord, a note for a teacher, a list for a class, a page that an office asks to see typed: sooner or later the writing has to be done on a screen. For someone who has been away for years, never had a computer, or always had someone else do this part, a writing program opens with a blank page and a row of buttons, and nothing says which one to press, or where the page goes when the program closes. The new page draws a pretend writing program: a strip with the document’s name, a row of ten buttons, a white sheet, and a box under it where the typing goes. There are 8 short lessons: a new document and its first two lines, where the Enter key begins a new line; bold and larger letters for a heading; a heading in the middle of the page and a last line on the right; a list with dots; Undo, which takes back a change, and Redo, which brings it back; Save, where the first time asks for a name and a second Save after a change asks for nothing; closing a saved document and opening it again from a list; and all of it together, ten steps. A line in the pretend program that begins “As it stands” says how many lines the document has, whether it is saved, and whether there are changes after the last Save, so that the habit of reading it before “Close” can form. Nothing is kept: “Save” makes no file, and the pretend document is not kept after the lesson. When a lesson ends, the page shows the pretend page as the lesson left it, so the last change can be seen. Each lesson asks for one thing at a time, in words, and waits: there is no countdown. The box the step asks for has a blue edge, and what to type is written once more right under it. Only the step at hand answers. If something else is clicked or typed, the page says what it was and the pretend document stays as it was, so nothing can be broken. What the Spanish lessons ask to be typed has no accent marks. Under the lessons it says in plain words what the blinking line is, why Enter is usually kept for the end of a paragraph, how words are picked by dragging in a real program, what bold, size, left, center, right and a bulleted list are, what Undo does, why writing that is not saved can be lost, that some programs save by themselves and say so, what “Save as” usually does, that closing usually asks about unsaved changes, where “Open” usually is, and that a document saved on a shared computer can be read by the next person. Every time the page is built, a program makes 32,000 lessons and walks through their 160,000 steps on a pretend writing program of its own, to know that the thing each step asks for is on the screen when it is asked for and that using it changes something. It is not a real writing program, and real ones differ: their buttons are often small pictures, and letters go straight onto the page, not through a box. Here a click picks a whole line; the page does not teach picking words by dragging, copy and paste, fonts, colors, spelling help, tables, pictures, margins or folders. It cannot say which writing program a real computer has. It gives no certificate and makes no promise about how fast anyone will learn. What it says about writing programs is general knowledge, not re-read from any maker’s page. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium) with a program doing the clicking and typing, not with a screen reader, and not yet by people new to computers or by teachers. It is not a step of New to computers. Nothing you click or type is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and seventy-four.
Document practice →The 273rd free tool: print practice, a pretend print window to learn on
A form to sign, a bus pass, a resume, a letter for an office: sooner or later something on a screen has to become paper. For someone who has been away for years, never had a computer, or always had someone else do this part, that often happens at a library or a job center, with a line behind them and a price for each sheet, in front of a window full of choices. The new page draws a pretend page (the class times of a town office that does not exist) and a pretend print window. There are 8 short lessons: opening the window and closing it with “Cancel”, to see that nothing prints when it opens; picking the printer, in a lesson that opens with the list left on “Save as a file (PDF)”, as a real window sometimes is; only some of the pages; more than one copy, where the lesson goes one too many and takes one away; color or black and white; paper tall or wide, and both sides; a file in place of paper, where the button changes from “Print” to “Save” and the file gets a name; and all of it together, eight steps. A line in the pretend window that begins “As it stands” counts the sheets of paper as the choices change, so that three pages on both sides can be seen to be two sheets, and two copies of them four. At the end of a lesson the page says what the pretend window was asked for and how many sheets that comes to. No printer is used: the page never opens the device’s own print window, “Print” prints nothing and “Save” makes no file. Each lesson asks for one thing at a time, in words, and waits: there is no countdown. The box or the list the step asks for has a blue edge, and what to type or pick is written once more right under it. Only the step at hand answers. If something else is clicked, picked or typed, the page says what it was and the pretend window stays as it was, so nothing can be broken. What the Spanish lessons ask to be typed has no accent marks. Under the lessons it says in plain words where “Print” usually is in a browser, what the list of printers is and why the one it shows may not be the one nearby, what “Save as PDF” does, how pages are named in the box, what copies, color, portrait, landscape and two-sided mean, that “Cancel” is always allowed, that in some libraries the paper waits at a print station, what to look at first if nothing comes out, and that a sheet on a shared printer can be read by anyone until it is picked up. Every time the page is built, a program makes 32,000 lessons and walks through their 136,000 steps on a pretend print window of its own, to know that the thing each step asks for is on the screen when it is asked for and that the paper is counted the same way by both. It is not a real print window, and real ones differ from one browser, one program and one printer to the next. It does not teach paper size, margins, loading paper, scanning, copying, printing from a phone or paying at a print station, and the pretend page is always 3 sheets long, which a real page is not. It cannot say what a sheet costs or which printer to pick in any real place; the people who run the printer are the ones to ask. It gives no certificate and makes no promise about how fast anyone will learn. What it says about printing is general knowledge, not re-read from any maker’s or library’s page. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium) with a program doing the clicking, picking and typing, not with a screen reader, and not yet by people new to computers or by teachers. It is not a step of New to computers. Nothing you click or type is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and seventy-three.
Print practice →New to computers: the path is now nine steps, with forms and video calls
Today this site gained two more practice pages for someone who was never shown how to use a computer: Form practice, a pretend sign-up form, and Video call practice, a pretend call with nobody on the other side. Both are now steps of the path on New to computers. Forms is step 5, after accounts and passwords, because the next thing a new account usually asks for is a form. Video calls is step 8, after email and files, because the way into a call is usually a link in a message. The page on scams is still the last step, now step 9. Each new step has what its page covers and a line that says when to go on: step 5 until you can find what a red note is asking for and change an answer before sending, step 8 until you can get into the call and tell from the screen whether the microphone and the camera are on or off. The list of words under the path grew from 33 to 43: starred box, drop-down list, circles and small squares, red note, confirmation, video call, microphone and muted, camera, chat and raise hand, each said the way the practice pages say it. The path still prints on its own as a short list with a square to tick beside each step. The page still has no moving parts: words and links, no account, no tracking, and it keeps nothing. It still does not teach a phone or a tablet, printing or writing a document, gives no certificate, and makes no promise about how long any of it takes. It is not a new tool, so the count of free tools is the same. In English and Spanish; written with AI (Claude), checked by a program, not yet by people new to computers or by teachers, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
New to computers →The 272nd free tool: form practice, a pretend form to learn on
A job, a benefits claim, a clinic, a school, a housing list: more and more of them hand a person a form on a screen in place of a paper one. A form on a screen has its own habits, and someone who has been away for years, never had a computer, or always had someone else do this part meets all of them at once, usually when something depends on it. The new page draws a pretend sign-up form for a pretend class at a town office that does not exist. There are 8 short lessons: boxes with a star, and boxes without one that can be left empty; a list that drops down; circles, where only one of a group can be filled; small squares, where any number can be ticked; a date typed as month, day and year, and a phone number; a red note, where the lesson asks, on purpose, for the button to be clicked while a starred box is empty, so that what a form says can be seen and that nothing bad follows; the page that shows every answer before sending, with a button to go back and change one; and all of it together, twelve steps from the first box to “Send”. Every name, date, phone number and answer is made up by the page, which tells you what to type or pick and asks for nothing of yours; the phone numbers begin 555-555-01, a range kept for made-up numbers, and the pretend address ends in .example. “Send” sends nothing. Each lesson asks for one thing at a time, in words, and waits: there is no countdown. The box or the list the step asks for has a blue edge, and what to type or pick is written once more right under it, where a phone’s keyboard leaves it in view. Only the step at hand answers. If something else is clicked, picked or typed, the page says what it was and the pretend form stays as it was, so nothing can be broken. What the Spanish lessons ask to be typed has no accent marks, so no special key is needed. Under the lessons it says in plain words what a star usually means, how a drop-down list opens on a computer and on a phone, the difference between circles and small squares, what MM/DD/YYYY means and that forms from other countries often put the day first, what a red note is and is not, why a form’s own “Back” button is the safer one, that nothing is sent until the last button, what a confirmation number is for, and that some forms close by themselves after a while. Every time the page is built, a program makes 32,000 lessons and walks through their 144,000 steps on a pretend form of its own, to know that the thing each step asks for is on the screen when it is asked for. It is not a real form, and real forms differ: some check each box as you leave it, and some show a calendar for a date. It does not teach adding a file or a photo, signing, picture puzzles or paying, and the pretend form has no “Back” button of its own. It cannot say what to answer on a real form and is not advice about any application or claim; the office that owns a form is the one to ask. It gives no certificate and makes no promise about how fast anyone will learn. What it says about forms is general knowledge, not re-read from any agency’s page, and forms differ. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium) with a program doing the clicking, picking and typing, not with a screen reader, and not yet by people new to computers or by teachers. It is not yet a step of New to computers. Nothing you click or type is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and seventy-two.
Form practice →The 271st free tool: video call practice, a pretend call to learn on
“Your visit will be by video. Use the link we sent you.” A clinic says it, and so do a job interviewer, a school and a caseworker. Then the call opens and a lot happens at once: a question about the camera and the microphone, a row of small buttons, and people saying “you are on mute”. Someone who has been away for years, never had a computer, or always had someone else set it up meets all of it at once, usually when something depends on it. The new page draws a pretend call. There are 8 short lessons: getting in from a link in a pretend message; the microphone, off and on; the camera, on and off; the written chat; raising a hand, taking a turn and lowering it; getting in with a code of nine numbers; leaving, and coming back in with the same link; and all of it together. No camera and no microphone is used: the page never asks the device for either one, the picture of “you” is a drawing made of two shapes, the question with “Allow” and “Block” is drawn by the page and is not the browser’s own, nobody is on the other side, and nothing is recorded. Every name, place, code and message is made up by the page, which tells you what to type and asks for nothing of yours; the pretend addresses end in .example. Each lesson asks for one thing at a time, in words, and waits: there is no countdown. Each button says what it will do (“Unmute” when the microphone is off, “Mute” when it is on), and under your name the page says in words whether the microphone and the camera are on. A line under the pictures says what the other side would say (“We cannot hear you”, “We see you now”); it is written by the page. Only the step at hand answers. If something else is clicked or typed, the page says what it was and the pretend call stays as it was, so nothing can be broken. What the Spanish lessons ask to be typed has no accent marks, so no special key is needed. Under the lessons it says in plain words what a link and a code are, what “Allow” and “Block” do, what muted means, what the others see with the camera on and off, who can usually read the chat, what a waiting room is, what to try when a call freezes, that a call can be recorded, and a short list for before a call that matters: the office’s own instructions first, the link a few minutes early, light in front of you, a quiet place, and the office’s phone number within reach. Every time the page is built, a program makes 32,000 lessons and walks through their 176,000 steps on a pretend call of its own, to know that the thing each step asks for is on the screen when it is asked for and that each button is named for what it will do. It is not a real call, and real call programs differ: the buttons are often small pictures, and on a phone some are behind “More”. It cannot tell whether your own camera, microphone or internet will work. It does not teach installing a program, making an account, starting a call of your own, showing your screen, captions or calling in by phone; it is not advice about a medical visit, a court date or an interview; it gives no certificate and makes no promise about how fast anyone will learn. No call program is named. What it says about video calls is general knowledge, not re-read from any maker’s page, and programs differ. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium) with a program doing the clicking and typing, not with a screen reader, and not yet by people new to computers or by teachers. It is not yet a step of New to computers. Nothing you click or type is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and seventy-one.
Video call practice →New to computers: the path is now seven steps, with email and files
Earlier today this site gained two more practice pages for someone who was never shown how to use a computer: Email practice, a pretend mailbox, and Files practice, a pretend computer with pretend files and folders. They are now steps 5 and 6 of the path on New to computers, after the mouse or trackpad, the keyboard, web pages and the browser, and accounts and passwords, and before the page on scams, which is step 7. Each of the two new steps has what the page covers and a line that says when to go on: step 5 until you can reply to a message and attach a file to a new one, step 6 until you can find a file that came from a web page and give it a name you will know again. The list of words under the path grew from 24 to 33: email address, inbox, reply and forward, attachment, file, folder, download, save and trash, each said plainly. The path still prints on its own as a short list with a square to tick beside each step. The page still has no moving parts: words and links, no account, no tracking, and it keeps nothing. It still does not teach a phone or a tablet, printing, video calls or writing a document, gives no certificate, and makes no promise about how long any of it takes. It is not a new tool, so the count of free tools is the same. In English and Spanish; written with AI (Claude), checked by a program, not yet by people new to computers or by teachers, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
New to computers →The 270th free tool: files practice, a pretend computer to learn on
“Download the form, fill it in, and send it back.” “Save your resume and attach it.” A lot is asked in a line like that: where a file goes when it comes from a web page, how to find it again, how to give it a name you will know next week, and where it went after “Delete”. Someone who has been away for years, never had a computer, or always had someone else do this part meets all of it at once, usually when something depends on it. The new page draws a pretend computer with four pretend files (a resume, a letter, a form and a photo) in three folders, and a Trash that starts empty. There are 8 short lessons: opening a file and going back to the list; a file offered by a pretend web page, and finding it afterward in “Downloads”; giving a file a new name; making a folder and moving a file into it; moving a file from one folder to another; saving a note under a name, in a place you choose, and finding it again; deleting a file, finding it in the Trash and putting it back; and all of it together. Every file, folder and name is made up by the page, which tells you what to type and asks for nothing of yours. No file on your device is opened, read, saved, moved or deleted: the pretend files are names in a list, “Download the file” downloads nothing, and the pretend web page’s address ends in .example. Each lesson asks for one thing at a time, in words, and waits: there is no countdown. The box the step asks for has a blue edge, with what to type written once more under it; capital letters and extra spaces are forgiven. What the Spanish lessons ask to be typed has no accent marks, so no special key is needed. Only the step at hand answers. If something else is clicked or typed, the page says what it was and the pretend files stay as they were, so nothing can be broken. Under the lessons it says in plain words what a file and a folder are, what the ending of a name usually tells, that a file from a web page or an email usually lands in “Downloads”, what saving does, what moving and copying are, that a deleted file usually goes to the Trash first and can be put back until the Trash is emptied, and what to do with your file before getting up from a computer other people use. Every time the page is built, a program makes 32,000 lessons and walks through their 204,000 steps on a pretend computer of its own, to know that the thing each step asks for is on the screen when it is asked for and that no file is lost or ends up in two places. It is not a real computer, and real ones differ: folders are often small pictures, files are often moved by dragging, and “Rename” is often in a list behind the right button. It does not teach copying, folders inside folders, searching for a file, a plug-in drive, files kept on the internet, emptying the Trash or printing; it is not advice about your own device; it gives no certificate and makes no promise about how fast anyone will learn. What it says about files is general knowledge, and computers and phones differ. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium) with a program doing the clicking and typing, not with a screen reader, and not yet by people new to computers or by teachers. Nothing you click or type is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and seventy.
Files practice →The 269th free tool: email practice, a pretend mailbox to learn on
A job application that is answered by email, a clinic that sends its forms as a file, a school that writes to parents: an email address is asked for nearly everywhere, and then the messages start to come. Someone who has been away for years, never had a computer, or always had someone else do this part meets Reply, Forward and “attach your resume” for the first time when something depends on it. The new page draws a pretend mailbox, whose address ends in .example, with four pretend messages in it. There are 8 short lessons: opening a message and going back to the list; replying; writing a new message, with an address, a subject and a line of words, and then finding the copy under “Sent”; attaching a file, from a list of three pretend files; a message that came with a file, and opening it; forwarding a message to someone else; a message that says you won a prize and asks for a password, where the lesson is to leave its link alone, delete it and see it in the Trash; and all of it together. Every name, address, message and file is made up by the page, which tells you what to type and asks for nothing of yours. “Send” sends nothing: the pretend message goes to the pretend “Sent” list and nowhere else, and no file on your device is opened or read. Each lesson asks for one thing at a time, in words, and waits: there is no countdown. The box the step asks for has a blue edge, with what to type written once more under it; capital letters, extra spaces and a missing last period are forgiven, and in an address every letter counts. What the Spanish lessons ask to be typed has no accent marks, so no special key is needed. Only the step at hand answers. If something else is clicked or typed, the page says what it was and the pretend mailbox stays as it was, so nothing can be broken. Under the lessons it says in plain words what an address is and where the @ key is on a U.S. keyboard, what the Inbox, Sent and Trash are, what Reply, “Reply all” and Forward do, what an attached file is, why a message that asks for a password or hurries you is a reason to stop, and that a sent message usually cannot be taken back. Every time the page is built, a program makes 32,000 lessons and walks through their 164,000 steps in a pretend mailbox of its own, to know that the thing each step asks for is on the screen when it is asked for. It is not a real mailbox: no message is sent or received. It does not teach making a real email account, “Reply all”, “Cc” and “Bcc”, the Junk list, mail on a phone, or saving a file that came with a message; it is not security advice for your own accounts; it gives no certificate and makes no promise about how fast anyone will learn. What it says about email is general knowledge, and mail services differ. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium) with a program doing the clicking and typing, not with a screen reader, and not yet by people new to computers or by teachers. Nothing you click or type is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and sixty-nine.
Email practice →New to computers: where to begin, five steps in order
This site now has four practice pages for someone who was never shown how to use a computer: the mouse or trackpad, the keyboard, web pages and the browser, and accounts and passwords. Until today nothing put them in an order. The new page does: five steps, each a page of its own, with a line under each that says when to go on to the next, and our page on scams as the fifth. Begin at the first step that is new to you and skip what your hands already know. Under the path is a list of the 24 words the practice pages use (pointer, click, drag, scroll, cursor, browser, link, address, tab, menu, form, account, password and more), each said plainly; what to know on a computer other people use, such as one at a public library; a short list for someone sitting beside a learner (their hand on the mouse, not yours); and what the page does not do. It does not teach a phone or a tablet, email, downloads or printing, it gives no certificate, and it makes no promise about how long any of it takes. The path prints on its own as a short list with a square to tick beside each step. The page has no moving parts: words and links, no account, no tracking, and it keeps nothing. It is not a new tool, so the count of free tools is the same. In English and Spanish; written with AI (Claude), checked by a program, not yet by people new to computers or by teachers, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
New to computers →The 268th free tool: sign-in practice, a pretend account to learn on
A job application, a benefits claim, a clinic’s patient page, a child’s school: each one now asks you to make an account and sign in before it will let you do anything. Someone who has been away for years, never had a computer, or always had someone else do this part meets the password box for the first time in front of a form that matters. The new page draws a pretend library site, whose address ends in .example, with a pretend account on it. There are 8 short lessons: signing in with an email and a password; the dots in a password box and the “Show” button that turns them into letters; a password that does not match, typed on purpose, to see what a site says and that nothing bad follows; making an account, with the password typed twice and a small square to check; a six-number code that comes to a pretend phone drawn on the page; “Forgot your password?”, with a pretend mailbox, the email and its link, and a new password; “Keep me signed in” and Sign out; and all of it together. Every name, email, password and code is made up by the page, which tells you what to type and asks for nothing of yours. The password boxes are plain boxes drawn as dots, so a browser has no password to offer to save. Each lesson asks for one thing at a time, in words, and waits: there is no countdown. The box the step asks for has a blue edge, with what to type written once more under it. Only the step at hand answers. If something else is clicked or typed, the page says what it was and the pretend site stays as it was, so nothing can be broken. Under the lessons it says in plain words what an account is, why a password box shows dots, why a longer password and a different one for each site are harder on a thief, that a code is typed into the site and read to nobody, and what to do on a computer other people use. Every time the page is built, a program makes 32,000 lessons and walks through their 188,000 steps on a pretend site of its own, to know that the thing each step asks for is on the screen when it is asked for. It is not a real site: no account is made and no text or email is sent. It does not teach “Sign in with Google”, passkeys, picture puzzles or password managers; it is not security advice for your own accounts; it gives no certificate and makes no promise about how fast anyone will learn. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium) with a program doing the clicking and typing, not with a screen reader, and not yet by people new to computers or by teachers. Nothing you click or type is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and sixty-eight.
Sign-in practice →The 267th free tool: web page practice, a pretend browser to learn in
Applying for a job, asking for benefits or reading a letter from a school now mostly happens on web pages, and web pages take for granted that you know what a tab is, where the Back button is, and how to close a box that jumps up over what you were reading. Someone who has been away for years, never had a computer, or has only used apps on a phone is left to learn that in front of a form that matters. The new page draws a pretend browser, with a row of tabs, Back, Forward, Reload and an address bar, and inside it a pretend library site whose address ends in .example, a name set aside for examples. There are 9 short lessons: links; Back, Forward and Reload; typing an address into the address bar; opening, switching and closing tabs; going down to the links at the bottom of a longer page; the three-line Menu button that narrow screens fold links behind; the search box on a page; three kinds of box that come up over a page, each closed its own way; and all of it together. Each lesson asks for one thing at a time, in words, and waits: there is no countdown. Only the step at hand answers. If something else is clicked or typed, the page says what it was and the pretend browser stays as it was, so nothing can be broken. At the end the page says how long the lesson took and how many times something else was clicked or typed. Under the lessons it says in plain words what each part of a browser is for, that the name of the site is the first part of the address, and that a box over a page is part of that page, whatever it says. Every time the page is built, a program makes 18,000 lessons and walks through their 70,000 steps in a pretend browser of its own, to know that the thing each step asks for is on the screen when it is asked for. It is not a real browser and goes nowhere on the internet; it does not teach passwords, email, downloads or how to tell a scam; it gives no certificate and makes no promise about how fast anyone will learn. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium) with a program doing the clicking and typing, not with a screen reader, and not yet by people new to computers or by teachers. Nothing you click or type is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and sixty-seven.
Web page practice →The 266th free tool: mouse and trackpad practice, for anyone new to a computer
Job applications, benefit forms, school portals and library computers all expect a hand that already knows a mouse. Someone who has been away from computers for years, never had one, or has only used a phone is left to learn it in front of a form that matters. The new page is a quiet place to practice first. It has 8 short lessons. In the first three a red square with a number comes up in a practice box: move the pointer onto it, then click it, then click squares that shrink step by step to a third of the width of the first ones. Lesson 4 is the double-click and lesson 5 is the right button; in lesson 5, inside the practice box and nowhere else, the page holds back the menu the right button would open, so the square can answer. Lesson 6 is dragging a square into a dashed box. Lesson 7 is a list of 60 lines with a button somewhere in the lower part, to find by going down the list. Lesson 8 is a small form of the kind every application has: a box to check, a round button, a list that drops down, a box to type one word in, and a button at the end. The form goes nowhere. Each lesson asks for one thing at a time, in words, and waits: there is no countdown. At the end the page says how long the lesson took and, in the clicking lessons, how many clicks landed outside a square. Under the lessons it says in plain words what the two buttons and the wheel do, how a laptop trackpad is usually worked, and that Windows and macOS have settings to swap the buttons and to change the pointer speed and the double-click speed. Every time the page is built, a program makes 16,000 lessons and reads each one back with arithmetic written apart from the page’s own: that every square is fully inside the practice box at 13 widths, that the next square never comes up in the same part of the box, and that the square to drag never starts inside the dashed box. The page cannot see your hand or your mouse; it only knows where the pointer is and which button went down. It does not teach a touch screen: on a phone the clicking lessons run with a tap, and the right-click and double-click lessons may not answer. It is built for a pointer, so it is of little use to someone who works a computer by keyboard alone or with a screen reader. It gives no certificate, does not keep your times, and makes no promise about how fast anyone will learn. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium) with a program moving the pointer, not with a real mouse or trackpad in a hand, not with a screen reader, and not yet by people new to computers or by teachers. Nothing you click or type is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and sixty-six.
Mouse and trackpad practice →The 265th free tool: typing practice, the keys one pair at a time
Typing without looking down at the keys is a skill that job applications, school work and most office jobs lean on. The new page asks for no account and shows no ads. It has 19 short lessons: the first is two keys, F and J, where the index fingers rest; each of the next thirteen adds two or three more, from the home row out; then come capital letters, the numbers, whole words, and sentences with commas and periods. The last lesson is a text of your own, up to 600 keys. The page shows the text to type, a picture of the keyboard with the next key lit, and says in words which finger goes there; for a capital it lights the Shift key on the other side too. A wrong key is counted one time, the letter turns red, and the page waits for the right key, so there is nothing to erase. At the end it says how long you took, your speed in words a minute (every five keys, spaces too, are a word, the usual way typing speed is counted), how many of every 100 keys were right the first time, and which keys to go over. You can choose about 60, 120 or 240 keys, and ask for new words with the same keys as often as you like. It knows two keyboards: U.S. English, and one with an ñ key to the right of L. On the second, only the letters, the numbers, the comma and the period are drawn, because the other signs sit in different places on keyboards from Spain and from Latin America. Every time the page is built, a program makes 12,960 lesson texts and reads each one back with code written apart from the page’s own: that it uses only keys its lesson has reached, that every new key is in it, and that the finger named for each key matches the program’s own table. The page has no lessons for accents, the signs above the numbers or the number pad, and the Spanish word lists use only words written without an accent. It is made for a keyboard with real keys; on a phone the lessons run, and the finger it names does not fit. It gives no certificate and no result an employer would take, it does not keep your speed or which lessons you have done, and it makes no promise about how fast anyone will type. The finger for each key is the one most often taught, not the only way that works: the page checks the key, not the finger. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium), not on a real phone’s keyboard, not with a screen reader, and not yet by people new to typing or by teachers. Nothing you type is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and sixty-five.
Typing practice →The 264th free tool: counting coins, to add up on the screen or print
A quarter is 25 cents, a dime is 10, a nickel is 5 and a penny is 1. The new page draws a few of those coins, each a circle with its value written on it, for practice at adding them up, in three kinds: pennies, nickels and dimes (up to 60¢); with quarters (27¢ to 99¢); or a dollar or more ($1.00 to $2.25). On the screen you count one picture at a time and pick the amount from four answers; the page says if it is right and counts how many you got on the first try. A button says in words how many of each coin are in the picture, so the amount can be worked out without seeing it. On paper you can print 6, 9 or 12 pictures on a Letter or A4 sheet, with a line for a name and a date: write the amount under each picture, or read the amount and draw coins that make it in an empty box. The answers can print on a second sheet. Each sheet has a number from 1 to 999999; the same kind and sheet number make the same twelve pictures on any device, so a whole class can have the same sheet, and no two pictures on a sheet add up to the same amount. Every time the page is built, a program makes 1,200 sheets and counts all 14,400 pictures back from their drawings, with code written apart from the page’s own: the circles of each coin, their sizes, the value written on each, that no two touch, and that they add up to the amount on the answer sheet; it does the same for all 714 mixes of up to nine coins. The coins are plain circles, not pictures of real coins, so there is no practice here at telling coins apart by their faces; the sizes are in the same order as real coins and print smaller. There are U.S. coins only, and only these four: no half dollars, no dollar coins, no bills. The page does not make change, it does not check coins you draw (nearly every amount can be made more than one way, and the answer sheet shows one), it does not keep score after you close it, and it is not a lesson plan and follows no school’s program. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium) and its print preview, not on paper from a real printer, not with a screen reader, and not yet by children or teachers. Nothing is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and sixty-four.
Counting coins →The 263rd free tool: place value, with blocks to count on the screen or print
In a number like 243, each digit has a place: 2 hundreds, 4 tens and 3 ones. The new page draws that with blocks, a big square for each hundred, a rod for each ten and a small block for each one, for practice at naming the number, in three kinds: 1 to 20, 21 to 99, or 100 to 999. On the screen you name one picture at a time from four answers; the page says if it is right and counts how many you got on the first try. A button says in words how many hundreds, tens and ones are in the picture, so the number can be worked out without seeing it. On paper you can print 6, 9 or 12 pictures on a Letter or A4 sheet, with a line for a name and a date: write the number under each picture, or read the number and draw the blocks yourself in an empty box. The answers can print on a second sheet. Each sheet has a number from 1 to 999999; the same kind and sheet number make the same twelve pictures on any device, so a whole class can have the same sheet, and no two pictures on a sheet show the same number. Numbers with an empty place, like 305, come up among the others. Every time the page is built, a program makes 1,200 sheets and counts all 14,400 pictures back from their drawings, with code written apart from the page’s own: the squares, the rods and the small blocks, their sizes, that no two touch, and that they add up to the number on the answer sheet; it does the same for every number from 1 to 999. The page stops at 999: no thousands, no decimals, no money. It does not add, take away or trade ten small blocks for a rod, it does not write numbers in words, it does not check blocks you draw, it does not keep score after you close it, and it is not a lesson plan and follows no school’s program. In the 100 to 999 kind the blocks print small, about 1 mm for a single block. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium) and its print preview, not on paper from a real printer, not with a screen reader, and not yet by children or teachers. Nothing is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and sixty-three.
Place value →The 262nd free tool: fractions, with pictures to name on the screen or print
A fraction says how much of a whole thing: half a sandwich, three quarters of a cup. The new page draws circles and bars cut into equal parts, with some of the parts shaded, for practice at naming the fraction, in three kinds: halves, thirds and fourths; up to eighths; or up to twelfths. On the screen you name one picture at a time from four answers; the page says if it is right and counts how many you got on the first try. A button says in words what is in the picture (the shape, how many equal parts, how many shaded), so the fraction can be worked out without seeing it. On paper you can print 6, 9 or 12 pictures on a Letter or A4 sheet, with a line for a name and a date: write the fraction under each picture, or read the fraction and shade the parts yourself. The answers can print on a second sheet. Each sheet has a number from 1 to 999999; the same kind, shapes and number make the same twelve pictures on any device, so a whole class can have the same sheet, and no two pictures on a sheet are the same. The page counts parts, so a shape cut into 4 with 2 shaded is 2/4, and 1/2 is not offered as a wrong answer for it. Every time the page is built, a program makes 1,200 sheets and counts all 14,400 pictures back from their drawings, with code written apart from the page’s own: the parts drawn, the parts shaded, and that the parts are the same size and fill the whole shape. The page does not put fractions in lowest terms, compare them, add them or take them away; it has no fraction as big as a whole, no mixed numbers, no decimals and no number line. It does not check parts you shade, it does not keep score after you close it, and it is not a lesson plan and follows no school’s program. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium) and its print preview, not on paper from a real printer, not with a screen reader, and not yet by children or teachers. Nothing is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and sixty-two.
Fractions →The 261st free tool: telling time, with clocks to read on the screen or print
A clock with hands is still on the classroom wall and in the waiting room, and reading one takes practice. The new page draws clocks for that practice on your own device, in five kinds: to the hour, the half hour, the quarter hour, five minutes, or the minute. On the screen you read one clock at a time and pick the time from four answers; the page says if it is right and counts how many you got on the first try. A button says in words where the two hands point, so the time can be worked out without seeing the picture. On paper you can print 6, 9 or 12 clocks on a Letter or A4 sheet, with a line for a name and a date: write the time under each clock, or read the time and draw the hands. The answers can print on a second sheet. Each sheet has a number from 1 to 999999; the same kind and number make the same twelve clocks on any device, so a whole class can have the same sheet, and no two clocks on a sheet show the same time. The short hand is drawn where a clock with gears would put it, part of the way to the next number. Every time the page is built, a program makes 2,000 sheets and reads all 24,000 clocks back from their pictures, with code written apart from the page’s own: it takes the angles of the two drawn hands and works out the time, and that has to be the time on the answer sheet. The page has no a.m. or p.m., no 24-hour time, no words such as “quarter past”, no second hand and no Roman numerals. It does not check hands you draw, it does not keep score after you close it, and it is not a lesson plan and follows no school’s program. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium) and its print preview, not on paper from a real printer, not with a screen reader, and not yet by children or teachers. Nothing is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and sixty-one.
Telling time →The 260th free tool: coloring pages, to color on the screen or print
A box of crayons and nothing to color. The new page draws patterns on your own device in three kinds: quilt squares, a round pattern like a flower seen from above, and a window of colored glass. Each comes with big, medium or small shapes. You can fill the shapes on the screen with twelve colors (pick a color, tap a shape), or print 1, 2 or 4 patterns on a Letter or A4 sheet, with thin or thick lines, and color them by hand. A sheet can also print the first pattern with the colors you put in. Each pattern has a number from 1 to 999999; the same kind, shapes and number make the same pattern on any device, so a whole table can color the same page. The page writes the name of the color in your hand in words, and with a keyboard the arrow keys step through the shapes. Every time the page is built, a program makes 1,800 patterns and checks each one a second way, with code written apart from the page’s own: every corner inside the box, no shape there twice, the areas adding up to the whole, and 108,000 points dropped on the patterns with not one landing in two shapes. The page does not keep your colors if you close it or pick another pattern, it has no undo button, it does not mix colors, and it draws shapes with straight sides, not animals, people or scenes. It cannot describe the picture, so coloring on the screen mostly needs sight. It makes no promise about your mind or your health; it is something to color. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium) and its print preview, not on paper from a real printer, and not with a screen reader. Nothing is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and sixty.
Coloring pages →The 259th free tool: a maze maker, to walk on the screen or print
A waiting room, a long bus ride, a rainy day, a child who has finished the coloring page. The new page draws mazes on your own device in four sizes: small (8 squares by 10) for a young child, medium, large, and very large (24 by 30). You can walk one on the screen with four arrow buttons or the arrow keys; one press takes you along the path until it turns, branches or ends, and a line shows where you have walked. After each move the page says the row and column you are in and which ways are open, so a screen reader can walk the maze too. Or print 1, 2, 4 or 6 mazes on a Letter or A4 sheet, with the answers on a second sheet if you want them. Each maze has a number from 1 to 999999; the same number and size make the same maze on any device. Every maze has exactly one way through that does not turn back on itself, with no closed rooms and no rings. Every time the page is built, a program makes 2,000 mazes and checks each one a second way, with code written apart from the page’s own: it counts the openings, reaches every square, finds the way through by its own search and walks it with the arrows. The page does not keep your place if you close it, it has no timer and no score, you cannot draw on the screen with a finger, and it does not make round or picture mazes. Six very large mazes on one sheet have paths about 2.3 mm wide, which is hard to draw in; one or two on a sheet is better for that size. It makes no promise about your mind or your health; it is a puzzle to pass the time. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium) and its print preview, not on paper from a real printer, and not with a screen reader. Nothing is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and fifty-nine.
Maze maker →The 258th free tool: Sudoku puzzles to solve on the screen or print
A waiting room, a long bus ride, a quiet hour, a rainy day with the children. The new page makes number puzzles on your own device: small ones of 4 by 4 or 6 by 6 for a child or a first try, and the full 9 by 9, at three levels. You can solve one on the screen with a tap or a keyboard, and Check my numbers marks the ones that do not match. Or print 1, 2, 4 or 6 puzzles on a Letter or A4 sheet, with the answers on a second sheet if you want them. Each puzzle has a number from 1 to 999999; the same number, size and level make the same puzzle on any device, so two people can work the same one. Every puzzle has exactly one answer. An easy or medium puzzle can be finished one sure step at a time, with no guessing; a hard one has every number taken away that can be while there is still only one answer. Every time the page is built, a program makes 1,500 puzzles and solves each one a second way, with a solver written apart from the page’s own. The page does not keep your place if you close it, and it has no timer, no score, no hints and no small pencil notes on the screen. It makes no promise about your mind or your health; it is a puzzle to pass the time. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium) and its print preview, not on paper from a real printer. Nothing you write is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and fifty-eight.
Sudoku →The 257th free tool: print your own lined, graph, dot, handwriting or music paper
The notebook is full, the homework wants graph paper, a child is learning to write their letters, or a song needs writing down, and the store is closed or the money is for something else. If you can get to a printer, at home, at a library or at school, the new page turns a blank sheet into the paper you need. There are five kinds: lined paper with lines from 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch apart and a margin line if you want one; squares from 5 mm to 1 inch; dots; handwriting lines, where each row has a dashed line through the middle; and music staves of five lines. It draws them for Letter or A4 paper, upright or sideways, light, medium or dark, with a line for Name and Date at the top if you want it. Inside the page every measure is a whole number of thousandths of a millimeter, so nothing is rounded, and the page leaves 1 cm empty on every side because many printers cannot print up to the edge. Print at 100%, not Fit to page, and hold a ruler to the first sheet before you count on the measure. Every time the page is built, a program draws all 216 sheets the page can make and measures each one, and checks 15 sheets counted by hand. It follows no school’s or country’s rules for ruled paper or handwriting lines, draws no clefs, notes or letters to trace, and makes no Legal or A5 sheets. It has been tried in one browser’s print preview (Chromium, saved as PDF), where each sheet came out on one page at the right size; it has not been tried on paper from a real printer. Nothing is typed on the page, nothing is kept and nothing is sent. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and fifty-seven.
Print paper →The 256th free tool: count the cash, and count back the change
The rent is in an envelope and you want to know it is all there. The drawer has to match the slip at the end of the shift. Someone hands you a twenty for something that costs $13.42. On the new page you write how many of each U.S. bill and coin you have, from $100 bills down to pennies, and the page adds them up as you type: everything, the bills alone, the coins alone, and how many pieces you counted. Write what it should come to and the page says exactly right, how much over, or how much short. A third part works out change: write the price and what was handed over, and the page says the change, makes it from the fewest bills and coins, and shows how to count it back aloud from the price up to what was handed over, smallest pieces first, so nobody has to subtract. Every amount is kept in whole cents inside the page. It makes change without $2 bills, half dollars or dollar coins, and says so. It does not round to five cents, does not add tax or a tip, knows only U.S. dollars, cannot tell whether a bill is real, knows no store’s or workplace’s rules, and is no record that money was counted or paid. Every time the page is built, a program checks 40 examples worked by hand, makes up 3,000 piles and adds each one again a second way, and for every amount of change from $0.00 to $300.00 checks that the pieces come to that amount, that no smaller number of pieces could, and that counting back ends on what was handed over. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium). Nothing you type is kept or sent anywhere. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and fifty-six.
Count the cash →Accessibility: all 607 pages checked again, and two things fixed
In eight days this site grew from 300 pages to 607, and most of the new tools and guides had never been through the accessibility checker. So we ran it again (axe-core 4.13) on every page as it first opens, at desktop and phone width: 1,214 checks, and no page failed a WCAG 2.2 A or AA rule. Then a program pressed the buttons on the 268 tool and guide pages added since October 5 (10,402 presses, 2,552 checks) and found two real things. Tick boxes on the emergency-planning tools were 22 or 18 pixels across in a phone-sized window, under the 24 that WCAG asks for; they are now 24 on all ten pages. And the disc of the Visual timer had no description for a screen reader while no time was set; now it says so. The check ran in one browser on a copy of the site, did not reach every screen, and no one who uses a screen reader every day has tried these pages. The numbers and the limits are in the accessibility statement, in English and Spanish.
Read the October 12 check →
The 255th free tool: count your words, and see what fits
The box on the form says 500 characters. The application asks for 250 words or fewer. You get three minutes at the microphone. On the new page you write or paste your words and the page counts them as you type: words, characters, characters not counting spaces, sentences and paragraphs, and it shows the longest sentence with its number of words. Write a limit of your own, in characters or in words, and the page says how many are left; when you are over, it says by how many, shows the last few characters that fit and the first that do not, and puts the part that fits in a box of its own to select and copy. It cuts at the limit and looks at nothing else, so it can cut in the middle of a word or a thought, and it says so. Write how many words a minute you speak and it says about how long the words take to say aloud; it starts at 130 only so that the box is not empty, and it tells you how to find your own number with a clock. The page says how it counts (a word is a run with no space in it that has a letter or a digit; a line break is one character; the end of a line ends a sentence) and where its count can be off: it does not know abbreviations, it finds words by the spaces between them, and the form you are writing for may count another way, so when the limit is tight, leave a little room and try the form itself. It does not check spelling or grammar, does not say whether the writing is good, and does not know how a phone company splits a long text message. Every time the page is built, a program checks 24 examples worked by hand, makes up 3,000 texts that a second counter, written separately and in another way, counts again, tries a limit in characters and in words on each of them, and counts one text of 100,000 words. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium). Nothing you type or paste is kept or sent anywhere. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and fifty-five.
Word counter →The 254th free tool: let chance decide, and let everybody watch
Who goes first, who gets the front seat or the bed by the window, who does the dishes this week, which ticket wins the door prize. On the new page you write the names, press one button, and the page picks by chance: one name from a list of up to 200, several names with nobody twice, an order for the whole list, from 2 to 50 groups or teams that come out the same size or one name apart, a whole number between two numbers, heads or tails, or up to six dice with their total. A picked name can be taken off the list, to go through a list one name at a time. Every pick is numbered from when the page was opened (Pick 1, Pick 2, Pick 3) and listed at the bottom, so everybody can see whether the button was pressed once or pressed until a wanted name came up. The chance comes from the browser's own source made for security work, not from a formula in the page or from the clock; the few numbers that would make one place on a list a hair more likely than another are thrown away and another is asked for. Nothing spins or moves: the answer is shown at once and a screen reader is told it. The page says what it does not do: it cannot show anybody afterwards that a pick was made by chance (the people it matters to have to be there and watch), it knows no rule about raffles, lotteries or prize draws, it cannot test the browser's source of chance on your device, it is not for betting, and chance settles something only when the people it touches agreed to leave it to chance. Every time the page is built, a program checks 16 examples worked by hand; tries every number a small source of 256 and of 1,000 could give with every list length, to see that each place is reached by exactly the same count of numbers; makes up 2,000 picks that a second reader, written separately, checks for nobody twice and nobody left out; and counts 1,640,000 picks from a made-up stream of numbers to see that each count is close to what an even chance gives. That last count tests the recipe, not your device. It has been tried in one browser (Chromium). Nothing you type is kept or sent anywhere. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and fifty-four.
Pick for us →The 253rd free tool: numbered tickets with stubs, to print and cut
For a community dinner, a coat check or a bag check, a line where people take a number, a drink, a door prize, a school play. On the new page you type a few words and how many tickets, up to 200, and the page draws sheets to print on plain paper and cut apart: 10 on a sheet (each about 3.6 by 1.9 inches) or 5 wide ones (about 7.2 by 1.9 inches). The tickets can be numbered one after another from any first number from 0 to 9999, so more can be printed later from where the last sheet ended. Each ticket can have a stub, the left third past a line of dots, that carries the same number: one part goes to the person, the other stays with whoever hands them out. Two lines to write a name and a phone number on by hand can be added to the stub. The large words are tried on 1 line and on 2 and keep the larger letters; small words can go above and under; all of them can be left out, and a ticket can be a number and nothing else. The page says what it does not do: it does not make a ticket hard to copy (anyone with a printer can draw the same ticket with the same number), it knows no rule about raffles, door prizes or selling tickets, it does not remember which numbers were printed, and paper from a home printer has no row of holes, so a stub is cut or folded and torn. Every time the page is built, a program checks 16 examples worked by hand, then makes up 1,500 sets of tickets and draws each; a second reader, written separately, takes every ticket back off the drawing and checks that the count is the count asked for, that the numbers run in order with none missing and none twice, that a stub carries the number of its own ticket, that every line of words is inside its margin, and that the large words could not be larger. It has been tried in one browser's print preview (Chromium, saved as PDF), not on a real printer. Nothing you type is kept or sent anywhere. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and fifty-three.
Make tickets →The 252nd free tool: a card that folds, in your own words
To say thank you, I am sorry, get well, happy birthday, or I am thinking of you. On the new page you type up to 40 characters for the front, one small line to go under them, and for the inside a first line, up to 300 characters of what you want to say, and a last line. A few words can go on the left-hand inside page and one small line on the back. The page draws one upright sheet of plain paper in four panels: the front at the lower right, the back at the lower left, and the two inside pages across the top, upside down on purpose. Fold the top half back along the dotted line, then fold the left half back, and the card opens like a book with the message the right way up on the right-hand page. Two small pictures show how it looks folded before you print. The front words are tried on 1 line and on 2 and keep the larger letters; the message takes the fewest lines it fits on, from 1 to 8; words are not split, and a line that is too wide is made smaller until it fits. Leave the message empty to write by hand, with 5 thin lines to write on if you tick them. There is a border for the front (one line, two lines, or none) and two kinds of letters. The drawing is about 7.2 by 9.6 inches on paper and the folded card about 3.6 by 4.8 inches; a dashed line around the outside is there to cut on, because printers do not all leave the same margin. It has no pictures, no colors and no ready-made verses, it makes one card at a time, it cannot send a card to anyone, and it does not know the sizes of envelopes. Every time the page is built, a program checks 16 examples worked by hand, then makes up 1,200 cards and draws each; a second reader, written separately, takes every line back off the drawing and checks that each panel carries the words typed for it, that the panels are where the folds need them, that every line is inside its own band, that no line reaches a fold, and that no line could be larger. It has been tried in one browser's print preview (Chromium, saved as PDF), not on a real printer, and no person has folded one yet: the order of the folds was worked out by hand. No word you type is kept or sent anywhere. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and fifty-two.
Make a card →The 251st free tool: a certificate for each name, to print and sign
For a volunteer, a student, a teammate, a child who finished the book, a neighbor who showed up every week. On the new page you type a heading (up to 40 characters), small words to go above the name, up to 40 names, one on each line, and up to 200 characters of why, in your own words. The page draws one certificate for each name, each on its own sheet turned sideways, about 9.6 by 7.2 inches on paper. The name is the largest thing on the sheet: it is tried on 1 line and on 2 and keeps the larger letters. The words under the name take the fewest lines they fit on, from 1 to 4, and words are not split; a line that is too wide is made smaller until it fits, so nothing is cut off the sheet. One small line can go under them (the day, the place, the group), and there can be one or two lines to sign, each with words you type under it. There are three borders and no border, and two kinds of letters. Up to 10 certificates can carry an empty line for the name, to fill in by hand. A tick sets every name to the same size. A longer name is cut at 40 characters and names after the 40th are left out; the page says how many. What it prints is your own words on plain paper, in black and white: it is not a diploma, a licence or a record of anything, it is not from any school, employer, court or agency, and the page asks people not to use it to make a paper look as if it were. It has no seals, logos, pictures or colors, it cannot give one name its own words, and it does not write the words for you. Every time the page is built, a program checks 20 examples worked by hand, then makes up 1,500 sets of words and draws each; a second reader, written separately, takes every line back off the drawing and checks that every name is there in order and once, that every line is inside its own band and in the middle of it, that the lines to sign are where they belong, and that no line could be larger. It has been tried in one browser's print preview (Chromium, saved as PDF), not on a real printer. No name or word you type is kept or sent anywhere. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and fifty-one.
Make a certificate →The 250th free tool: name tags and table cards, from a list of names
For a meeting, a class, a volunteer day, a shelter dinner, a reunion, a table of guests. On the new page you type up to 60 names, one on each line, and the page draws sheets to print on plain paper: name tags to cut apart, 8 on a sheet (each about 3.6 by 2.4 inches) or 10 on a sheet (about 3.6 by 1.9 inches), or table cards, 2 on a sheet, that fold across the middle and stand like a tent with the name on both faces. Each name is made as large as its tag lets it be: the page tries it on 1 line and on 2 and keeps the larger letters, and words are not split. Small words can go above and under every name (HELLO, my name is; Volunteer; the name of the group), up to 40 characters each, and up to 30 empty ones can be added for people who are not on the list. A tick sets every name to the same size. Lines of long dashes show where to cut, and a line of dots where a table card folds. A longer name is cut at 30 characters and names after the 60th are left out; the page says how many. It is made for plain paper and scissors: it does not line up with sticker sheets or label sheets, it does not know the size of any plastic holder, and it has no pictures, logos or colors. It does not read the names, so it cannot tell whether they are spelled the way their owners spell them. Every time the page is built, a program checks 16 examples worked by hand, then makes up 1,500 lists of names and draws each; a second reader, written separately, takes every tag back off the drawing and checks that every name is there in order and once, inside its tag's margin, in the middle, the same on both faces of a card, and that no name could be larger. It has been tried in one browser's print preview (Chromium, saved as PDF), not on a real printer. No name you type is kept or sent anywhere. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and fifty.
Make name tags →The 249th free tool: a sign-up sheet maker, for a clipboard, a table or a wall
A sheet for who is coming, who brings what, who takes which job or which hour: for a potluck, a clean-up day, a meeting, a class, a food drive. On the new page you type up to 60 characters for the top, up to 3 lines under them (when, where, who to ask) and up to 5 headings for the columns people write in; with no heading the sheet has one column, Name. The page rules a sheet of empty lines for a pen and numbers them, so anyone can see how many have signed. You can add a list of up to 30 things to sign up for, 28 characters each (a dish, a job, a time, a seat in a car): each is printed down the left side with 1 to 5 lines beside it, and the heading over that list is yours. With no list, the sheet holds as many empty lines as fit on one sheet, or a number you choose from 1 to 100. Lines come in three heights (on paper a little under half an inch, a little over a third, a little over a quarter), and the paper can be upright or sideways, US Letter or A4. With a short title, an upright sheet holds 18 roomy, 23 regular or 30 tight lines. More lines go on to further sheets, each with the title, the headings and Sheet 2 of 3 at the foot. Nothing is made smaller to fit and nothing is hidden: words too wide for their room go on to another line and the row gets higher, and the page says how wide each column to write in comes out, and when that is narrow for handwriting. The page does the breaking of every line itself, so every height is a sum it can check. It does not collect anything: nobody signs up on the screen, and who signed is on the paper and nowhere else. It does not know what is right to ask people for; it says that a sheet on a wall can be read by everyone who comes after. It cannot make one column wider than another or give one thing more lines than another, and it knows no dates or times. Every time the page is built, a program checks 50 examples worked by hand, then draws 2,000 made-up sheets, and a second reader, written separately, takes each drawing apart and checks that every word is there and inside its own room, that no row runs past the foot of the sheet, and that the number of lines is the one asked for. It has been tried in one browser's print preview (Chromium, saved as PDF), not on a real printer. Nothing you type or choose is kept or sent anywhere. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and forty-nine.
Make a sign-up sheet →The 248th free tool: print a sign, with the letters as large as the sheet lets them be
A sign for a door, a window, a table or a shelf: OUT OF ORDER, YARD SALE, PLEASE KNOCK, a name, a room number. On the new page you type up to 60 characters of big words, and the page draws them in thick plain letters as large as one sheet of paper lets them be. It breaks the lines for you: it tries 1 line, 2 lines and so on up to 6, each time with the breaks that make the widest line as narrow as it can be, and keeps the number of lines that gives the largest letters (the fewest lines when two come out the same). You can also break the lines yourself, have every line made as wide as the sheet, and write all capitals or the words as you type them. Under the big words there can be up to 120 characters of small words, never larger than half the big letters; there can be an arrow pointing left, right, up or down, and a frame around the edge. The paper can be upright or sideways, or the page tries both and keeps the one with the larger letters. White letters on black are there too, with a note that they use a lot of ink. The sign is one page with a half-inch margin, made smaller to fit Letter or A4 paper, and it can be saved as a PDF from the print window. The letters are the device's own plain letters (Arial, Helvetica or the nearest it has), measured on the device before the size is set. The page knows no rule about signs: a sign that a law, an inspector, a landlord or an insurer asks for may need set words, sizes, colors or pictures, and this page knows none of them. It does not say from how far a sign can be read, has no pictures and no colors other than black and white, and does not read the words, so read the sign over before you hang it. It is words on paper, not a safety sign. Every time the page is built, a program checks 53 examples worked by hand, then makes up 2,000 signs, and a second reader, written separately, takes the lines, sizes and places back off each drawing and checks that every word is there in order, that every line and the arrow are inside the margin and touch nothing else, that the whole stands in the middle, that the big words could not be larger, and, where the page broke the lines, that no other way of breaking them gives larger letters. That program uses made-up letter widths; real letters were tried in one browser's print preview (Chromium, saved as PDF), not on a real printer. Nothing you type or choose is kept or sent anywhere. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and forty-eight.
Print a sign →The 247th free tool: a crossword maker, with your own words and clues
A crossword made from the words and clues you type: spelling words, names in the family, words in a new language, things from a lesson or a party. On the new page you type up to 16 lines, each a word of 2 to 15 letters, an equals sign, and a clue of up to 70 characters; two columns pasted from a spreadsheet work too. The page crosses the words where they share a letter, puts a small number in the first square of each word, and lists your clues under Across and Down, each with the number of squares its word takes. A second sheet has the same puzzle with the letters written in and each word after its clue. If you tick a box, the list of words to choose from is printed under the clues. The recipe is fixed: the longest word goes in first, then one at a time the longest word that can go in is put where it crosses the most letters and keeps the puzzle smallest. Two words never lie side by side, so every row of two or more squares is one of your words, and the puzzle is never wider or taller than 15 squares. A word that shares no letter with the others, or finds no place to cross them, is left out, and the page names it. Accents are taken off in the squares (Á goes in as A) and Ñ stays Ñ; spaces and hyphens are dropped, so ICE CREAM takes 8 squares. Every layout has a number from 1 to 9999, printed small at the bottom; the same number with the same lines in the same order gives the same puzzle every time, so the answers can be printed another day. Many numbers give the same layout, above all with few words. It is not a newspaper crossword: most letters belong to one word only. The clues are yours: the page writes none and checks none, so read the sheet over before you hand it to someone. The puzzle is for paper: it cannot be filled in on the screen, and the page does not check anyone's work or say which puzzle suits which age. Every time the page is built, a program checks 71 examples worked by hand, then writes 2,000 made-up puzzles, and a second reader, written separately, takes the squares, numbers, letters and clues back off both sheets and checks that every row of squares is a typed word, that the numbers are a crossword's numbers, and that each clue stands beside its own word. It has been tried in one browser's print preview (Chromium, saved as PDF), not on a real printer. Nothing you type or choose is kept or sent anywhere. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and forty-seven.
Make a crossword →The 246th free tool: a chore chart maker that takes turns
A chart for the jobs of a home, to put on the fridge or the door: for a family, for roommates, for a shared house, or for one person. On the new page you type up to 12 jobs of up to 30 characters and, if you want, up to 8 names of up to 16 characters. The page draws a chart for each week, from 1 to 8 weeks, one sheet of upright paper each: a row for every job, a box to tick by hand for every day, a column that says who has the job that week, and under the chart each person with their jobs. The week begins on Monday or on Sunday. Nothing is drawn by chance: in week 1 the first job goes to the first name, the second to the second, and round again. With taking turns on, every job moves on by one name each week, so after as many weeks as there are people everyone has had every job once, and in any one week nobody has more than one job more than anybody else. With more people than jobs, some people have no job that week, and the page says how many. The weeks carry no dates. The page counts jobs, not work: it does not know that one job takes five minutes and another an hour, or who is able to do what, and it says so. It cannot give a job to only some days or to two people at once. It says nothing about rewards or pocket money, and it points to Make peace for a disagreement a chart cannot settle. Every time the page is built, a program checks 66 examples worked by hand, then writes 2,000 made-up charts, and a second reader, written separately, takes the rows back off the paper and works out who has what in its own way. It has been tried in one browser's print preview (Chromium, saved as PDF), not on a real printer. Nothing you type or choose is kept or sent anywhere. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and forty-six.
Make a chore chart →The 245th free tool: a bingo card maker, with your own list
Bingo cards made from a list you type: words to practice, names in the family, numbers, things to spot on a long drive, words in a new language. On the new page you type up to 75 lines of up to 24 characters, choose cards of 3, 4 or 5 squares a side, with or without a free square in the middle, and say how many cards you need, from 1 to 40. The page deals the list onto the cards by chance. No line is on one card twice, and no two cards of a set are the same: a card that comes out equal to an earlier one is dealt again. Short words are written large and long lines small, so each fits its square. The cards print 1, 2 or 4 to a sheet of upright paper, and after them comes a call list: the whole list in an order drawn by chance, numbered, with a box to tick as each line is read out. Every set has a number from 1 to 9999, printed small under every card with the card's own number; the same number with the same list and choices gives the same cards every time, and card 7 is the same card whether 7 or 40 are printed, so a lost card can be printed again. When the list is just as long as a card has squares to fill, every card holds the same things in different places, and the page says so. The page does not say who has won and does not check a card; what counts as a win is for the people playing to agree on. It cannot be played on the screen, it does not sort numbers into columns, and it draws no cutting lines. It says nothing about prizes or money, and points to the gambling guide for anyone that weighs on. Every time the page is built, a program checks 89 examples worked by hand, then writes 2,000 made-up sets, and a second reader, written separately, takes the squares back off the paper and checks each card, the free square, that no two cards are the same and that the call list holds every line once. It has been tried in one browser's print preview (Chromium, saved as PDF), not on a real printer. Nothing you type or choose is kept or sent anywhere. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and forty-five.
Make bingo cards →The 244th free tool: a word search maker, with your own words
A word search made from the words you type: spelling words, names in the family, things in the kitchen, words in a new language. On the new page you type up to 20 words of 3 to 15 letters, choose a square of 10, 12 or 15 letters a side, and choose which ways the words run: across and down only, slanting too, or all eight ways with some words backwards. The page hides the words, fills the rest of the square with letters drawn by chance, and writes a second sheet with the answers: the same square with the words marked, and beside each word the row and column where it begins and an arrow for the way it runs, so the answers can be read without the colors. Press Another puzzle and the same words are hidden somewhere else. Accents are taken off in the square (Á goes in as A) and Ñ stays Ñ; spaces and hyphens are dropped, so ICE CREAM is hidden as ICECREAM. A word that is longer than the square or finds no room is left out, and the page names it. The letters the page adds are looked over: one of them may not finish one of your words a second time, in any direction, and they may not spell one of 62 rude words in English and Spanish that the page knows. It knows no other words, so chance can still spell something else: look the sheet over before you hand it to someone. Every puzzle has a number from 1 to 9999, printed small at the bottom; the same number with the same words and choices gives the same puzzle every time, so the answers can be printed another day. The puzzle is for paper: it cannot be solved on the screen, and the page does not check anyone's work or say which puzzle suits which age. Every time the page is built, a program checks 58 examples worked by hand, then writes 2,000 made-up puzzles, and a second reader, written separately, takes the letters back off both sheets, checks that each word is where the answer sheet says, and searches the whole square in all eight directions for every typed word and every rude word. It has been tried in one browser's print preview (Chromium, saved as PDF), not on a real printer. Nothing you type or choose is kept or sent anywhere. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and forty-four.
Make a word search →The 243rd free tool: math practice sheets to print, with the answers
A sheet of arithmetic to do with a pencil. On the new page you choose the kind of problem (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, or two of them mixed), how big the numbers are (four sizes, from answers up to 10 to three-digit numbers, and from 5 × 5 to a two-digit number times 2 to 9) and how many problems go on the sheet: 12 in large print, 20 or 30. The page writes the sheet, with a line for a name and a date, and a second sheet with every answer in its place. Press Another sheet and it writes a new one. No answer is below zero, every division comes out whole, nothing is divided by zero, and no line is printed twice on a sheet. Every sheet has a number from 1 to 9999, printed small at the bottom: the same number with the same choices gives the same sheet every time, so the answers can be printed another day, and the address of the page is a link to that exact sheet. The page does not check anyone's work, has no remainders, fractions or decimals, writes each problem in a line and not with one number above the other, and does not say which sheet suits which age or grade. Every time the page is built, a program checks 44 examples worked by hand, then makes every sheet the page can make, all 239,976 of them with 30 problems each, and works out each of the 7,199,280 answers a second way; then a second reader takes every line of 2,000 made-up sheets back off the page and does the arithmetic again. It has been tried in one browser's print preview (Chromium, saved as PDF), not on a real printer. Nothing you choose or type is kept or sent anywhere. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and forty-three.
Make a practice sheet →The 242nd free tool: flash cards to practice on the screen or print and cut out
A flash card has a question on one side and the answer on the other: a word and what it means, a sum and its result, a name and a date. On the new page you type your cards one on a line, the front, an equals sign, the back; two columns pasted from a spreadsheet work too. Up to 120 cards fit, with up to 120 characters on a side. Then there are two things to do with them. You can practice on the screen: the page shows one side, you answer in your head or out loud, turn the card over, and press I knew it or Not yet. A card marked Not yet comes back 3 cards later, and the round ends when every card has been marked I knew it. You are the judge; the page does not check anything you say, and it keeps no score. Or you can print the cards: 4 a sheet with the front and back side by side, to cut out, fold and glue, which any printer that prints one side can do; or 8 a sheet on both sides of the paper, with each back placed behind its front when the paper is turned over on its long edge. For that second way, print one sheet first and check it, because printers differ and this has been tried only in one browser's print preview (Chromium, saved as PDF), not on a real printer. The page can also write the 12 lines of any times table from 1 to 12; those are the only cards it writes itself. Every time the page is built, a program checks 40 examples worked by hand and all 144 lines of the times tables worked out a second way, then writes 2,000 made-up sets of cards and has a second reader take every card back off the sheets, and plays 2,000 made-up practice rounds to the end. That checks the page's work, not what is written on your cards. Nothing you type is kept or sent anywhere: to use the same cards another day, copy the lines out of the box. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and forty-two.
Make flash cards →The 241st free tool: a visual timer, a disc that gets smaller as the time runs
Ten minutes is hard to feel, and numbers that tick down do not help everyone. The new page shows time as a shape: a colored disc that empties clockwise from the top, the way the hand of a clock moves, until nothing is left. It is for homework, a shower, a turn on the game, a break, getting out the door, or a job you only have to do for five minutes. Pick a time from 1 second to 180 minutes, or tap one of nine quick picks. You can type a few words to show above the disc, choose one of four colors, hide the numbers and watch only the disc, pause, add a minute, and fill the screen so a phone or a tablet can stand where everyone sees it. Nothing flashes at the end: the disc is empty, the words Time is up show, and the frame takes the color of the disc. A soft sound of three notes is there if you tick it, and off if you do not. The page takes the time from the clock of your device and compares four times a second, so if the page was behind another one or the screen went dark, the disc shows the right time when you come back. The sound is another matter: a browser can hold back a page that is not on the screen, so use this as something to look at, not as an alarm, and not for medicine or a pot on the stove. You can ask the browser to keep the screen on; when it says no, the page tells you. Add #10 to the address and the page opens set to 10 minutes. Every time the page is built, a program checks 42 examples worked by hand and 2,000 made-up times, and a second program reads each drawn disc back into a share of the circle and the numbers back into seconds. It was tried by a program in one browser (Chromium); no person has listened to the notes yet, and nobody has tried it on a real phone or with a screen reader. Nothing you type is kept or sent anywhere. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and forty-one.
Open the visual timer →The 240th free tool: Make a QR code, for a link, a few words, a phone number or an email address
A QR code is a square of small dark and light squares that a camera can read. On a flyer, a sign, a menu or a card, it lets a person open your link or get your number without typing it. On the new page you type a link, a few words, a phone number or an email address, and the page draws the code right there on your device. You can print one big code or a sheet of 12 small ones to cut apart, with a few words above it and what the code holds printed under it in plain letters, or save the code alone as a picture to add to a flyer. The code holds your text itself. There is no address of ours inside it and nothing in between, so reading it does not pass through this site, nobody here can see or count who reads it, and it does not run out: it works for as long as the link or the number inside it works. The page shows you exactly what the code holds. It does not read codes, does not check that your link is typed right, does not make codes that join a Wi-Fi network or save a contact, and anyone who sees the code can read it, so it is no place for a password. Every time the page is built, a program checks 38 examples worked by hand, makes a code for every length from 1 to 213 bytes and for 2,000 made-up texts, and a reader program written by other people (zxing-cpp) reads each one back and has to get the same bytes; 2,000 more drawings are compared square by square with a second program that makes QR codes (segno). It has not been tried with a real phone camera or on paper from a real printer, so try one with your own phone before you print many. Nothing you type is kept or sent anywhere. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and forty.
Make a QR code →
The 239th free tool: Make an invoice, a receipt or an estimate, for work you did or a thing you sold
When you mow a yard, clean a house, fix a car or sell a couch, a sheet of paper that says what it was and what it cost helps both people remember. On the new page you type who it is from, who it is for, and up to 12 lines: what it is, how many, and the price of one. The page multiplies and adds in whole cents (half a cent goes up), adds a percent if you type one, takes off what was already paid, and shows what is left. It draws the paper on one upright sheet to print, with the word Invoice, Receipt or Estimate at the top, and it gives you the same thing as plain text to paste into a message. The words printed on the paper can be in English or in Spanish, whichever language you read the page in. A line with no price prints as words only, and a price with a minus sign takes money off. The page does not know about taxes: not whether you have to charge one, not the percent, and not what you owe on what you earn. It does not know the rules where you live about what such a paper has to say, it is not a contract, and it does not send the paper or take payment. Every time the page is built, a program checks 14 examples worked by hand, then makes 2,000 made-up papers and reads each one back with a second reader that multiplies and adds again on its own. Nothing you type is kept or sent anywhere: to keep the paper, print it or save it as a PDF. It has been tried in one browser's print preview, not on paper from a real printer. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and thirty-nine.
Make an invoice, a receipt or an estimate →The 238th free tool: Make a flyer with tear-off strips, for a lost pet, a room, a thing for sale, or work you do
A sheet of paper on a board at the laundromat still reaches the people who live nearby, with no account and no fee. On the new page you type a few big words (Lost cat, Room for rent, Babysitting), the details, and how to reach you, and it draws the flyer on one upright sheet with a row of strips along the bottom that people can tear off and take home: 8 strips, 6 wider ones or 10 narrower ones, each with the same two short lines, or no strips for a plain sign. You can add one picture from your device; it stays on your device and is only drawn on the page in front of you. Fewer words print larger, and the page says so when the words and the picture do not all fit. There are 13 starting points, and every word on the flyer is yours, so it comes out in whatever language you type. Before you put it up, the page asks you to think about what strangers will read (the flyer does not need your home address), to ask the people who run a board before you post, and to be careful with callers who ask for money or a code. It does not post the flyer anywhere, does not check your spelling or your phone number, and does not know the rules of your town about paper on poles and walls. Every time the page is built, a program makes 1,500 made-up flyers and reads each one back with a second reader. Nothing you type is kept or sent anywhere: to keep the flyer, print it or save it as a PDF. It has been tried in one browser's print preview, not on paper from a real printer. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and thirty-eight.
Make a flyer with tear-off strips →The 237th free tool: Print a calendar, a month or a year with boxes to write in
A paper calendar on the fridge or by the bed needs no battery and no password, and everyone in the house can read it. On the new page you pick a month and it draws it with a box for each day, ready to print on sideways paper: one month, up to twelve months a page each, or twelve months on one page. You can put a name at the top (Medicine, Work shifts, Days with the kids), type a few words into a day before printing, start the week on Sunday or on Monday, and have the words on the calendar in English or in Spanish, whichever language you read the page in. On the page with twelve months, a day you wrote in gets a ring around it and its words are listed under the months. The page draws any month from January 1900 to December 2100 and counts the days itself, in whole numbers. Every time it is built, a program lays out all 2,412 of those months both ways and compares each one with three other counts made a different way (a walk forward from Monday, January 1, 1900; the calendar inside the JavaScript language; the calendar inside the Python language), and checks 10 dates whose day of the week is known. The page knows no holidays, does not remind you of anything, and does not know your deadlines. Nothing you type is kept or sent anywhere: to keep the calendar, print it or save it as a PDF. It has been tried in one browser's print preview, not on paper from a real printer. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and thirty-seven.
Print a calendar →The 236th free tool: Spell it out, for a name or an email on a phone call
On the phone, B sounds like D and M sounds like N, and a name can get written down wrong. On the new page you type a name, an email address or a confirmation number, and it spells it one letter at a time to read aloud: for Ruiz, R as in Romeo, U as in Uniform, I as in India, Z as in Zulu. A digit comes with its everyday name (5, the number five), and the marks of an email address have theirs (at sign, dot, dash, underscore). A card shows one letter at a time, large, with Back and Next, for reading on a call or showing the screen to someone; under it is the whole list, with a button to copy it. A box makes the page say which letters are capital and which are small, for a code where that matters. The page read in Spanish says S de Sierra, and either page can say the words in the other language, for a call in English. The 26 words are not ours: they are the International Civil Aviation Organization's alphabet as the Federal Aviation Administration prints it in its Aeronautical Information Manual (table 4-2-7, read October 10, 2026), and the whole list is printed on the page. Any clear word of your own that begins with the letter does the same job. Every time the page is built, a program compares the 26 words with the copy saved from the manual, checks 24 examples worked by hand, and spells 2,000 made-up texts in both languages, which a second program reads back. The page does not speak, does not know how a name is said, and spells up to 60 characters at a time. Nothing you type is kept or sent anywhere. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and thirty-six.
Spell it out →The 235th free tool: An amount in words, in English and Spanish
Many paper checks have a line where the amount is written in words, and a lease, a receipt or a form can ask for it too. That is where a word like forty, ninety or eighteen makes the pen stop, and more so when the paper is in a language you did not grow up writing. On the new page you type the amount in numbers, and it writes it out in English or in Spanish, three ways. For 1,234.56: One thousand two hundred thirty-four and 56/100 (the cents as a part of 100); One thousand two hundred thirty-four dollars and fifty-six cents; and, for an amount with no cents, the number alone (850 is eight hundred fifty). In Spanish the same amount is Mil doscientos treinta y cuatro con 56/100. Each line has a button to copy it. The page read in Spanish can write the words in English, and the other way round. The spellings people stop at are printed on the page: forty has no u; twenty-one to ninety-nine take a hyphen; cien stands alone and ciento goes before more; uno becomes un before mil or a noun (veintiún mil, un dólar); a round million takes de (un millón de dólares). Every time the page is built, a program checks 28 examples worked by hand, writes out every number from 0 to 99,999 and 3,000 larger made-up ones in both languages, and a second program reads the words back and has to get the number that went in. The page does not say how to fill in the rest of a check, and it does not know what a bank, a landlord or an office accepts; it writes dollars and cents only, up to 999,999,999.99, and English the way it is common in the United States. Nothing you type is kept or sent anywhere. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and thirty-five.
An amount in words →The 234th free tool: What time is it there?, in English and Spanish
Your mother is in Guatemala and you get off work at six. The benefits office says it closes at 5:00 PM Eastern and you live in Arizona. A cousin in Manila says to call at nine in the morning, her time. On the new page you pick where you are and the other place, and it shows the time there right now, or for a day and a time you pick, here or there. Under the answer it says how far apart the two clocks are on that date, whether it is another day there, and the next date the gap changes. For example, 12:00 PM (noon) in New York on July 1, 2026 is 10:00 AM in Guatemala, 2 hours behind; on January 15, 2026 it is 11:00 AM, 1 hour behind, because New York moved its clocks in between and Guatemala did not. 8:00 PM in Los Angeles on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 is 8:30 AM on Thursday in India. The page also says when a time does not happen at all (2:30 AM on March 8, 2026 in New York, when the clocks skip an hour) and when it happens twice. There are 89 places. Which place goes with which clock is from the Time Zone Database's own table of countries (version 2026c, read on October 10, 2026): a country is listed by its name alone only when that table puts the whole country on one clock, and any other country is listed with a city. The page carries no clock rules of its own: it asks the list of time zones that your phone or computer already keeps, so it is only as right as the device, and it says so. A program checks the examples, 440 made-up counts and 60 next-change counts against a second program every time the page is built. It does not know office hours or holidays, it does not ask for your location, and it does not report a change that lasts less than half a day. Nothing you pick is kept or sent anywhere. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and thirty-four.
What time is it there? →The 233rd free tool: Convert a measure, in English and Spanish
A thermometer that reads in Celsius. A form that asks for your weight in kilograms and your height in centimeters. A recipe in grams and milliliters. A baby weighed in pounds and ounces, and a grandmother who asks in kilos. On the new page you pick what to change and type the number, and the answer shows right away, with the sum that made it. For example, 98.6 °F: (98.6 − 32) ÷ 1.8 = 37 °C. A baby of 7 pounds 8 ounces: 7 × 16 + 8 = 120 ounces, and 120 ÷ 16 × 0.45359237 is about 3.402 kilograms. 5 feet 7 inches: 5 × 12 + 7 = 67 inches, and 67 × 2.54 = 170.18 centimeters. There are eighteen changes: degrees Fahrenheit and Celsius; pounds and ounces, kilograms and grams; feet and inches, centimeters, miles and kilometers; US cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, US fluid ounces and US gallons, milliliters and liters. Every number in the sums is from the conversion table of the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B.8, read on October 10, 2026), and the page says under each answer where its number comes from: which ones NIST marks as exact, and which ones NIST prints to seven digits, so that the answer is a close one. The sums are done in whole numbers and rounded once, at the end; the page says = when nothing was rounded and “is about” when it was. Six places where these counts trip people up are printed on the page: for example, ounces are sixteenths, not tenths, so 7 pounds 8 ounces is 7.5 pounds; and an ounce of weight and a fluid ounce are two different measures. A program checks the examples and 400 made-up counts, done a second way, every time the page is built. It is not for working out a dose of medicine, it does not say what a temperature means, it does not change cups into grams, and it uses the U.S. cup, fluid ounce and gallon. Nothing you type is kept or sent anywhere: the page forgets the number when you close it. There is no account and no server. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and thirty-three.
Convert a measure →The 232nd free tool: When you smell gas, in English and Spanish
Until today the site had nothing for a smell of gas, and a search for “gas leak” led to a gasoline calculator. The new page starts with what to do right now: leave and take everyone with you, touch nothing that can make a spark (no match, no light switch on or off, no flashlight, no phone inside, no starting the car), and call 911 or the gas company from somewhere else. Then it has who to call and from where, how the smell gets into the gas and why this is not the same thing as carbon monoxide, staying out until you are told it is safe, never turning the gas back on yourself, propane tanks and cylinders, what to check after an earthquake or a storm, and 811 before you dig. It builds the words to say when you call from what you tick, and prints a card for the fridge with a line for the gas company’s emergency number. The facts are from pages read on October 10, 2026: Ready.gov (in English and in Spanish), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Energy Information Administration, the American Gas Association, the Propane Education & Research Council and 811 Before You Dig; the last three are industry bodies, and the page says whose words are whose. Where they differ (opening a window, shutting off the valve, who to call) the page reports each. The federal pipeline safety agency and the Red Cross refused our request, so nothing is from them. The page has no list of symptoms, nothing on gas alarms for homes and nothing on how to work a meter valve, because no page we read gave them. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); the Spanish was not reviewed by a native speaker. General information, not professional advice.
When you smell gas →The 231st free tool: Gas for a trip, in English and Spanish
A job interview across town. A clinic two towns over. A week of driving to work before the first paycheck. On the new page you type the miles, the miles the car goes on one gallon, and the price of a gallon, and the page shows what the gas costs, with the sum that made it. For example, 15 miles one way, there and back, five times, in a car that goes 30 miles on one gallon, with gas at $3.60: 15 × 2 × 5 = 150 miles, 150 ÷ 30 = 5 gallons, and 5 × $3.60 = $18.00. A price can have three places, like 3.459, the way a pump prints it. The second count goes the other way: with $20 for gas at $3.60 and 27 miles a gallon, the money is enough for 150 whole miles, or a place 75 miles away if you are coming back. A third count is for when you do not know how many miles the car goes on one gallon: fill the tank, drive, fill it again, and type the miles and the gallons; 310 miles on 10.5 gallons is about 29.5 miles a gallon. The sums are done in whole numbers, and the cost is worked from the whole division, so rounding the gallons does not move it. Six places where these counts trip people up are printed on the page: for example, there and back is twice the miles; rounding before the end moves the answer; and the 9 at the end of the price counts. The examples on the page are worked by hand, and a program checks them and 400 made-up counts, done a second way, every time the page is built. It only multiplies and divides: it does not know your car, the price at the pump or the road, it has no map and does not ask where you are, it counts gas only (no tolls, parking or repairs), and it never says whether to make a trip. Nothing is kept until you press Keep this count; then the counts stay in the browser on your device, one button erases them, and they can be printed, copied or downloaded. There is no account and no server. No outside facts are used on this page; every line is ours. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and thirty-one.
Gas for a trip →The 230th free tool: Make a recipe bigger or smaller, in English and Spanish
A recipe makes 12 and there are 18 people at the table. Or it feeds 6 and tonight it is only 4. Or the food box had half of what the recipe calls for. On the new page you type what the recipe makes, what you want to make, and each amount the way the recipe prints it: 3/4, 1 1/2, 2. The page works out one number for the whole recipe and multiplies every amount by it. For example, from 12 to 18: 18 ÷ 12 = 1 1/2, so 3/4 cup of flour becomes 1 1/8 cups, 2 eggs become 3, and 1 1/3 cups of milk become 2. The sums are done in exact fractions, with nothing rounded along the way, and each new amount is shown with the sum that made it, so it can be checked on paper. When an answer lands between the marks, the page says so: half of 1/3 is 1/6, which is about 0.17, a little more than 1/8. You can also type the number to multiply by: 1/2 for half, 2 for double, 3 for three times. Six places where fractions trip people up are printed on the page: for example, from 12 to 18 is 6 more but the amounts are not 6 more; half of 3/4 is 3/8; and double 2/3 is 1 1/3. The examples on the page are worked by hand, and a program checks them and 400 made-up recipes, done a second way, every time the page is built. It only multiplies: it does not change one measure into another, it does not know cooking times, oven heat or pan sizes, it is not for mixing baby formula or medicine, and it never says what or how much anyone ought to eat. Nothing is kept until you press Keep this recipe; then the recipes stay in the browser on your device, one button erases them, and they can be printed, copied or downloaded. There is no account and no server. No outside facts are used on this page; every line is ours. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and thirty.
Make a recipe bigger or smaller →The 229th free tool: How long will it last, in English and Spanish
A pack of diapers, a can of formula, a box of test strips, a bag of pet food, the tablets in a bottle. On the new page you type how much you have and how much gets used each day or each week. The page divides, and shows how many full days or weeks it lasts and what is left over. For example, 100 at 8 each day: 12 days is 96, so it lasts 12 full days, and 4 are left over. Add the first day and it shows the last day on the calendar: 30 at 2 each day is 15 days, and from Monday, October 12, 2026 the last full day is Monday, October 26. Add a number of days ahead and it names that day too: 5 days before is Wednesday, October 21. The second count goes the other way: 2 each day for 30 days is 60, and if 28 come in a pack that is 3 packs, with 24 left over. Amounts can have parts, so half of one each day works. The answer shows right away with the sum that made it. Five places where these counts trip people up are printed on the page: for example, what is left over is not a day; the first day counts; and 30 days is not always a month. The examples on the page are worked by hand, and a program checks them and 400 made-up counts, done a second way, every time the page is built. It only multiplies, divides and counts days: it never says how much anyone needs to use or take, it never suggests using less to make something last, it does not know when a pharmacy can refill or whether a store is open, and it cannot remind you of anything. Nothing is kept until you press Keep this count; then the counts stay in the browser on your device, one button erases them, and they can be printed, copied or downloaded. There is no account and no server. No outside facts are used on this page; every line is ours. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and twenty-nine.
How long will it last →The 228th free tool: When to leave, in English and Spanish
An appointment at 10:15, a hearing at 9:00, a shift, a bus to catch. On the new page you type the time you have to be there and the minutes for each step before it (getting ready, the walk, the ride, being early; up to ten steps, with your own names). The page adds the minutes and counts back on the clock: it shows when to start and the time each step begins. For example, 30 + 10 + 35 + 15 = 90 minutes, which is 1 hour 30 minutes, and 10:15 AM minus 1 hour 30 minutes is 8:45 AM. It also counts forward, from the time you start to the time you get there. When a count crosses midnight the page says the day before or the next day. The answer shows right away with the sum that made it. Five places where clock sums trip people up are printed on the page: for example, an hour is 60 minutes and not 100, so 10:15 minus 30 minutes is 9:45; and 12:00 PM is noon while 12:00 AM is midnight. The examples on the page are worked by hand, and a program checks them and 400 made-up plans, done a second way with a clock face moved one minute at a time, every time the page is built. It only adds minutes and counts on the clock: it knows no traffic, no weather and no bus or train times, it has no map, it does not ask where you are, it does not know how long a step takes you, and it never says how early anyone has to be. Nothing is kept until you press Keep this plan; then the plans stay in the browser on your device, one button erases them, and they can be printed, copied or downloaded. There is no account and no server. No outside facts are used on this page; every line is ours. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and twenty-eight.
When to leave →The 227th free tool: Save up for it, in English and Spanish
A deposit, a car repair, a fee, a pair of glasses. The new page does two sums in whole cents. The first: type what it costs, what you already have for it, and how much you can put aside each time, and the page shows how many times it takes; when it does not come out even it counts one more time and shows how small that last one is. The second: type what it costs, what you have, and how many times you can put money aside before you need it, and the page shows how much each time; cents that will not divide go one each to the first times, and the page adds it back up so you can see nothing was lost. Pick how often (every week, every 2 weeks or every month) and the page shows how long it is from the first time to the last, which is one gap fewer than the number of times. Add the date of the first time and it shows the date of the last one, with its day of the week. The answer shows right away with the sum that made it. Five places where saving sums trip people up are printed on the page: for example, every 2 weeks is 26 times in a year of 52 weeks and twice a month is 24, so $50.00 each time is $1,300.00 or $1,200.00. The examples on the page are worked by hand, and a program checks them and 400 made-up sums, done a second way, every time the page is built. It only divides: it adds no interest and takes off no fees, does not know your bills, your paydays or whether a benefit you get has a rule about savings, and never says what to save for, how much to save or where to keep money. Nothing is kept until you press Keep this sum; then the sums stay in the browser on your device, one button erases them, and they can be printed, copied or downloaded. There is no account and no server. No outside facts are used on this page; every line is ours. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and twenty-seven.
Save up for it →The 226th free tool: Count the days, in English and Spanish
A letter says 30 days. A form says 10 days before the visit. A notice has a date on it and you want to know how many days are left. The new page does two counts on the calendar. The first: pick a date and a number of days, weeks, months or weekdays (Monday to Friday) before or after it, and the page shows the date that gives, with its day of the week. The second: pick two dates, and the page shows the days between them, as weeks and days, how many fall on Monday to Friday, and the count with both the first and the last day in it. The answer shows right away with how it was counted: the starting date is not counted, the day after it is day 1, and for a count of days going forward the page also shows the date you get if the starting date itself is day 1, because the two ways are a day apart. When an answer lands on a Saturday or a Sunday the page shows the Friday before and the Monday after, and does not say which applies. A month lands on the same day of the month, or on the last day of a shorter month, and the page says so. The examples on the page are worked by hand, and a program checks them and 400 made-up counts, done a second way, every time the page is built. It counts squares on the calendar and nothing else: it knows no holidays, does not know how a court, an office, a landlord or a company counts its days, and never says when anything is due; the paper itself, or the office that sent it, says that. Nothing is kept until you press Keep this count; then the counts stay in the browser on your device, one button erases them, and they can be printed, copied or downloaded. There is no account and no server. No outside facts are used on this page; every line is ours. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and twenty-six.
Count the days →The 225th free tool: Percent: sale price, tip, raise, share, in English and Spanish
Percents are everywhere money is, and they are easy to get wrong. The new page does three sums. A percent of an amount: a sale, a tip, a tax, a raise; it shows the part, the amount with it taken off and the amount with it added. From one amount to another: how much rent, pay or a price went up or down, as money and as a percent. One amount as a part of another: how much of the pay goes to rent. The answer shows as you type, in whole cents, with the sum that made it written under it, and the page says so when it had to round. It also shows four places where percents trip people up: 20% off and then 20% back on turns $100.00 into $96.00, not $100.00; 20% off and then 10% off is 28% off, not 30%. The examples on the page are worked by hand, and a program checks them and 400 made-up sums, counted a second way, every time the page is built. It multiplies and divides and nothing else: it knows no tax rate, does not know how a register rounds, and does not say what a tip, a price, a raise or a rent increase ought to be. Nothing is kept until you press Keep this sum; then the sums stay in the browser on your device, one button erases them, and they can be printed, copied or downloaded. There is no account and no server. No outside facts are used on this page; every line is ours. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and twenty-five.
Work out a percent →The 224th free tool: Income per month: what your pay comes to, in English and Spanish
Forms ask for monthly income, and pay does not come by the month for most people. Write each job, benefit or other money that comes in (up to 20 lines): what it is, the amount, and how often it comes: an hour, a week, every two weeks, twice a month, a month or a year. Pay by the hour also takes the hours in a usual week. The page counts in whole cents and shows each line, and all of them together, as a week, two weeks, a month and a year. The sums are printed on the page: a year is the amount times 52, 26, 24 or 12; a month is the year divided by 12, so $500.00 a week is $2,166.67 a month, not $2,000.00. The page shows an example worked by hand, and a program checks that example and 400 made-up lists, counted a second way, every time the page is built. It multiplies and divides and nothing else: it does not know what a form or a program counts as income, how an office does its own sum, or the years with an extra payday; it counts every week as the same and takes out no taxes. There is no account and no server: the amounts stay in the browser on your device, one button erases them, and the result can be printed, copied or downloaded. No outside facts are used on this page; every line is ours. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and twenty-four.
Work out my monthly income →The 223rd free tool: Split the cost: who pays whom, in English and Spanish
For housemates, families, friends on a trip, and anyone sharing rent, bills, food or a ride. Write who is sharing (2 to 12 people), then each thing that was paid for: what it was, how much, who paid it, and a tick beside everyone who shares it. The page counts in whole cents. It adds up what each person paid and what each person’s part comes to, and gives a short list of payments that leaves everyone even: always fewer payments than people. Cents that will not divide go, one each, to the people sharing that cost in the order of the list, and the page says so. Money someone already handed over goes in as a cost shared only by the person who got it. The page shows an example worked by hand, and a program checks that example and 400 made-up lists every time the page is built. It divides evenly and nothing else: it does not know what is fair between you, who used more, or whether an amount is right; it is not an agreement and it moves no money. There is no account and no server: the names and amounts stay in the browser on your device, one button erases them, and the result can be printed, copied or downloaded to send to the others. No outside facts are used on this page; every line is ours. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The House agreement page now links to it. The count of free tools is now two hundred and twenty-three.
Split our costs →The 222nd free tool: Hours worked: keep your own record, in English and Spanish
For anyone paid by the hour, and anyone whose pay does not seem to match the time they worked. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division tells workers with no record of their hours or pay to start keeping one: the time you start, the time you finish, the meal break, and every time you are paid. This page is a place to do that. Write down each shift and each payday; the page adds up every workweek, from whichever day yours starts, and shows the hours over 40 in a week. A shift that runs past midnight is split at midnight, so a Saturday night shift is counted in the two workweeks it touches. An hourly rate is optional: with one typed, the page shows the first 40 hours times the rate and the hours over 40 at one and a half times it. The page quotes, word for word, four Department of Labor pages (read October 10, 2026) on what to write down, on overtime and the workweek, and on which breaks count as work time. It never says what anyone is owed. It lists what it does not know: whether the overtime rule covers your job, the rules of your state, what counts in your regular rate, a workweek that starts at an hour other than midnight, and clock changes. A program checks the arithmetic against cases worked by hand. There is no account and no server: the record stays in the browser on your device, one button erases it, and it prints as a record with a line for your name and your employer’s. If the phone or computer belongs to your employer, the page says to think about keeping the record somewhere of your own. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker, and the Department of Labor pages were read in English (the Spanish page says so and marks the translation as ours). The count of free tools is now two hundred and twenty-two.
Write down my hours →The 221st free tool: Unit price: which one costs less, in English and Spanish
For the store aisle, when the big jar and the small jar, or the store brand and the name brand, are hard to compare because the sizes are different. Write the price and the size of each choice, and what the size is measured in: ounces, pounds, grams, kilograms, fluid ounces, pints, quarts, gallons, milliliters, liters, or a count (eggs, diapers, sheets, loads). The page shows what each one costs for the same amount, the lowest first, and what each of the others would cost at that lowest price. It compares across measures, so a 16 oz jar can sit beside a 2 lb jar or a 750 g tub, and it handles a tag that says 2 for $5 and a pack of several. It keeps weight, volume and count in separate lists, because an ounce of weight is not a fluid ounce. To turn pounds into grams and gallons into milliliters it uses fixed numbers (1 pound is 453.59237 grams; 1 U.S. gallon is 3,785.411784 milliliters), and it names the National Institute of Standards and Technology table that prints the same factors to seven figures (Guide to the SI, Appendix B.9, read October 10, 2026). The page never says which one to buy. It says which has the lowest price per unit, and it lists what that number does not know: whether you will use it all before it spoils, what you can pay today, and what is inside the package. When the lowest price per unit is not the lowest price at the register, it says so. A program checks the arithmetic against cases worked by hand. There is no account and no server: the list stays in the browser on your device, one button erases it, and it prints on one sheet. Written with AI; the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker, and the NIST page is in English only (the Spanish page says so). The count of free tools is now two hundred and twenty-one.
Compare two prices →New essay and song: Ask Me
An essay about asking for help. Most of us keep two sets of books: in one, other people are allowed to need things; in the other, the one with our own name on it, every request is a debt. The essay says to use the first book for yourself too, and that a good ask is small: one thing, a day in it, and a way out (“It’s fine if you can’t”). It does not promise everyone will say yes, and it does not tell anyone who has been let down that it didn’t happen. It names the people whose job is to be asked (211 in most of the United States, 988, 911), and it asks the rest of us to be easier to ask: offer one thing with a day in it. It comes with a 1980s-style synth-pop song, sung from the side of the friend who is waiting to be asked, and a lyric film with closed captions. The essay was written with AI (Claude), which says in the essay that it has never had to pick up that phone; the song, the singer’s voice and the images are AI-made too, the narrator of the song is a character and not a real person, and the page says so at the top. It is general information, not professional advice. It points to Get help now and Start here.
Read and watch →The 220th free tool: Debt payoff planner: how long, and how much interest, in English and Spanish
For anyone with more than one debt who cannot see where it ends: a card, a loan, a medical bill, money owed to a friend. Write each debt with what is owed now, its interest rate a year and its minimum payment, then one amount you can pay each month for all of them. The page counts it out month by month, in whole cents, and shows how long it takes, what the interest adds up to, what is paid in all, and the month each debt is gone. It shows the same debts three ways: the highest interest rate first, the smallest debt first, and only the minimums you typed. Those two orders are the two the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describes in its article “How to reduce your debt” (July 16, 2019, now in the CFPB’s archive), and the page passes on, in the CFPB’s own words, what it says about each. The page does not pick one for you. If the amount you can pay is less than the minimums, it says by how much, counts nothing, and points to the guides here on debt collectors, medical bills, payday loans and bankruptcy, and to what the CFPB says about credit counseling. It is an estimate and says so: a real statement counts interest by the day, a card’s minimum usually falls as the debt falls, and fees and new charges are not counted. It does not know which debt matters most (rent, a car you need for work, a debt in court). The sum it uses is printed on the page and on the sheet. A program checked the count against a second, separate count on 300 made-up sets of debts. There is no account and no server: the plan stays in the browser on your device, one button erases it, and it prints on one sheet. Written with AI; no financial counselor has reviewed it, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The CFPB pages are in English only, and the Spanish page says so. The count of free tools is now two hundred and twenty.
Open the planner →A rash, an itch, or something going around at home: find the right page, sixteen pages on one list
New at /rashes-and-itching/ (and in Spanish at /es/sarpullidos-y-picazon/): one page that lists 16 pages on this site for a rash, blisters, an itch, head lice, or an illness one person at home may pass to the next. Until now they were spread out: most sat on the list for a baby or child, and the shingles guide sat with the pages on getting older. The list is sorted by what is going on: something happening right now (the severe allergic reaction, burns and first-aid pages), a rash, blisters, an itch or head lice (chickenpox, shingles, hand-foot-and-mouth, scabies, head lice, eczema), four other sick-day guides whose own descriptions say they have a part on keeping it from spreading (pink eye, sore throat, cough or cold, vomiting and diarrhea), and three tools for before a call or a visit. Pick one and it opens; a box at the top narrows the list as you type. Each line on the list is copied from the description of the page it points to, so the list adds no health facts of its own, and it says so: being on the list does not mean a thing is catching, and the page cannot look at a rash or tell one from another. The box at the top says to call 911 if you think someone’s life is in danger and points to the severe allergic reaction page in that page’s own words. It also says what is not here yet: impetigo, ringworm, poison ivy, diaper rash, measles, bed bugs, hives on their own. The six rash and itch guides now carry a line that points back to the list, and the list for a baby or child links to it (its line saying there was no page for a rash or a sore throat was out of date and is corrected). The page keeps nothing and sends nothing, and runs no analytics. It is a list, not a new tool, so the count of tools stays at two hundred and nineteen. Written with AI (Claude); it is not medical advice and no doctor, nurse or pharmacist has reviewed it. Checked by programs, not yet used by people. The Spanish was translated by AI and not reviewed by a native speaker.
Find the right page →The 219th free tool: Shingles: the signs, the first three days, the pain that can stay, who can catch what, the vaccine, and when to call, in English and Spanish
For anyone with a painful rash on one side of the body or face that may be shingles, and anyone looking after a parent, a partner or a neighbor who has it. It passes on, by name, what three pages of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say: “About Shingles (Herpes Zoster)” (reviewed January 17, 2025), “Shingles Symptoms and Complications” (April 19, 2024) and “Shingles Vaccination” (August 19, 2025), with the National Institute on Aging’s page “Shingles” (reviewed February 7, 2025) and the National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus summary, all read on October 10, 2026, each in English and in Spanish. The box at the top starts with the two lines that depend on the clock: the National Institute on Aging says to see your doctor right away for blisters on the face, because blisters near or in the eye can cause lasting eye damage and blindness, and to see your doctor no later than three days after the rash starts; CDC says the antiviral medicines work best when you take them as soon as the rash appears. The guide then has the signs day by day, what the pages say helps the pain and the itch at home, who can catch what (CDC: you cannot get shingles from someone who has shingles, but a person who never had chickenpox or the vaccine can get chickenpox from the blisters until the rash scabs over), the nerve pain that can stay after the rash (about 10% to 18% of people who have shingles, CDC says) and the other complications, and the vaccine: who CDC recommends it for, the two doses, getting it after shingles, the side effects CDC lists, and what CDC says about Medicare Part D, Medicaid and private insurance. Where the pages word something differently (how long shingles lasts, how long the nerve pain lasts, waiting for the vaccine when ill), both are shown. No medicine and no brand is named: CDC’s pages name them, and the guide says so. None of the pages names 911, so the 911 line is marked as ours, as are the emergency-room line for an eye, the line to still call after three days, and the 988 line. It builds the questions to ask on the phone or at a visit, and prints a small record for the weeks of the rash and the two vaccine doses. It saves nothing. Written with AI; no doctor, nurse or pharmacist has reviewed it, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and nineteen.
Open the guide →The 218th free tool: Scabies in a child or anyone at home: the signs, the treatment, who else is treated, what to wash, and when to call, in English and Spanish
For anyone with an itch that may be scabies, and anyone looking after a child, a parent or a housemate who has it: at home, in a shelter, in a care home. It passes on, by name, what five pages of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say: “About Scabies” (reviewed September 9, 2024), “Symptoms of Scabies”, “How Scabies Spreads” and “Preventing Scabies” (each reviewed December 18, 2023) and “Treatment of Scabies” (January 1, 2024), with the National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus summary, all read on October 10, 2026. The box at the top starts with the line people most often do not know: scabies needs a prescription, and CDC says no non-prescription product has been tested and approved to treat it. It then has CDC’s line for babies (only the medicine the pediatrician recommends), its line for sores (contact your healthcare professional immediately), and the two things that stop it coming back: everyone at home is treated at the same time, even with no itch, and itching can go on for several weeks after a treatment that worked. The guide then has the signs and where on the body, how long they take to show (two CDC pages give two ranges, and both are shown), how it spreads and how it does not (a quick handshake or hug will not usually spread it), how a cream or lotion goes on, who to tell, what to wash and what to seal in a bag, what is not needed (no insecticide sprays; pets do not spread human scabies), going back to school or work (usually the day after treatment), and the places CDC names where outbreaks are more common: nursing homes, jails and prisons, child care, and homeless shelters or encampments. No medicine is named. None of the pages names 911, so the 911 line is marked as ours. We found CDC’s five pages only in English, so every CDC line in the Spanish guide is our translation and says so; the National Library of Medicine’s summary is in Spanish. It builds the questions to ask on the phone or at a visit, and prints a household treatment record. It saves nothing. Written with AI; no doctor, nurse or pharmacist has reviewed it, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and eighteen.
Open the guide →The 217th free tool: Chickenpox in a baby or child: the signs, what helps at home, who can get very sick, and when to call, in English and Spanish
For anyone looking after a baby or child with chickenpox, or with an itchy, blistering rash that may be it. It passes on, by name, what four pages of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say: “About Chickenpox” and “How to Treat Chickenpox” (both reviewed April 24, 2024), “Chickenpox Symptoms and Complications” (May 10, 2024) and “Chickenpox Vaccination” (August 21, 2024), all read on October 10, 2026, in English and in Spanish. The box at the top starts with CDC’s plainest line: do not use aspirin in children with chickenpox, because it is associated with Reye’s syndrome. It then has what CDC says about fever medicine, who should call the doctor (a baby under 1, anyone older than 12, anyone pregnant or with a weakened immune system), and CDC’s list of signs that mean a call. The guide then has the signs day by day, how it spreads and for how long (from 1 to 2 days before the rash until all the lesions have crusted), what the pages say and do not say about school, what helps the itch at home, who can get very sick and why antiviral medicine works best in the first 24 hours, what to do after being near chickenpox or shingles, and the vaccine: the two doses, the side effects CDC lists, who should check with a provider first, and how to pay for it. None of the four pages names 911, so the 911 line is marked as ours, as are the lines to call the office before you go and to ask the school for its own rule. The only medicines named are the ones CDC’s treatment page names (aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, calamine lotion); no amount is given, and no antiviral medicine or brand of vaccine is named. It builds the questions to ask on the phone or at a visit, and prints a small record for the days of the illness. It saves nothing. Written with AI; no doctor, nurse or pharmacist has reviewed it, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. The count of free tools is now two hundred and seventeen.
Open the guide →The 216th free tool: Eczema in a baby or child: the signs, the daily skin routine, flares, and when to talk to a doctor, in English and Spanish
For anyone looking after a baby or child with eczema (atopic dermatitis), or with an itchy rash that may be it. It passes on, by name, what two pages of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS, part of the National Institutes of Health) say about atopic dermatitis: “Overview, Symptoms, & Causes” and “Diagnosis, Treatment, & Steps to Take”, both last reviewed November 2022 and both read on October 10, 2026, in English and in Spanish. The box at the top says first what NIAMS says: atopic dermatitis is not contagious. It then has the lines that matter most: skin infections are common with it; no bleach bath and no wet wraps without first talking to the doctor; itching that takes away sleep is a reason to talk to the doctor; and NIAMS’s warning about the smallpox vaccine. The guide then has the signs (itching first, which can be severe); where NIAMS says the rash most often shows up in infants, in childhood and in the teenage years; the daily routine NIAMS describes (a lukewarm bath limited to once a day, a mild unscented bar soap or non-soap cleanser, patting dry, then a cream or ointment to seal in the water); the things NIAMS names that may set off a flare and what it says may help prevent one; what a doctor may ask at the visit and the kinds of treatment NIAMS lists; the complications and other conditions NIAMS lists, with sleep and feelings; and when the pages say to talk to a doctor, with who treats it. It names no brand of soap, moisturizer or medicine, gives no amount, and gives no recipe for a bleach bath. Neither page names 911 or lists warning signs: the 911 line, the pointers to our pages on severe allergic reactions and asthma, and the line to show a provider any skin that worries you are ours and are marked ours. The pages do not describe an infected patch, and the guide does not guess. NIAMS’s Spanish pages are shorter than its English pages, so in the Spanish guide every line that only the English pages carry is marked as our translation. It builds a list of questions from what you tick, and prints a small skin plan and flare record. It was written with AI; no doctor, nurse or pharmacist has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. It is also on the list at /child-health/, which now has 36 pages.
Open the guide →The 215th free tool: Head lice in a child: how to check, how to treat, and what school can ask, in English and Spanish
For anyone looking after a child who has head lice, or who came home with a note about them. It passes on, by name, what four pages say, each read on October 10, 2026: three from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (About Head Lice, reviewed June 4, 2024; Treatment of Head Lice, reviewed November 12, 2024; Providing Care for Individuals with Head Lice, reviewed February 21, 2024) and the National Library of Medicine’s own MedlinePlus summary, Head Lice. The box at the top says first what CDC says: head lice do not transmit any disease, are not considered a health hazard, and are not related to cleanliness. It then has the lines that matter before a treatment: CDC’s line to consult your healthcare provider before treating young children, the National Library of Medicine’s line to check first if you are pregnant or nursing, its warning never to use kerosene or gasoline, and CDC’s warning that fumigant sprays and fogs can be toxic. The guide then has how to check a head (CDC says misdiagnosis is common, and that a live, crawling louse is the best sign); the steps of a treatment as CDC gives them (follow the box or label, no conditioner before, no re-washing for 1 to 2 days after); what to expect 8 to 12 hours later, combing every 2 to 3 days for 2 to 3 weeks, and when to treat again; CDC’s short list for the house (hot water at 130°F, a sealed plastic bag for two weeks for what cannot be washed) and its line that spending much time and money on housecleaning is not necessary; how lice spread (they crawl; they cannot hop or fly; animals do not get or spread them); and what CDC says about school: students do not need to be sent home early and can return to class after beginning appropriate treatment, with the four reasons CDC gives for why the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Association of School Nurses want “no-nit” policies to end. It also gives the National Library of Medicine’s line to check your school’s own policy, because the two do not say the same thing. It recommends no product, as CDC does not; the one medicine named is in a single CDC line about nits. None of the four pages names 911: the 911 line and the pointer to our poisoning page for a swallowed or splashed medicine are ours and are marked ours. Two of the three CDC pages exist only in English, so in the Spanish guide every line from them is marked as our translation. It builds a list of questions from what you tick, for a provider or a pharmacy counter, and prints a small treatment record. It was written with AI; no doctor, nurse or pharmacist has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. It is also on the list at /child-health/, which now has 35 pages.
Open the guide →Three guides sent readers to a page that had moved: repaired, in English and Spanish
The second check of every outside link on this site, on October 10, 2026, found three links in our guides that no longer led where the guide said. All three are repaired, and each card now says what changed. On the eye care guide, the link for Operation Sight was the one the National Eye Institute still gives, and it now answers with a “404” page; the card now opens the “Apply for Help” page that the ASCRS Foundation, which runs the program, links from its own website. On the cancer guide, the address the National Cancer Institute gives for the Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition now opens CancerCare’s “A Helping Hand” database; the card now names that database and links it directly. On the tenant screening guide, the Federal Trade Commission points to the National Center for State Courts’ list of state court websites, and that address now opens the Center’s front page; the card now links the U.S. Department of Justice library’s list of court websites, state by state, and says the choice is ours, not the FTC’s. Each new address was opened in a real browser that day and its title read. The Sources page is a record of the check itself, so it still lists these three as broken until the next check. Written with AI.
The eye care guide →The 214th free tool: Hand, foot, and mouth disease in a baby or child: the signs, what helps, and when to call, in English and Spanish
For anyone looking after a child with a fever, sores in the mouth, or a rash on the hands and feet. It passes on, by name, what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says on its three pages for everyone about the illness: About Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease; HFMD Symptoms and Complications; and HFMD: Causes and How It Spreads. Each page was read in English and in Spanish on October 10, 2026, and all six say they were reviewed on May 7, 2024. The box at the top has CDC’s six reasons to see a healthcare provider (a child who cannot drink well when you are worried about dehydration, a fever that lasts longer than 3 days, a weakened immune system, severe symptoms, symptoms that do not improve after 10 days, and a child who is very young, especially younger than 6 months) and its line to contact your doctor if you are pregnant and think you may have been exposed. None of the pages names 911 or gives a list of emergency signs, so the 911 line on the page is ours and is marked ours, and so is the line to call the provider now for a fever with a bad headache or a stiff neck, a child who is very hard to wake, or a child who cannot move part of the body. The guide then has the signs as CDC gives them (the fever and flu-like symptoms 3 to 5 days after catching the virus, the mouth sores, and the rash on the palms and soles that usually is not itchy); the three signs that swallowing might be painful, and CDC’s lines on drinking enough; what helps at home (over-the-counter medications to relieve fever and pain, never aspirin for children, keeping blisters clean); how it spreads, when a person is most contagious, and CDC’s steps to keep others from getting it, with hand washing for at least 20 seconds; when a child can keep going to child care or school (no fever, well enough to participate in class, no uncontrolled drooling with mouth sores); and the complications CDC calls rare or very rare. The only medicine it names is aspirin, in CDC’s line that it is never given to children; it gives no amount of any medicine, and it says what the pages do not say (which liquids, the signs of dehydration, a number of days to stay home, how the rash looks on brown or black skin). It builds a list of questions from what you tick, to copy or print, and prints a small card for the call or the visit. It was written with AI; no doctor or nurse has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. It is also on the list at /child-health/, which now has 34 pages.
Open the guide →The 213th free tool: Urinary tract infection (UTI) in a baby or child: the signs, the urine test, what helps, and when to call, in English and Spanish
For anyone looking after a child who may have a bladder infection. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health, says on its pages called Bladder Infection (Urinary Tract Infection—UTI) in Children: the overview and five sections (Definition & Facts, Symptoms & Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Eating, Diet, & Nutrition). Every page was read in English and in Spanish on October 10, 2026. The two languages are different texts: each English page says it was last reviewed in February 2025, and each Spanish page says April 2017. The English guide follows the English pages and says each time a line is found only on the Spanish ones (seeing a health care professional within 24 hours, why a collection bag is not used for a baby’s sample, when an ultrasound may be recommended, feeling better within one or two days, wiping from front to back, the line on sepsis); the Spanish guide follows NIDDK’s Spanish where both say a thing and says each time a line is only in the English version, which we translated. The box at the top has NIDDK’s examples of kidney infection symptoms (fever and chills, nausea or vomiting, pain in the back, side, or groin) with its line that quick treatment is important, and its line to contact a health care professional for symptoms of a bladder infection or a fever without a clear cause. None of the pages names 911 or gives a list of emergency signs, so the 911 line on the page is ours and is marked ours. The guide then has the signs under age 2 (there may be none; a urine test is the only way to know for sure) and from age 2; the urinalysis and the urine culture, and that a catheter is used to get a sample from babies and small children who are not toilet trained; the imaging tests NIDDK names; antibiotics (by mouth for most children older than 2 months; possibly a hospital under 2 months or when a child is vomiting) and finishing the entire treatment even if the symptoms go away; self-care at home (plenty of liquids, water is best; urinating often and completely; a heating pad); that cranberry products don’t treat existing bladder infections; what NIDDK says about the kidneys; which children are more likely to get one and that up to 3 out of 10 may have another within 6 to 12 months; and its steps that may help prevent one. It names no antibiotic and no other medicine and gives no amount and no number of days, and it says what the pages do not say. It builds a list of questions from what you tick, to copy or print, and prints a small card for the call or the visit. It was written with AI; no doctor or nurse has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. It is also on the list at /child-health/, which now has 33 pages.
Open the guide →The 212th free tool: Pink eye in a baby or child: what the signs suggest, what helps, and when to call, in English and Spanish
For anyone looking after a child with a pink, red or sticky eye. It passes on, by name, what six pages of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say: About Pink Eye, Symptoms of Pink Eye, Pink Eye: Causes and How It Spreads, How to Treat Pink Eye, How to Prevent Pink Eye, and Pink Eye in Newborns. Every page was read in English and in Spanish on October 10, 2026; each English page says it was reviewed on April 15, 2024, and the Spanish About page says December 20, 2024. The box at the top has CDC’s line that newborns with symptoms of pink eye should be seen by a doctor right away, and its list of reasons to see a healthcare provider: eye pain, light sensitivity, blurred vision that does not improve when discharge is wiped from the eyes, intense eye redness, symptoms that get worse or do not improve, bacterial pink eye that does not improve after 24 hours of antibiotic use, and a weakened immune system. None of the six pages names 911 or gives a list of emergency signs, so the 911 line on the page is ours and is marked ours; a chemical, something stuck in the eye, a blow or a cut is sent to our page When an eye is hurt. The guide then has the common signs and what CDC says suggests a virus (watery discharge, a cold, one eye and then the other), bacteria (thick pus that sticks the eyelids together, sometimes an ear infection), an allergy (both eyes, intense itching) or an irritant, with its line that the cause is sometimes hard to determine; what it says helps at home (cold compresses, artificial tears, washing discharge away with clean hands and a clean, wet washcloth or a fresh cotton ball); treatment by type (antibiotics will not improve viral pink eye, which usually clears up in 7 to 14 days; mild bacterial pink eye may get better without antibiotics, and when a doctor may prescribe drops or ointment); pink eye in a newborn (the causes and types CDC names, the blocked tear duct, the drops or ointment given at birth); how it spreads and CDC’s steps (hands for at least 20 seconds, no shared pillows, washcloths or towels, no swimming pools); its line on going back to school, which gives no number of days; the vaccines for diseases connected to pink eye; and contact lenses, glasses and makeup. It says the pages are written for everyone, give no ages for children, and that it adds none. It says where the English and Spanish pages differ. It names no antibiotic, no eye drop and no brand and gives no amount of any medicine, and it says what the pages do not say (how many days drops are used, how long pink eye stays contagious, anything from the kitchen put in the eye). It builds a list of questions from what you tick, to copy or print, and prints a small card for the call or the visit. It was written with AI; no doctor or nurse has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. It is also on the list at /child-health/, which now has 32 pages.
Open the guide →The 211th free tool: Sore throat in a child: a virus or strep, what helps, and when to call, in English and Spanish
For anyone looking after a child whose throat hurts. It passes on, by name, what three pages of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say: Sore Throat Basics (reviewed April 17, 2024), About Strep Throat (reviewed January 15, 2026) and Testing for Strep Throat or Scarlet Fever (the English page reviewed August 7, 2025; the Spanish page dated March 1, 2024). Every page was read in English and in Spanish on October 10, 2026. The box at the top has CDC’s line to talk to a healthcare provider right away about a child under 3 months old with a fever of 100.4 °F (38 °C) or higher, and its list of reasons to see a healthcare provider, among them difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing and excessive drooling in young children. None of the three pages names 911 or gives a list of emergency signs, so the 911 line on the page is ours and is marked ours. The guide then has the signs CDC says suggest a virus (a cough, a runny nose, hoarseness, pink eye) beside its common symptoms of strep throat, with its line that only around 3 in 10 children with a sore throat have strep throat; CDC’s list of how to feel better, with its ages (no lozenges for children younger than 4 years, honey for a cough only from 1 year of age); its part on over-the-counter medicine and children (only acetaminophen under 6 months, never aspirin, no cough and cold medicine under 4 unless a provider says so); the rapid strep test and the throat culture, and that for children and teens a culture is important after a negative rapid test; what follows a positive test (antibiotics exactly as prescribed, a call if not feeling better after 48 hours, home until there is no fever and antibiotics have been taken for at least 12 to 24 hours); strep carriers; the complications CDC lists; and its steps to keep it from spreading. It says the pages are written for everyone and not only for children. It says where the English and Spanish pages differ (strep throat under age 3 is rare on one and less common on the other) and gives both. It names no antibiotic and no brand, gives no amount of any medicine and no number of days for an antibiotic, because the pages do not, and says what it left out. It builds a list of questions from what you tick, to copy or print, and prints a small card for the call or the visit. It was written with AI; no doctor or nurse has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. It is also on the list at /child-health/, which now has 31 pages.
Open the guide →Your state’s offices: 28 dead links repaired, 10 still marked
Today’s check of every outside link on the site found 38 on Your state, our directory of state offices, that did not open or opened at a different page. We said so on the Sources page before fixing any. Later the same day, 28 of them are repaired, on /your-state/ and /es/tu-estado/. For each one a real browser went to the office’s own website, read the links there, and opened the one for the same office: elections in Iowa, Louisiana, Maine and New Mexico; consumer protection in Arkansas, the District of Columbia, Guam, Maryland, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Utah, American Samoa and Colorado (its Spanish site); five offices in West Virginia, whose state websites were rebuilt; Guam’s welfare and public health divisions; Delaware’s health and social services; South Dakota’s emergency management; and the local-government lists of Colorado and Wyoming. No address was typed or guessed. Until today every link on that page was USAGov’s, copied by a program. These 28 are ours, and each row says so: it names the website where we read the link and prints USAGov’s old address as text, so you can see what was replaced. USAGov’s own directory was read again today and still lists the old addresses. Ten links are not repaired, because we found nothing we could read and open: American Samoa’s election office, Idaho’s county list, the Kansas attorney general’s complaint center, Kentucky Emergency Management, Maryland’s local-government page, Montana’s public health page, New Hampshire’s front page, Puerto Rico’s emergency management agency, the U.S. Virgin Islands’ human services department, and Washington’s local-government page. Some of those websites turn our program away, so they may open for you. Each of the ten carries a note and stays USAGov’s. The Sources page now counts the site after the repairs (4,489 links, 4,408 opened) and lists every repair with the old and the new address. What this does not mean: nobody re-read what the 28 pages say beyond their titles and headings, no state office reviewed them, and offices will move their pages again. Made with AI (Claude); the browser was driven by a program and the AI chose among the links it read, not a person. Also in Spanish (AI-translated, not reviewed by a native speaker).
Find your state’s offices →Sources, checked a second time: 4,494 outside links, and 41 that do not get you where the page says
Five days ago a program opened every outside link on this site, and the Sources page was its record. The site has grown a great deal since, and the record had gone stale, so the whole check was run again today: every link, the old ones and the new. There are now 4,494 outside links on 1,003 websites, from 510 pages in our sitemap. 4,385 opened. 68 turned the program away, so we could not tell. 34 did not open, and 7 open at a different page than the one we meant. Those 41 are named on the page, each with what the program saw. 38 of them are on Your state, our directory of state offices, where state websites have moved their pages; the other three are on the cancer, eye care and tenant screening guides. None has been repaired yet. We are saying so instead of waiting until they are. The page also says what changed since the first check. 2,136 links are new, nearly all of them on the 190 pages added since. And 26 links were taken off the site on purpose: they led to articles of the MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, licensed text that our guides were not allowed to reuse the way they did. That was our mistake; the guides were rewritten from pages we may pass on, and each says what was taken out. Before the check, a second program opened every page in a browser to make sure the list of links was complete. It found 26 places where the list had missed a link, all on the work rights and eviction guides in English and Spanish; 10 addresses were missing from the list altogether. The list was repaired before anything was counted. As before: a link that opens is not proof that the page still says what our guide says, nobody re-read the sources for this, and nobody dialed a phone number. It is a record of one day. Written with AI (Claude); the check was run by programs and its doubtful results were looked at by the AI, not by a person. Also in Spanish (AI-translated, not reviewed by a native speaker).
See every link, and the 41 →The baby log no longer passes on an encyclopedia article
A correction to a tool shipped the day before, in English and Spanish, and the last piece of the same repair made to nine guides. The baby log took three things from a MedlinePlus encyclopedia article: in the box at the top, an instruction to call 911 and begin CPR and a list of signs for contacting a baby’s provider right away, and further down a sentence on how a provider recognizes colic. That article is licensed text, and its publisher’s notice does not allow it to be reused this way, including by AI. We had decided not to lean on such articles and then did; that was our mistake. The three are out. The box now says to call 911 for a baby who is not breathing, cannot be woken, is limp, or has been shaken or hurt, and says that this line is ours, because none of the pages we pass on names 911. It gives the sentence from the Summary of the National Library of Medicine’s own page on common infant and newborn problems: trust your intuition; if you are worried about your baby, call your health care provider right away. For crying it now gives the line of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development: if your infant shows signs of colic, the first step is to consult with your healthcare provider. The list of signs is gone with nothing in its place, because no page we may pass on gives it; the page says so, and says that a missing list is not reassurance. The page no longer mentions CPR. Nothing about the log itself changed: the buttons, the counts, the printed sheet and what is kept on your device are as they were. The Office on Women’s Health diaper chart and the CDC’s line about walking away to calm down are unchanged. No doctor or nurse has reviewed the page, and it still says that.
Open the baby log →The morning sickness guide now rests on OWH, NICHD, CDC and other government pages
A correction to a guide shipped the day before, in English and Spanish, and the ninth of nine. The morning sickness guide took most of its lines from three MedlinePlus encyclopedia articles. Those articles are licensed text, and their publisher’s notice does not allow them to be reused this way, including by AI. We had decided not to lean on them and then did; that was our mistake. Every line from them is out. The guide now passes on, and names beside each line: five pages of the Office on Women’s Health (OWH), three of them new to the guide (stages of pregnancy, twins and other multiples, and staying healthy and safe); NICHD’s page on common complications of pregnancy; the urgent maternal warning signs of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Hear Her campaign, read in English and Spanish; the short Summary of the National Library of Medicine’s own topic page on nausea and vomiting, read in English and Spanish, which is about nausea and vomiting from any cause, as the guide says each time; the vitamin B6 fact sheet of the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements; NCCIH’s page on ginger; and the Food and Drug Administration’s page on medicine and pregnancy. The others were read in English only, and the Spanish guide says so line by line. What changed for a reader. The box at the top now gives the CDC’s warning sign: seek medical care immediately if you are unable to drink for more than 8 hours or eat for more than 24 hours, or cannot keep water or other fluids down; and the National Library of Medicine’s list for contacting a provider immediately, which includes blood in the vomit, vomiting for longer than 24 hours and signs of dehydration. What to eat and drink is now OWH’s short list and the Library’s. Vitamin B6 is now what the Office of Dietary Supplements says, that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends it under a doctor’s care, and the guide no longer gives an amount. Ginger is NCCIH’s account. New: the FDA’s line that cannabis products promoted for morning sickness are not FDA-approved and are sold with unproven claims. Taken out with nothing put in their place, because no page we may pass on says them: the sentences saying that morning sickness that is not severe does not hurt the baby; the week it starts; how many people vomit; the hormone GDF15; tips for taking a prenatal vitamin another way; acupressure wrist bands and acupuncture; the numbers for vomiting per day, hours without fluids and pounds lost that meant a call; who the severe form is more likely for; and what a provider asks and tests at a visit. The part called “Is it hurting my baby?” is shorter and less reassuring than it was, and says why; that is not a sign that anything is wrong. Each part of the guide carries a dated note saying what went, and the note at the foot of the page lists it all. It was written with AI, no doctor, nurse, midwife or dietitian has reviewed it, and no native speaker has reviewed the Spanish.
Open the guide →The breastfeeding guide now rests on OWH, CDC and WIC pages
A correction to a guide shipped the day before, in English and Spanish, and the eighth of nine. The breastfeeding guide took most of its lines from four MedlinePlus encyclopedia articles. Those articles are licensed text, and their publisher’s notice does not allow them to be reused this way, including by AI. We had decided not to lean on them and then did; that was our mistake. Every line from them is out. The guide now passes on, and names beside each line: four pages and the helpline page of the Office on Women’s Health (OWH), with its page on weaning new to the guide; eight pages from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), seven of them new to the guide (how much and how often to breastfeed, weaning, and five written for health care providers, which the guide says: diet, alcohol, tobacco and e-cigarettes, prescription medicines, and the rare times breastfeeding is not recommended); seven pages of WIC Breastfeeding Support, six of them new (engorgement, sore nipples, nutrition, alcohol, drugs and smoking, when breastfeeding isn’t working, and combination feeding); the Department of Labor’s Pump at Work page; and the short Summary of the National Library of Medicine’s own breastfeeding topic page, read in English and Spanish. All the others were read in English only, and the Spanish guide says so line by line. What changed for a reader. The box at the top now gives OWH’s signs of a breast infection and its line to ask your doctor for help if you have a fever, and one new line from WIC: if your baby ever has problems breathing, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. The numbers for caffeine and alcohol are no longer the articles’. The CDC says about 300 milligrams of caffeine or less a day, about 2 to 3 cups of coffee, usually does not affect the baby; WIC says up to 2 cups. On alcohol the CDC says not drinking is the safest option, that up to one standard drink in a day is not known to be harmful, and that the mother can wait at least 2 hours after a single drink; WIC says a single drink once in a while, only once the baby is at least 3 months old, and a wait of at least 4 hours. The two differ, and the guide gives both. Engorgement is now WIC’s and OWH’s account, thrush is OWH’s and WIC’s, and stopping is the CDC’s (over several weeks or more, one feeding at a time). Taken out with nothing put in their place, because no page we may pass on says them: how rare low milk supply is; lines on dry skin, bra fabric and an oil for sore nipples; what to give a teething baby; the articles’ list of when to contact a provider about a breast infection, and their lines on antibiotics and abscess; an amount of fluid to drink; hepatitis B and C; getting pregnant while breastfeeding; a narrower account of the pump-at-work law; and the articles’ sentences of comfort about formula. In place of those last sentences the guide now says, marked as ours and not as a medical statement, that needing or choosing formula is not a failure. Each part of the guide carries a dated note saying what went, and the note at the foot of the page lists it all. It was written with AI, no doctor, nurse, midwife or lactation consultant has reviewed it, and no native speaker has reviewed the Spanish.
Open the guide →The crying baby guide now rests on five CDC pages, two NICHD pages and one National Library of Medicine summary
A correction to a guide shipped the day before, in English and Spanish, and the seventh of nine. The guide for a baby who will not stop crying took most of its lines from four MedlinePlus encyclopedia articles. Those articles are licensed text, and their publisher’s notice does not allow them to be reused this way, including by AI. We had decided not to lean on them and then did; that was our mistake. Every line from them is out. The guide now passes on eight pages and says which page each line is from. Five are from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): About Abusive Head Trauma and Providing Care for Babies to Sleep Safely, which the guide already used, and three that are new to it: Positive Parenting Tips for infants, Milestones by 2 Months, and Signs Your Child Is Hungry or Full. Two are from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD): its Safe to Sleep page, now read in Spanish as well as English, and the Colic section of its page on the basics of infant health, which is new to the guide and was last reviewed in 2021. The eighth is the Summary of the National Library of Medicine’s topic page on common infant and newborn problems. What changed for a reader. The box at the top no longer gives a list of signs for calling a provider at once: that list was the articles’. It now gives the National Library of Medicine’s line (trust your intuition; if you are worried about your baby, call your health care provider right away) and the CDC’s (if the baby won’t stop crying, check for signs of illness, and call the doctor if you think the child is sick). None of the eight pages names 911, so every 911 line is marked as ours. The part on what to check is now built on what the CDC says about hunger (crying is often a late sign of hunger, with the signs that come before it), about a baby who needs a break, and about illness; the articles’ list of reasons a baby cries and their steps for going over a baby’s body are gone. Colic is now NICHD’s account: it usually starts between 2 and 4 weeks of age, will likely improve or disappear by 3 or 4 months, has no definite explanation, could be a sign of a medical problem, and the first step is to consult the baby’s provider. The list of things to try is shorter: holding (the CDC says you will not spoil your baby by holding or responding), rocking, your voice, a pacifier or fingers, a walk or a drive, and swaddling with NICHD’s limits. The steps for the worst minute did not change, because they were always the CDC’s: put the baby in a safe place, walk away, check back every five to 10 minutes, and call someone. Taken out with nothing put in their place, because no page we may pass on says them: how many hours of crying is usual; how short a shaking can injure, the signs of a shaken baby and the first-aid steps; time limits for calling about crying; and several lines about sleep. The guide says plainly that these are gone, that a missing list is not reassurance, and to call the baby’s provider, or 911, for anything frightening. Each part of the guide, the box at the top and the closing note carry a dated line saying what changed. In Spanish, more of the guide now follows pages published in Spanish, and fewer lines are our own translation. Two more guides published the same afternoon lean on the same kind of article and are next. Written with AI (Claude). Not reviewed by a clinician.
Open the guide →The vomiting and diarrhea guide now rests on six NIDDK pages and three CDC pages
A correction to a guide shipped the day before, in English and Spanish, and the sixth of nine. The guide to vomiting and diarrhea in a baby or child took most of its lines from five MedlinePlus encyclopedia articles. Those articles are licensed text, and their publisher’s notice does not allow them to be reused this way, including by AI. We had decided not to lean on them and then did; that was our mistake. Every line from them is out. The guide now passes on nine pages, each read in English and in Spanish, and says which page each line is from: three pages on diarrhea from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), last reviewed in September 2024 and new to the guide; its three older pages on viral gastroenteritis, last reviewed in May 2018, which the guide already used; and three pages from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), also new: About Norovirus, How to Prevent Norovirus, and About Rotavirus. What changed for a reader. The guide no longer gives any amount of liquid to drink, by the spoonful or the ounce: those amounts were the articles’, and no page we may pass on gives one for a child. What it gives instead is NIDDK’s line (if vomiting is a problem, try sipping small amounts of clear liquids) and a question to put to the child’s provider about how much and how often. The line for the youngest babies is different: the articles said to call for a baby under 3 months with diarrhea; NIDDK says to seek a doctor’s help right away if the child has diarrhea and is younger than 12 months, was born prematurely, or has a history of other medical conditions. The hours without a wet diaper are now one number, NIDDK’s 3 hours or more, where the guide used to set 3, 6 and 8 side by side. The box at the top no longer gives a list of signs for calling 911: that list was the articles’. None of the nine pages names 911, so the one 911 line in the box is marked as ours, and the rest of the box is NIDDK’s list of when to talk with a doctor right away. New in the guide: CDC’s own steps for cleaning up after someone vomits or has diarrhea (gloves, paper towels, the bleach mixture and how long to leave it, hot-water laundry), in place of an older summary of them; CDC’s line that hand sanitizer does not work well against norovirus, set beside NIDDK’s line about using sanitizer when there is no soap and water; CDC’s line about staying home for 2 days (48 hours) after symptoms stop, with a note on what it does and does not cover; and three places where NIDDK’s older and newer pages differ, each given both ways: what to give a child to drink, probiotics, and the timing of the rotavirus vaccine. Taken out with nothing put in their place, because no page we may pass on says them: how to tell diarrhea from a baby’s usual stools; how to mix formula; diaper rash; lists of mild foods and of foods to avoid; frozen pops, gelatin and juice; salt tablets; the signs the articles gave for an emergency room, such as blood or dark material in vomit; and a line about COVID-19. The guide says plainly that these are gone and to ask the child’s provider, or to call if something is frightening. Each part of the guide, the box at the top and the closing note carry a dated line saying what changed. Three more guides published the same afternoon lean on the same kind of article and are next. Written with AI (Claude). Not reviewed by a clinician.
Open the guide →The fever guide now rests on the National Library of Medicine, NINDS, CDC and the FDA
A correction to a guide shipped the day before, in English and Spanish, and the fifth of nine. The guide to a fever in a baby or child took almost all of its lines from four MedlinePlus encyclopedia articles. Those articles are licensed text, and their publisher’s notice does not allow them to be reused this way, including by AI. We had decided not to lean on them and then did; that was our mistake. Every line from them is out. We did not find one federal page we may pass on that is a guide to fever in a child, so the guide is now built from nine pages and says which page each line is from: the Summary of the Fever health topic page, which the National Library of Medicine itself writes; Febrile Seizures, from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), read this time in Spanish as well as English; five pages from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Signs and Symptoms of Flu, Ear Infection Basics, Manage Common Cold, Preventing Spread of Respiratory Viruses When You’re Sick, and Febrile Seizures and Vaccines; and two from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Should You Give Kids Medicine for Coughs and Colds? and Non-contact Infrared Thermometers. Two of these were found only in English, and the Spanish guide says so where it uses them. Most of these pages were written about the flu, a cold or an ear infection, not about fever alone, and the guide says that each time. What changed for a reader. The box at the top no longer gives a list of signs for calling 911: that list was the articles’. In its place is CDC’s list of emergency warning signs in children, from its flu page, which says people with these signs should obtain medical care right away: fast breathing or trouble breathing, bluish lips or face, ribs pulling in with each breath, chest pain, a child who is not alert or interacting when awake, seizures, dehydration, a fever above 104 degrees Fahrenheit that is not controlled by fever-reducing medicine, and, in children younger than 12 weeks, any fever. None of the pages names 911, so every 911 line in the guide is marked as ours. For the youngest babies the guide now gives three lines side by side: CDC’s ear infection page (under 3 months old with a fever of 100.4°F or higher: talk to a healthcare provider right away), the FDA (100.4 degrees or higher in an infant 2 months or younger: call a doctor) and CDC’s flu page (younger than 12 weeks, any fever). The medicine ages are now CDC’s: children younger than 6 months, only acetaminophen; never aspirin for children. The part on a seizure with a fever is now NINDS’s and CDC’s: note the start time, do not restrain the child, nothing in the mouth, and an ambulance if it lasts longer than five minutes. Taken out with nothing put in their place, because no page we may pass on says them: a fever number for each place a temperature is taken and the steps for taking one; a comparison of thermometers; how high a fever usually goes and when it can do harm; teething; a list of signs that an illness is probably mild; how to dress a child with a fever, the room and baths; what to give to drink and eat; the ages and hours in the old lists of when to call; and several lines about a seizure. The guide says plainly that these are gone and to ask the child’s provider; the question builder has a question for it. Each part of the guide, the box at the top and the closing note carry a dated line saying what changed. Four more guides published the same afternoon lean on the same kind of article and are next. Written with AI (Claude). Not reviewed by a clinician.
Open the guide →
The cough and cold guide now rests on FDA and CDC
A correction to a guide shipped earlier the same day, in English and Spanish, and the fourth of nine. The guide to a cough or a cold in a baby or child took most of its lines from four MedlinePlus encyclopedia articles. Those articles are licensed text, and their publisher’s notice does not allow them to be reused this way, including by AI. We had decided not to lean on them and then did; that was our mistake. The guide now passes on five pages, each read in English and in Spanish: the Food and Drug Administration’s Should You Give Kids Medicine for Coughs and Colds?, which it already used, and four pages from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) read for this change: About Common Cold, Manage Common Cold, Hygiene and Respiratory Viruses Prevention, and Preventing Spread of Respiratory Viruses When You’re Sick. What changed for a reader. The box at the top no longer gives a list of signs for calling 911: that list was the articles’. In its place is CDC’s line: if you have an emergency warning sign (like trouble breathing or chest pain), seek emergency medical care immediately. CDC’s page gives those two examples and does not name 911, so the 911 line in the box (a child who is struggling to breathe, or whose lips are blue) is marked as ours. The line to contact the provider right away for a cough in a baby under 3 months was also the articles’; no page we may pass on has it, and the guide now says, in a line marked ours, to call the provider and ask. The FDA’s list of when to call a doctor is unchanged. Beside it is CDC’s list of when to seek medical care: trouble breathing or fast breathing; dehydration; a fever that lasts longer than 4 days; symptoms that last more than 10 days without getting better; symptoms, such as fever or cough, that improve then return or worsen; and chronic medical conditions that get worse. CDC says its list is not all-inclusive. The age lines for cough and cold medicine are now three: not under 2 (FDA), not under 4 (the labels, as the FDA gives them), and not recommended under 6 (CDC). Added from CDC’s pages: colds usually last less than a week; its list of signs and of what a respiratory virus may lead to; that the viruses of flu, COVID-19 and RSV can look like a cold, and that infants are among those at increased risk from them; honey for a cough only for children at least 1 year old, and never for a baby younger than 1; no lozenges for children younger than 4; steam from a shower (the FDA’s page says cool mist and not warm mist, and the guide gives both); covering coughs, washing hands and cleaning surfaces; and when to go back to normal activities: when, for at least 24 hours, symptoms are getting better overall and there has been no fever without fever-reducing medicine. The aspirin line is now CDC’s, from its page on ear infections. Taken out with nothing put in their place: a second emergency-room list; a long list of reasons to call about a cough; how long a cough or a runny nose can go on after a cold; what the color of mucus means; on which days a cold spreads most; how long to wash hands; smoke in the home; salt-water rinses; an age for hard sweets; supplements; and a line on breastfeeding. The questions the guide builds for a call or visit came mostly from one of the articles; the twelve there now are our own. Four parts of the guide, the box at the top and the closing note carry a dated line saying what changed. Five more guides published the same afternoon lean on the same kind of article and are next. Written with AI (Claude). Not reviewed by a clinician.
Open the guide →The ear infection guide now rests on CDC and NIDCD
A correction to a guide shipped earlier the same day, in English and Spanish, and the third of nine. The guide to ear infection in a baby or child took most of its lines from two MedlinePlus encyclopedia articles. Those articles are licensed text, and their publisher’s notice does not allow them to be reused this way, including by AI. We had decided not to lean on them and then did; that was our mistake. The guide now passes on two pages, each read in English and in Spanish: Ear Infections in Children, from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), which it already used, and Ear Infection Basics, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), read for this change. What changed for a reader. The box at the top no longer says that a baby younger than 6 months with a fever or signs of an ear infection should be seen: that line was the articles’. In its place is CDC’s line: talk to a healthcare provider right away if your child is under 3 months old with a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher. The box’s list of signs is now CDC’s list of when to seek medical care: a fever of 102.2°F (39°C) or higher; pus, discharge, or fluid coming from the ear; worsening symptoms; symptoms that last for more than 2 to 3 days; and hearing loss. CDC says its list is not all-inclusive. The articles’ signs (swelling near the ear, strong pain that stops all at once, and new headache, dizziness or changes in the face) are on neither page we may pass on, so they are no longer given as a source’s list; the guide says they were taken out and, in a line marked ours, says to call your child’s provider if you see them. Taken out with nothing put in their place: a second list of signs in infants and in older children; the lists of what can block the eustachian tube and of other risk factors; a second list of ways to lower the chances; a warm cloth, a cold pack, chewing, resting sitting up and what to do on a plane; when ear drops may be used; when an antibiotic is more likely and the side effects of antibiotics; the counts of ear infections at which ear tubes are brought up; lines on tonsils and on a small daily antibiotic; what was said about hearing and speech afterwards; and the rare complications. Added from CDC’s page: its short list of signs; its list for feeling better (rest, extra fluids, over-the-counter medicine for pain or fever); watchful waiting and a delayed prescription, each for 2 to 3 days; that severe infections, or ones that last longer than 2 to 3 days, need antibiotics right away; its lines on reading the label and asking about the dose; that its line on pain relievers is different for children younger than 6 months (the names are left out, as before); its ages for cough and cold medicines; and its list of ways to help prevent ear infections. What stays is NIDCD’s: the list for a child too young to say “My ear hurts”, the three kinds, why children get more ear infections than adults, finishing an antibiotic and the follow-up visit, fluid for three to six weeks, ear tubes and adenoids, and what happens at the visit. Four parts of the guide, the box at the top and the closing note carry a dated line saying what changed. NIDCD’s text is from 2013 and the guide says so. Six more guides published the same afternoon lean on the same kind of article and are next. Written with AI (Claude). Not reviewed by a clinician.
Open the guide →The bedwetting guide now rests on NIDDK only
A correction to a guide shipped earlier the same day, in English and Spanish, and the second of nine. The guide to bedwetting took many of its lines from a MedlinePlus encyclopedia article. Those articles are licensed text, and their publisher’s notice does not allow them to be reused this way, including by AI. We had decided not to lean on them and then did; that was our mistake. The guide now passes on only what five pages of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) say, each read in English and in Spanish. What changed for a reader. The box at the top no longer has the line to contact the provider right away for pain when urinating, a fever, or blood in the urine: it came from the article. In its place is NIDDK’s own line: pain or burning when urinating, bloody urine and fever are on its list of symptoms of a bladder infection, and for symptoms of a bladder or kidney infection, or a fever without a clear cause, it says to see a health care professional within 24 hours. The box also gains NIDDK’s line on dribbling or a weak stream of urine. Taken out with nothing put in their place: a second set of numbers on how many children are dry by age 5; “more than twice a month” as a way of counting; a list of less common physical causes; a second list of steps for the evening; the advice to reward dry nights (NIDDK says to reward following the program, rather than staying dry, and that is what the guide now says); what to write in a diary; where alarms are bought, and the schedule of three dry weeks and two more before stopping one; a line on using an alarm and medicine together; a line about calling when home care has not worked; and the line to tell the provider about every wet night. The sentence saying that it is no one’s fault was the article’s; the guide now gives NIDDK’s words instead: children almost never wet the bed on purpose, and loss of urine is almost never due to laziness, a strong will, emotional problems, or poor toilet training. What stays is NIDDK’s: its table of how many children wet the bed by age, the causes, the habits, the ways to make nights easier, the plan with rewards, how alarms work and its three to four months, what it says about medicine with the names left out, the part on daytime wetting, and its lists of when to see a health care professional. Four parts of the guide and its closing note carry a dated line saying what changed. NIDDK’s pages were last reviewed in September 2017 and the guide says so. Seven more guides published the same afternoon lean on the same kind of article and are next. Written with AI (Claude). Not reviewed by a clinician.
Open the guide →The constipation guide now rests on NIDDK only, and its part about babies is shorter
A correction to a guide shipped earlier the same day, in English and Spanish. The guide to constipation in a baby or child took many of its lines from a MedlinePlus encyclopedia article. Those articles are licensed text, and their publisher’s notice does not allow them to be reused this way, including by AI. We had already decided not to lean on them, corrected thirteen older guides for that reason this morning, and then used them again in the afternoon. That was our mistake. This guide now passes on only what five pages of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) say, each read in English and in Spanish. What changed for a reader: the lines about babies are gone, because they all came from the article: what is usual for a baby by age, why babies strain, the juice amounts and foods for a baby, and the lines about a baby under 2 months and a baby who has gone 3 days without a stool. NIDDK says only a few things about infants (their bowel movements change a lot in the first weeks and months; there are no fiber guidelines under 1 year; the doctor can say what an infant should eat), so the part for babies is now short, says plainly what the pages do not give, and has one line marked as ours: for a baby in the first months, call the baby’s provider and ask before trying anything at home. Also taken out: a second list of signs, “less than 3 a week”, a second list of foods to avoid, the lines on stool softeners, suppositories and enemas, and the line about holding back to resist toilet training. What stays is NIDDK’s: its symptoms, its list of signs that mean a doctor right away, why children hold it in, fiber and liquids, potty training, the line that a child should not be given a laxative unless a doctor says so, and the questions a doctor is likely to ask. Both pages carry a dated note saying what changed. Eight more guides published the same afternoon, on pregnancy, babies and children, lean on the same kind of article and are next. Written with AI (Claude). Not reviewed by a clinician.
Open the guide →The 210th free tool: Cough or cold in a baby or child: what helps, the medicine ages, and when to call, in English and Spanish
For anyone looking after a baby or child with a cough or a cold. It passes on, by name, what four pages of the MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (Common cold; How to treat the common cold at home; Cough; Colds and the flu: what to ask your doctor, child) and the Food and Drug Administration’s Consumer Update Should You Give Kids Medicine for Coughs and Colds? say; every page was read in English and in Spanish. The box at the top has MedlinePlus’s line to call 911 for shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, or hives or a swollen face or throat with difficulty swallowing; the FDA’s signs to call a doctor, among them blue lips, labored breathing, a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher in an infant 2 months or younger and of 102 or higher at any age; MedlinePlus’s line to contact the provider right away for an infant younger than 3 months who has a cough; and the age lines for cough and cold medicine. The guide then has what a cold looks like and how long it lasts; the FDA’s tips for infants and children (liquids, a cool mist humidifier and not a warm mist one, saline, suctioning the nose of a child younger than a year); each page’s own age line for over-the-counter cough and cold medicine (the FDA does not recommend it under 2, the labels and MedlinePlus say not under 4, and MedlinePlus says to ask the provider first for ages 4 to 6 on one page and 6 or younger on another), with the FDA’s points on reading the label, not doubling a drug, measuring with the tool that comes with the medicine, and homeopathic products; a part for babies and children under 2; a part on the cough; a part on keeping a cold from spreading; and the lists of when to call, each under the page it comes from. It says that only the FDA page and the question list are written about children, that the other three MedlinePlus pages are written for all ages, and where it uses them. It says where the pages differ and does not pick one. It names acetaminophen, ibuprofen and aspirin only where the pages’ own lines about children name them, names no cough or cold medicine and no brand, gives no amount of any medicine, and says what it left out (among other things RSV, croup and whooping cough, which these pages do not cover, and when a child can go back to school). It builds a list of questions from what you tick, most of them from MedlinePlus’s list, to copy or print, and prints a small card for the call or the visit. It was written with AI; no doctor or nurse has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. Update, later the same day: the four MedlinePlus pages were encyclopedia articles whose publisher does not allow their text to be reused. Every line from them has been taken out of the guide, which now passes on the FDA page and four CDC pages; see the entry “The cough and cold guide now rests on FDA and CDC”.
Open the guide →A baby or child: find the right page, the pages for a baby or child on one list
New at /child-health/ (and in Spanish at /es/salud-infantil/): one page that lists 29 pages on this site for anyone looking after a baby or child, sorted by what is going on: something happening right now (the first-aid pages), fever, tummy, ears and wet beds, the first year with a baby, school, child care, custody and keeping a child safe, and three tools for before a call or a visit. Pick one and it opens; a box at the top narrows the list as you type. Each line on the list is copied from the description of the page it points to, so the list adds no health facts of its own. The box at the top says to call 911 if you think a child’s life is in danger and gives the Poison Help number from our poisoning page. Nine baby and child guides now carry a line that points back to the list. The page keeps nothing and sends nothing, and runs no analytics. It is a list, not a new tool, so the count of tools stays at 209. Written with AI (Claude); it is not medical advice and no doctor or nurse has reviewed it. Checked by programs, not yet used by people. The Spanish was translated by AI and not reviewed by a native speaker.
Find the right page →The 209th free tool: Bedwetting: what helps, what doesn’t, and when to call, in English and Spanish
For anyone looking after a child who wets the bed. It passes on, by name, what MedlinePlus’s Bedwetting page and five sections of Bladder Control Problems & Bedwetting in Children from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) say; every page was read in English and in Spanish. The box at the top has MedlinePlus’s line to contact the provider right away for pain with urination, fever, or blood in the urine, NIDDK’s line to see a health care professional within 24 hours for symptoms of a bladder or kidney infection, what both say about a child who was dry for months and is wet again, and what both say about fault and punishment: NIDDK says children almost never wet the bed on purpose, MedlinePlus says it is not the child’s or the parent’s fault, and both say punishment does not help. The guide then has NIDDK’s table of how many children wet the bed at ages 5, 6, 7 and 15 and the chances when a parent wet the bed; the causes each page lists; each page’s list of habits, with NIDDK’s ways to make the nights easier and its line not to make a habit of waking a child at night; how alarms work and each page’s own numbers for how long; what the pages say about medicine, with the names left out; a part on wetting in the daytime; a part on how a child feels, what not to do and what to say; and the lists of when to call, each under the page it comes from. It says that the pages give no signs for calling 911 for bedwetting and makes none up. It says where the pages differ: on how often counts as bedwetting, on whether to reward dry nights or following a program, on how long to use an alarm, and on whether every episode should be told to the provider. It says NIDDK’s pages were last reviewed in September 2017 and MedlinePlus’s in January 2026. It builds a list of questions from what you tick, to copy or print, and prints a small card for the call or the visit. It names no medicine and gives no amount of any medicine, and it says what it left out. It was written with AI; no doctor or nurse has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. Update, later on October 9, 2026: the MedlinePlus page was an encyclopedia article we should not have used, and every line from it has been taken out; the guide now rests on the five NIDDK pages only. See the entry “The bedwetting guide now rests on NIDDK only”.
Open the guide →The 208th free tool: Ear infection in a baby or child: what helps, and when to call, in English and Spanish
For anyone looking after a baby or child whose ear hurts. It passes on, by name, what two MedlinePlus pages (Ear infection - acute, and Earache) and one page of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) say; every page was read in English and in Spanish. The box at the top has MedlinePlus’s lines on a baby younger than 6 months with a fever, its list of reasons to contact a provider (swelling behind the ear, a high fever or severe pain, severe pain that suddenly stops, new symptoms such as severe headache, dizziness or twitching of the face muscles), the line that ear drops are only for an eardrum that has not ruptured, and the warning not to give aspirin to children. The guide then has each page’s own list of signs, including NIDCD’s list for a child too young to say “My ear hurts”; why children get ear infections and each page’s list of what lowers the chances; a part for babies under 6 months; each page’s list of things to try at home for the pain; why a doctor may watch and wait before giving an antibiotic, what the pages say about finishing one, and what to do if it does not seem to be working; fluid and hearing afterwards, ear tubes and adenoids; and the lists of when to call, each under the page it comes from. It says that the pages give no signs for calling 911 for an ear infection and makes none up. It says where the pages differ: NIDCD puts tugging at the ear first on its list and MedlinePlus says it is not always a sign; one MedlinePlus page says a warm cloth and the other a cold pack; NIDCD, whose text is from 2013, says many doctors will prescribe an antibiotic, and MedlinePlus says most providers don’t prescribe one for every ear infection; fluid is gone in three to six weeks, or stays for weeks or even months; and MedlinePlus says to avoid pacifiers where the safe-sleep pages in our crying-baby guide say to offer one. It builds a list of questions from what you tick, to copy or print, and prints a small card for the call or the visit. It names no medicine except aspirin (in the warning) and gives no amount of any medicine, and it says what it left out. It was written with AI; no doctor, nurse or pharmacist has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. Update, later the same day: the two MedlinePlus pages were encyclopedia articles whose publisher does not allow their text to be reused. Every line from them has been taken out of the guide, which now passes on one CDC page and the NIDCD page; see the entry “The ear infection guide now rests on CDC and NIDCD”.
Open the guide →The 207th free tool: Constipation in a baby or child: what helps, and when to call, in English and Spanish
For anyone looking after a baby or child who may be constipated. It passes on, by name, what one MedlinePlus page and five pages of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) say; every page was read in English and in Spanish. The box at the top has NIDDK’s list of signs that mean a doctor right away (bleeding from the rectum, blood in the stool, bloating, constant pain in the abdomen, vomiting, weight loss), MedlinePlus’s lines on a baby who has gone 3 days without a stool and on a baby younger than 2 months, and the line that a laxative or an enema is not for a child unless the provider says so. The guide then has what is normal for a baby (MedlinePlus says straining, crying and a red face do not mean constipation, and that soft bowel movements likely mean no problem); each page’s own list of signs; why children hold it in; a part for babies under 1; food and drink, with NIDDK’s sources of fiber and each page’s list of foods to avoid; the toilet and potty training (both sources say to pause it); what the pages say about laxatives, stool softeners, suppositories and enemas, with no product named; and the lists of when to call, each under the page it comes from, with the questions a doctor is likely to ask. It says that the pages give no signs for calling 911 for constipation and makes none up. It says where the pages differ: fewer than two bowel movements a week or less than 3; blood in the stool as “right away” or as “contact your provider”; two different lists of foods to avoid. It repeats MedlinePlus’s amount of fruit juice for a baby over 2 months and NIDDK’s grams of fiber in their own words, and says what is right for your child is the provider’s to say. It says the NIDDK pages were last reviewed in May 2018. It builds a list of questions from what you tick, to copy or print, and prints a small card for the call or the visit. It names no brand and no medicine, and it says what it left out. It was written with AI; no doctor, nurse or pharmacist has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. Update, later on October 9, 2026: the MedlinePlus page was an encyclopedia article we should not have used, and every line from it has been taken out; the guide now rests on the five NIDDK pages only. See the entry “The constipation guide now rests on NIDDK only”.
Open the guide →The 206th free tool: Vomiting and diarrhea in a baby or child: fluids, and when to call, in English and Spanish
For anyone looking after a baby or child who is throwing up or has diarrhea, at any hour. It passes on, by name, what five MedlinePlus pages and three pages of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) say; every page was read in English and in Spanish. The box at the top has the signs that mean 911, MedlinePlus’s line that a baby under 3 months old with diarrhea needs a call to the provider, the signs of dehydration, how to give liquid a little at a time, and the line that diarrhea medicine is not for a child unless the provider says so. The guide then has each page’s own list of the signs of dehydration; drinking, with the pages’ own amounts of liquid; a part for babies under 1 (breast milk or formula as usual, how to tell diarrhea from normal baby stools, diaper rash); eating; what the pages say about medicine, with no medicine named; how to keep it from spreading (hands, surfaces, laundry, food); and the full lists of when to call the doctor or 911, each under the page it comes from. It says where the pages differ and gives each one: 3, 6 or 8 hours without a wet diaper; whether watered-down juice, broth and gelatin are fine or not; sports drinks; a bland diet or the usual food; one day or several before a call. It says the NIDDK pages were last reviewed in May 2018. It builds a list of questions from what you tick, to copy or print, and prints a small card for the call or the visit. It names no brand and no medicine, and it says what it left out. It was written with AI; no doctor, nurse or pharmacist has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. Update, the next day: the five MedlinePlus pages were encyclopedia articles whose publisher does not allow their text to be reused. Every line from them has been taken out of the guide, which now passes on six pages of NIDDK and three of CDC; see the entry “The vomiting and diarrhea guide now rests on six NIDDK pages and three CDC pages”.
Open the guide →The 205th free tool: Fever in a baby or child: when to call, and what helps, in English and Spanish
For anyone looking after a baby or child with a fever, at any hour. It passes on, by name, what four MedlinePlus pages and one page of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke say. The box at the top has MedlinePlus’s signs that mean 911, its line that a baby younger than 3 months with a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher needs a call to the provider or a trip to the emergency room, what to do during a seizure, and what not to do (no cold baths, ice or alcohol rubs; no aspirin for a child unless the provider says so). The guide then has which number counts as a fever depending on where it was taken, and how to take a temperature; what a fever is and is not, and the five things MedlinePlus says to look for in the child; comfort at home; eating and drinking, with the two signs to call about; what the two fever pages say about which medicine and for whom, with no amounts; a seizure with a fever, step by step; and the full lists of when to call the doctor or 911. It says where the pages differ (at exactly 3 months, at exactly 6 months, 24 or 48 hours, five minutes or several) and gives both. It points babies under 1 to the safe sleep part of the crying-baby guide, because the fever pages mention a blanket and the CDC says to keep blankets out of a baby’s sleep area. It builds a list of questions from what you tick, to copy or print, and prints a small card for the call or the visit. It names no brand and gives no amount of any medicine, and it says what it left out. It was written with AI; no doctor, nurse or pharmacist has reviewed it, and no native speaker has read the Spanish: the page says both. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. Update, the next day: the four MedlinePlus pages were encyclopedia articles whose publisher does not allow their text to be reused. Every line from them has been taken out of the guide, which now passes on the National Library of Medicine’s own summary, NINDS, CDC and the FDA; see the entry “The fever guide now rests on the National Library of Medicine, NINDS, CDC and the FDA”.
Open the guide →The 204th free tool: Baby log: feeds, diapers, sleep and crying, kept on your own device, in English and Spanish
For the first weeks with a baby, when nobody remembers at three in the morning when the last feed was, and at the checkup someone asks how many wet diapers there were. Six large buttons: a feed at the breast, a bottle, a wet diaper, a dirty diaper, a sleep, a stretch of crying. One tap keeps it with the time it is now. Above the buttons the page says how long it has been since the last feed, the last wet diaper and the last dirty one, and it keeps counting while the page is open. Under them you can add how long something lasted, how much was in a bottle (ounces or milliliters), something from earlier, or a note. The page counts each of the last 7 days and prints a one-week sheet with your notes and room for your questions. It passes on, by name, the Office on Women’s Health chart of wet diapers and bowel movements in a baby’s first week, and it does not compare your counts with that chart: it does not know how old your baby is, and it never says whether a baby is getting enough. It has no alarm and cannot remind you. It is not shared: two people on two phones keep two separate logs, and the page says so. There is no account and no server; the entries stay in the browser on your device, and one button erases them. It was written with AI, no doctor, nurse or lactation consultant has reviewed it, and it says that too. It loads no tracking. The Free tools page now counts two hundred and four.
Open the baby log →The 203rd free tool: Crying baby: when the crying won’t stop, in English and Spanish
For anyone looking after a baby who will not stop crying, at any hour: a parent, a partner, a grandparent, a sitter. It passes on, by name, what MedlinePlus, the CDC and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development say. The box at the top is for the worst minute: the CDC says to put the baby in a safe place and walk away to calm down, and to check on the baby every five to 10 minutes; MedlinePlus says never to shake a baby, because harm can come from as little as 5 seconds of shaking. The guide then has why babies cry and what to check from head to toe; colic, when it starts and when it ends; the things the pages suggest trying, each with what the safe sleep pages say about it; what to do when you reach your limit, and what the people beside you can do; the signs of a shaken baby and the call to 911; the signs that mean a call to the baby’s provider; and safe sleep for the moment the baby finally falls asleep on you. It says where the sources differ (a blanket in the crib, a pacifier for a breastfed baby, sharing a bed) and which one it follows. It builds a list of questions from what you tick, to copy or print, and prints a small card for the visit. It names no medicine and gives no figures on deaths, and it says what it left out. It was written with AI, no doctor, nurse or child-care expert has reviewed it, and it says that too. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. The Free tools page now counts two hundred and three. Update, the next day: the four MedlinePlus pages were encyclopedia articles whose publisher does not allow their text to be reused. Every line from them has been taken out of the guide, including the 5-seconds line and the signs of a shaken baby; see the entry “The crying baby guide now rests on five CDC pages, two NICHD pages and one National Library of Medicine summary”.
Open the guide →The 202nd free tool: Breastfeeding: when it hurts, or you’re not sure it’s working, in English and Spanish
For anyone who is breastfeeding or trying to, in the first days or months in, and for the people beside them. It passes on, by name, what MedlinePlus, the Office on Women’s Health, the CDC, WIC Breastfeeding Support and the Department of Labor say: the signs that a baby is getting enough, with the first-week diaper chart; what does not mean low supply; sore nipples and the latch; engorgement, a plugged duct, and a breast infection, with the signs that mean you should call; what the pages say about food, caffeine, alcohol, smoking, medicines and birth control; pumping, and how long milk keeps at room temperature, in the refrigerator and in the freezer; the federal right to break time and a private space to pump at work; and what the sources say about formula, doing both, and stopping, including a sentence of comfort from MedlinePlus about not breastfeeding. It gives the free National Women’s Health and Breastfeeding Helpline as its own page describes it. It builds a list of questions from what you tick, to copy or print, and prints a small card for the visit. It names no medicine and gives no price, and it leaves out two lines that press the reader without adding a fact, and says so. It was written with AI, no doctor, nurse, midwife or lactation consultant has reviewed it, and it says that too. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. The Free tools page now counts two hundred and two. Update, October 10, 2026: the lines that came from four MedlinePlus encyclopedia articles were taken out the next day, and the guide now rests on other pages; see the entry “The breastfeeding guide now rests on OWH, CDC and WIC pages”.
Open the guide →The 201st free tool: Morning sickness: when pregnancy nausea won’t let up, in English and Spanish
For anyone who is pregnant and feels sick, some of the day or all of it, and for the people looking after them. It passes on, by name, what government health pages say: that morning sickness is common and can come at any time of day; when it tends to ease; what to eat and drink, in small amounts and often; smells; the severe form, hyperemesis gravidarum; the signs that mean you should get care, each list as its page gives it; and treatment, from vitamin B6 to fluids through an IV. It builds a list of questions from what you tick, to copy or print, and prints a small card for the visit. It names no medicine, and says so. It was written with AI, no doctor, nurse or midwife has reviewed it, and it says that too. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. The Free tools page now counts two hundred and one. Update, October 10, 2026: the lines that came from three MedlinePlus encyclopedia articles were taken out the next day, and the guide now rests on other pages; see the entry “The morning sickness guide now rests on OWH, NICHD, CDC and other government pages”.
Open the guide →Free tools: a short list you can scan
The Free tools page shows two hundred cards, and on a phone that was a very long scroll. The cards can now be shown as a short list: each title and the start of what it does, with the star to keep it at the top. Phones start with the short list; wider screens start with the full cards. A switch above the cards changes it either way, and the choice is not saved anywhere. Nothing was removed: the full cards, with their labels and the link to the other language, are one press away, and they are what shows without JavaScript and in print. English and Spanish.
See the short list →Free tools: the whole list, by subject
With two hundred pages, the Free tools page had become a very long scroll. It now has a short index: all 200 pages, each listed once, under 16 headings such as First aid and emergencies, Money, bills, debt and scams, and Dying, death and grief. Press a heading and its list opens; each line goes straight to the page. It works without JavaScript, it is in English and Spanish, and it steps aside while you type in the box or pick a need. The heading over the 120 guides, which had grown into a list of every subject, is one line again. Nothing was removed: the box, the needs, Your tools and every card are where they were.
Open the list →The 200th free tool: Postpartum depression: when the baby blues don’t lift, in English and Spanish
For anyone who is pregnant or had a baby in the last year and does not feel like themselves, and for the people who love them. It passes on, by name, what four government sources say. From the National Institute of Mental Health: that perinatal depression is a medical condition and a woman is not to blame for it; the more common symptoms, one by one; postpartum psychosis, which it calls a psychiatric emergency; talk therapy and antidepressants, how long they take, and what it says about pregnancy and nursing; the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline, free at any hour in English and Spanish; and four ways family and friends can help. From MedlinePlus: how long the baby blues usually last, who may be at higher risk, what a provider does to diagnose it, what to do about thoughts of suicide or of hurting yourself or your baby, and what may help at home. From the Office on Women’s Health: when to call a doctor, nurse, midwife or pediatrician, why shame keeps people quiet, the thyroid, and ways to get more rest and support. From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: about 1 in 8 women with a recent live birth reported symptoms. It builds the questions to ask from what you tick, so the page can be handed over without a word, and prints a small card for the visit. It names no medicine. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. It was written with AI (Claude), and no doctor, nurse, midwife or therapist has reviewed it; the page says so. Two of the four sources were found in English only, and the Spanish page marks every line that comes from them. This is the two hundredth tool on the site; all two hundred are free, and none of them asks who you are.
Open the guide →New guide: I might be pregnant: the test, and the first steps: when to test, how to read a faint line or a negative, the first steps after a positive, and care without insurance, in English and Spanish
For anyone whose period is late, who is staring at a home test and cannot tell what it says, or who just saw a result and does not know what comes next. It passes on, by name, what five government sources say. From the Office on Women’s Health, MedlinePlus and the Food and Drug Administration: the early signs; when to test, with what each source says about the first day of a missed period and a week or two after; testing early and with irregular periods; how to do a home test and what does and does not change the result; the control line, a faint line, a negative that may be too early, and when to test again or call a provider. From MedlinePlus: the signs of an ectopic pregnancy that need care right away, what a first prenatal visit covers, and how often the visits are. From the Office on Women’s Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: folic acid, medicines, alcohol, tobacco and drugs, food, and things to stay away from, and the next steps it gives when a pregnancy was not planned. From HealthCare.gov: Medicaid and CHIP at any time of year, and what changes when you report a pregnancy to the Marketplace. It builds the questions to ask from what you tick, and prints a small card for the visit. It names no brand of test, and it does not tell anyone what to decide about a pregnancy. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. It was written with AI (Claude), and no doctor, nurse or midwife has reviewed it; the page says so. Four of the sources exist only in English, and the Spanish page marks every fact that comes from them.
Open the guide →New guide: Insomnia: when sleep won’t come, night after night: what it looks like, what causes it, the sleep habits, the therapy that comes first, and what to know about sleep medicines, in English and Spanish
For anyone who lies awake for hours, wakes in the night or far too early, drags through the day, or has been told they have insomnia. It passes on, by name, what three government sources say. From the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: what insomnia is, short-term and chronic; the symptoms at night and by day; what can cause it, from shift work, noise and light to stress, age, pregnancy and menopause; keeping a sleep diary for 1 to 2 weeks before a visit; what a provider asks and checks, and the tests that look for other problems; nine healthy sleep habits; the five parts of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, which it says is usually recommended as the first treatment option for long-term insomnia; light therapy; what it says about prescription medicines, sleep aids sold without a prescription, melatonin and other supplements; and the health problems chronic insomnia can raise the risk of. From MedlinePlus: that most cases of chronic insomnia are the symptom or side effect of some other problem. From the Food and Drug Administration: the rare, serious risk of doing things while not fully awake after taking certain prescription insomnia medicines, what to do if it happens, and its tips, including not mixing them with alcohol and that all insomnia medicines can affect driving the next morning. It builds the questions to ask at a visit and prints a small card for one day of a sleep diary. The institute and MedlinePlus say differently how long insomnia lasts before it is called chronic, and the guide gives both. The institute’s Spanish treatment page says less about medicines than its English one, so the Spanish guide marks what it took from the English. The guide names no medicine and no brand, gives no steps for night workers because the pages read give none, and cannot tell anyone whether they have insomnia. It was written with AI (Claude); no doctor or sleep specialist has reviewed it, and it says so. General information, not medical advice. It saves nothing and loads no tracking.
Open the guide →New guide: Sleep apnea: when breathing stops in your sleep: the signs, the sleep study, CPAP and the other treatments, living with the machine, and what Medicare covers, in English and Spanish
For anyone who snores, gasps or stops breathing at night, who is worn out all day and does not know why, or who has been told they have sleep apnea, and for the people who sleep beside them. It passes on, by name, what four government sources say. From the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: what sleep apnea is and its two types, the signs while asleep and the ones you may notice yourself, what raises the risk, what a provider asks and checks, every treatment (healthy lifestyle changes, the three kinds of PAP machine, oral devices, therapy for the mouth and face, a medicine, and surgery), how to get used to a machine and what problems to bring to a provider, not driving when sleepy, telling a provider before surgery, and what is different for women, in pregnancy, at menopause and in children. From MedlinePlus: how long and how often the pauses can be, and that not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. From Medicare: what Part B covers for sleep tests, the 12-week trial of CPAP therapy, the 13 months of rental, and what to ask a supplier. From the Food and Drug Administration: cleaning the parts with mild soap and water, and what it says about machines that claim to clean a CPAP. It builds the questions to ask at a visit and prints a small card to show before surgery. The institute’s Spanish treatment page is older than its English one, so the Spanish guide follows the Spanish page and marks what it took from the English. The guide names no medicine and no brand, and it cannot tell anyone whether they have sleep apnea. It was written with AI (Claude); no doctor or sleep specialist has reviewed it, and it says so. General information, not medical advice. It saves nothing and loads no tracking.
Open the guide →New guide: Birth control: finding what fits: every method and how well it works, emergency contraception, a missed pill, and getting it free or at low cost, in English and Spanish
For anyone who wants to prevent a pregnancy, now or for years, and the people beside them. It passes on, by name, what four government sources say. From the Food and Drug Administration: every method one by one, from sterilization, IUDs and the implantable rod to the shot, the pill, the patch, the ring, condoms, the diaphragm, the sponge and spermicides, each with how it is used, whether it needs a prescription, and how many pregnancies to expect per 100 women in a year of real use; the two emergency contraceptive pills and how many days each allows; and what to do when a pill is missed or a patch or ring comes off. From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: that most methods do not protect against sexually transmitted infections and condoms help, the copper IUD as emergency contraception, and breastfeeding and fertility awareness. From the Office on Women’s Health: smoking and age, using a condom together with a more effective method, missed-pill steps, and where birth control is free or low-cost. From HealthCare.gov: what Marketplace plans must cover with no copayment. The sources do not always agree, and the page says where. It builds the questions to ask at a visit and prints a small card. Three of the sources were found only in English, so the Spanish guide marks every part translated from them. The guide names no brand and gives no doses, and it does not cover abortion or pregnancy options. It was written with AI (Claude); no clinician or family planning worker has reviewed it, and it says so. General information, not medical advice. It saves nothing and loads no tracking.
Open the guide →New guide: When it might be an STI: symptoms, free or low-cost testing, six infections one by one, what to do after a positive test, and telling a partner, in English and Spanish
For anyone who had sex and is worried, has a symptom, heard from a partner, or just tested positive for a sexually transmitted infection, and the people beside them. It passes on, by name, what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says: that most STIs have no signs or symptoms; who should be tested and how often; the three ways to get tested (a provider, a self-test, a kit mailed to a laboratory); where testing is confidential and free or low-cost; chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, genital herpes, trichomoniasis and HPV, each with its symptoms, test and treatment; the three steps after a positive test for gonorrhea or chlamydia (get treated, tell your partner, get retested in three months); how to start the conversation with a partner; what condoms do and do not cover; and testing and treatment during pregnancy. It builds the questions to ask at a visit and prints a small card for the retest date. CDC is the only source. Four of its pages were found only in English, so the Spanish guide marks every part translated from them. The guide names no medicine and gives no amounts. It was written with AI (Claude); no clinician or sexual health worker has reviewed it, and it says so. General information, not medical advice. It saves nothing and loads no tracking.
Open the guide →New essay and song: The Days Still Count
An essay for anyone who drank or used again after a run of days without. Shame says one bad night puts you back at zero; the essay says the days were lived, and a slip goes on the record beside them without erasing it. It passes on, by name, what the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism says (it is rare to go to treatment once and never drink again; a return to drinking is a temporary setback, not a failure; follow-up with a treatment provider matters) and what the National Institute on Drug Abuse says about opioids (using as much as before quitting can more easily cause an overdose), all taken from our own page When drinking or drugs have become a problem. Then three things for the morning after: tell one person in one sentence, go back to whoever was helping, and write down what set it off. It does not promise it won’t happen again, and it says the harm a slip can do is real. It comes with a country-blues shuffle and a lyric film with closed captions. The essay was written with AI (Claude), which says in the essay that it has never had a drink; the song, the singer’s voice and the images are AI-made too, the narrator of the song is a character and not a real person, and the page says so at the top. It is general information, not medical advice. It names 988, 911 and SAMHSA’s National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) and points to When drinking or drugs have become a problem, Ride out an urge, Day count and Get help now.
Read and watch →Lights out: a plan for when the power goes out
New at /power-outage-plan/ (and in Spanish at /es/plan-para-apagones/): the one hundred and ninety-fourth free tool. When the power goes out, the questions come all at once: how long the food in the refrigerator lasts, what to do about medicine that is kept cold, whether the phone will work, where to go if the home gets too hot or too cold. Ready.gov, the U.S. government’s emergency preparedness website, has a page on power outages; this page turns it into something to work through on a day when the lights are on. Step 1 is what Ready.gov says to do before, as a checklist of eight steps: take an inventory of what relies on electricity, plan for batteries and other power sources, have a flashlight for every household member, find out whether the home phone works in an outage, talk to a medical provider about devices and refrigerated medicines, install carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup, have enough nonperishable food and water. Each step has a tick for done and a small tick for “not for me”. Step 2 has four notes of your own (what in the home needs electricity, the plan for medicine and medical devices, where you would go in heat or cold, the phones) and a box for what is still to get. Step 3 has Ready.gov’s twenty lines for the outage itself in four parts: while the power is out, food, generators, and when the power is back. The sheet prints the notes, the lines you picked, what is done and what is still to do, because paper can be read with a dead phone; it can also be copied or downloaded as text. Nothing you type leaves your device, and there is no account. The steps and lines are Ready.gov’s words, read on October 9, 2026 in English and in Spanish, and the numbers in them (about four hours for a refrigerator, about 48 hours for a full freezer, 40 degrees, 20 feet for a generator) are Ready.gov’s; each language follows its own Ready.gov page. We added no advice of our own. The page does not know when the power will come back, is not medical advice, sends no alerts, gives nothing away, cannot remind you and is not an official form. The tool and its wording were written with AI (Claude); no emergency manager, doctor or pharmacist has reviewed it, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Start my plan →Ready for less: getting prepared for an emergency at little or no cost
New at /prepare-for-less/ (and in Spanish at /es/prepararse-con-poco/): the one hundred and ninety-third free tool. Most lists for getting ready for a storm, a fire or a flood start with things to buy. Ready.gov, the U.S. government’s emergency preparedness website, has a page called Low and No Cost Preparedness with steps that cost little or nothing; this page turns them into something to work through on a calm day. Step 1 is Ready.gov’s Start Today list as a checklist, thirteen steps in English: know what kind of disasters are most common where you live, store important phone numbers somewhere besides your cell phone, sign up for emergency alerts, build the supply kit over time from what is already at home, talk about where you would go if told to evacuate, keep documents in a flood-safe place, ask the local fire department whether it has a detector program, look for free or discounted CPR courses. Each step has a tick for done and a small tick for “not for me”, so the list of what is still to do only holds what applies to you. Step 2 has four notes (what is most common where you live, where the phone numbers are written, where you would go, where the documents are) and a box for what you will pick up next. Step 3 has Ready.gov’s lines for earthquakes, wildfires, hurricanes and home fires; they stay closed until you open the ones that can happen where you live. The sheet prints the notes, what is done and what is still to do; it can also be copied or downloaded as text. Nothing you type leaves your device, and there is no account. The steps are Ready.gov’s words, read on October 9, 2026 in English and in Spanish; each language follows its own Ready.gov page, and the Spanish page has eleven steps because Ready.gov’s Spanish page does not have the two about older clothing and thrift stores. We added no advice of our own. The page does not know where you live, signs you up for nothing, sends no alerts, gives nothing away, cannot remind you and is not an official form. The tool and its wording were written with AI (Claude); no emergency manager has reviewed it, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Start my list →My plan, my needs: an emergency plan for people with disabilities
New at /disability-emergency-plan/ (and in Spanish at /es/plan-de-emergencia-discapacidad/): the one hundred and ninety-second free tool. Ready.gov, the U.S. government’s emergency preparedness website, has a page for people with disabilities; it asks whether, in a disaster, you could make it on your own for several days, and lists planning steps. This page is where to work through them on a calm day. It keeps a line for each person in your support network (a name, how to reach them, a note), up to 12. It has eight plan boxes, each from one of Ready.gov’s planning steps: where your emergency supplies are and who has a key, accessible transportation, your local emergency management office and its registry if it has one, dialysis or other life-sustaining treatment, equipment that needs electricity, how to communicate with you, your devices and assistive technology, and the nearest medical facilities. Ready.gov’s tips come in six groups (medications, deaf or hard of hearing, blind or low vision, speech, intellectual or developmental disabilities, mobility); they stay closed until you open the ones about you, and each line you tick goes on your sheet with an empty box beside it. Ready.gov’s eight additional kit items are a checklist, and each has a small tick for “not something I use”, so the list of what is still to get only holds what applies to you. The sheet prints the people, the plan, your list, what is in the kit and what is still to get; it can also be copied or downloaded as text. Nothing you type leaves your device, and there is no account. The planning steps, the tips and the kit list are Ready.gov’s words, read on October 9, 2026 in English and in Spanish; each language follows its own Ready.gov page, and the Spanish page says where the two differ. We added no advice of our own. The page does not know your local offices, signs you up for nothing, sends no alerts, cannot remind you, does not cover every disability, is not medical advice and is not an official form. The tool and its wording were written with AI (Claude); no emergency manager or disability organization has reviewed it, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Make my plan →Them too: an emergency plan and kit for your pets
New at /pet-emergency-plan/ (and in Spanish at /es/plan-para-mascotas/): the one hundred and ninety-first free tool. Ready.gov, the U.S. government’s emergency preparedness website, says that if local officials ask you to evacuate, your pet should evacuate too, and that many public shelters and hotels do not allow pets inside. This page is where to work that out on a calm day. It keeps a line for each animal (a name, the kind of animal and what it looks like, a note), up to 12. It has six plan boxes: the four things Ready.gov says to include in a plan for pets (an evacuation plan and a safe place that will take them, a buddy system, the microchip, and who to ask locally), plus where the animals hide and where the kits and carriers are kept. It shows Ready.gov’s four tips for getting a cat or dog used to a carrier and, if you tick that you have them, its five lines for large animals such as horses, goats or pigs. Ready.gov’s list of ten items for a pet emergency kit is a checklist, and what is not ticked becomes the still-to-get list. The sheet prints the animals, the plan, what is in the kit and what is still to get; it can also be copied or downloaded as text. Nothing you type leaves your device, and there is no account. The plan lines and the lists are Ready.gov’s words, read on October 9, 2026 in English and in Spanish; each language follows its own Ready.gov page, and the Spanish page says where the two differ. We added no advice of our own. The page does not know which shelters or hotels near you take animals, sends no alerts, keeps no photo, cannot remind you, is not veterinary advice and is not an official form. The tool and its wording were written with AI (Claude); no veterinarian or emergency manager has reviewed it, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Make a plan for your pets →Our way out: a home fire escape plan, with a drill timer
New at /fire-escape-plan/ (and in Spanish at /es/plan-de-escape/): the one hundred and ninetieth free tool. Ready.gov, the U.S. government’s emergency preparedness website, says a fire can become life-threatening in just two minutes, and that escape plans help you get out of your home quickly. This page is where to write one on a calm day. It has three plan boxes (a meeting place outside, who helps whom, anything else to know), a list of up to 12 rooms with two ways out of each, and it counts the rooms that still have only one. Ready.gov’s own lines about the way out, smoke alarms and children are a checklist of 14, and what is not ticked becomes the still-to-do list. A timer counts your drill from the moment the alarm’s test button is pressed until everyone is at the meeting place, and a log keeps up to 12 drills with the date and the time; Ready.gov says to practice getting out in under 2 minutes and to hold a drill at least twice a year. The sheet prints the plan, the rooms, what is left to do and the drills, with two empty rows for the next ones and, if you tick it, a blank grid for drawing a map by hand. Nothing you type leaves your device, and there is no account. The checklist lines are Ready.gov’s words, read on October 9, 2026 in English and in Spanish; each language follows its own Ready.gov page. One thing the sources do not agree on is said on the page: Ready.gov’s escape plan page says to test smoke alarms twice a year, and the U.S. Fire Administration says every month. We added no fire advice of our own. The page makes no sound, is not a smoke alarm, does not know your home or your building, cannot remind you, and is not an official form. The tool and its wording were written with AI (Claude); no firefighter or fire safety educator has reviewed it, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Plan our way out →Before it happens: a household emergency plan and supply list
New at /emergency-plan/ (and in Spanish at /es/plan-de-emergencia/): the one hundred and eighty-ninth free tool, and the first one here for the day before a disaster rather than the day after. It asks the questions Ready.gov, the U.S. government’s emergency preparedness website, says to talk through with the people you live with: how you will receive alerts, your shelter plan, your evacuation route and how you will reach each other, plus a meeting place and where the kit is kept. It keeps up to 12 people and phone numbers, shows Ready.gov’s ten things to consider for your own household, and turns Ready.gov’s two supply lists (14 basic items, 16 additional ones) into a checklist. Type how many people live with you and it multiplies the water, one gallon per person per day. The sheet prints the plan, the numbers, what you have and a tick-box list of what is still to get; it can also be copied or downloaded as text. Nothing you type leaves your device, and there is no account. The questions and lists are Ready.gov’s words, read on October 9, 2026 in English and in Spanish; each language follows its own Ready.gov page, and the Spanish page says where the two differ. We added no advice of our own about what to store or for how long. The page does not know which disasters could affect your area, sends no alerts, cannot remind you, and is not an official form. The tool and its wording were written with AI (Claude); no emergency manager has reviewed it, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Make a household plan →Correction: the self-harm page’s first aid no longer leans on two encyclopedia articles we could not reuse
Changed at /self-harm/ and /es/autolesiones/: until today the first aid part of each page (about twenty lines per language) passed on two MedlinePlus medical encyclopedia articles, one about cuts and one about burns. Their publisher does not allow that text to be reused, including by AI. We should not have leaned on them, and we have stopped. This was the last of the guides found leaning on those encyclopedia articles. What a reader now gets instead comes from pages read on October 9, 2026: the short summary the National Library of Medicine wrote for its own Wounds and Injuries page, the box on caring for injured skin in NIH News in Health’s article To Heal a Wound (the Spanish page uses the National Institutes of Health’s own Spanish edition), and the American Burn Association’s Burn First Aid page, which is in English only. What is the same: everything else on the page, including who answers at any hour, why people do it, getting through an urge, telling someone, seeing a doctor, treatment, the part for families, Poison Control, and the words to say at the door. What is different: the list of when to have a wound seen is now the Library’s (it is deep, you cannot close it yourself, you cannot stop the bleeding or get the dirt out, or it does not heal) with the National Institutes of Health’s lines on wounds that cannot be cleaned and on signs of infection; the steps for a small cut are now the National Institutes of Health’s (wash with soap and clean water, take off jewelry or clothing that could irritate it, put on a bandage, check it every 24 hours); the steps for a small burn are now the American Burn Association’s; and the lines saying to call 911 for bleeding that is heavy or will not stop are now our own and marked as ours. Taken out because no page we can use says them: how long to press on a bleeding wound, numbness as a reason to call 911, when stitches may be needed, what to do when something is stuck in a wound, the tetanus shot line, pressing on a cut and putting ointment on it, the longer list of infection signs, and treating a burn you are unsure of as a major one. We are not saying those lines were wrong; we have no page we may pass them on from. The two links to the encyclopedia articles are gone, and links to the three pages above are in their place. Both pages carry a dated note saying all of this. Written with AI; no clinician has reviewed it, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. General information, not medical advice.
When you hurt yourself to cope →Correction: the psychosis page no longer leans on two encyclopedia articles we could not reuse
Changed at /psychosis/ and /es/psicosis/: until today about twenty lines in each language passed on two MedlinePlus medical encyclopedia articles, one about psychosis and one about hallucinations. Their publisher does not allow that text to be reused, including by AI. We should not have leaned on them, and we have stopped. It is not the last: the guide on self-harm still links encyclopedia articles, and its lines are being checked next. What a reader now gets instead comes from pages read again on October 9, 2026: the National Institute of Mental Health’s fact sheet Understanding Psychosis and its brochure Schizophrenia (the Spanish page uses the Institute’s own Spanish editions), and the short summary the National Library of Medicine wrote for its own Psychotic Disorders page. What is the same: who answers at any hour, the Institute’s meaning of the word and its list of earlier warning signs, getting through a frightening hour, telling someone, coordinated specialty care, finding a program, peer groups, the part for families, the crisis plan, and the words to say when you call. What is different: the part on hallucinations now gives the Institute’s and the Library’s short descriptions in place of a list of kinds; the lines on how soon to be seen now give the Institute’s words, that it is important to seek help and that early treatment often means better recovery, next to our own plain line, marked as ours, not to wait it out alone and to see a health care provider today; and the line on treatment now gives the Library’s words, that it depends on the cause, might involve medicines and talk therapy, and that a hospital stay is an option for serious cases. Taken out because no page we can use says them: the list of kinds of hallucinations and the line that some can be part of grieving; that hearing voices is the most common kind; the lines saying a person should be checked right away and not be left alone; psychosis during withdrawal from alcohol or drugs; the longer list of medical causes; what a doctor asks and which tests may be done (the page now says we have no source for the tests); and the lines on outlook and on how long medicine may be needed. The two links to the encyclopedia articles are gone, and a link to the Library’s short page is in their place. Both pages carry a dated note saying all of this. Written with AI; no clinician has reviewed it, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. General information, not medical or legal advice.
When you can’t tell what’s real →Correction: the gambling page no longer leans on an encyclopedia article we could not reuse
Changed at /gambling/ and /es/juego-y-apuestas/: until today about twenty lines in each language passed on a MedlinePlus medical encyclopedia article about compulsive gambling. Its publisher does not allow that text to be reused, including by AI. We should not have leaned on it, and we have stopped. It is not the last: the guides on psychosis and self-harm still link encyclopedia articles, and their lines are being checked next. What a reader now gets instead comes from pages read again on October 9, 2026: the National Council on Problem Gambling’s own pages, in English and in Spanish (its questions and answers, its treatment options, its questions for choosing a program, its peer support page and its helpline page), and the short Compulsive Gambling page the National Library of Medicine wrote itself. The Council is a private organization that runs the national helpline, and the page says whose words it is passing on. What is the same: who answers at any hour, the helpline, the Library’s five signs, getting through an urge, blocking, the kinds of treatment, meetings, the debts, help for families, and the words to say when you call. What is different: the list of what a clinician looks for is now the Council’s six warning signs, and the page says the diagnosis has criteria we did not read; the lines on treatment now give the Council’s words, that treatment options are available and recovery is possible; and the line for someone in danger is now our own plain one, call 988 or 911 and do not wait. Taken out because no page we can use says them: the nine-item list from the American Psychiatric Association as that article gave it; everything on medicines; and the lines on stress, on the age at which gambling problems start, on depression and anxiety, on people denying the problem, on how common it is to gamble again after treatment, and on staying with someone after a suicide attempt. The link to the encyclopedia article is gone, and a link to the Library’s short page is in its place. Both pages carry a dated note saying all of this. Written with AI; no clinician has reviewed it, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. General information, not medical, legal or financial advice.
When gambling is the problem →Correction: the borderline personality disorder page no longer leans on an encyclopedia article we could not reuse
Changed at /bpd/ and /es/trastorno-limite/: until today about ten lines in each language passed on a MedlinePlus medical encyclopedia article about the disorder. Its publisher does not allow that text to be reused, including by AI. We should not have leaned on it, and we have stopped. It is not the last: the guides on psychosis, self-harm and gambling still link encyclopedia articles, and their lines are being checked next. What a reader now gets instead comes from two pages read again on October 9, 2026: the National Institute of Mental Health’s brochure Borderline Personality Disorder (revised 2025, and marked public domain; the Spanish page uses the Institute’s own Spanish edition) and the short summary the National Library of Medicine wrote for its own Personality Disorders page. What is the same: who answers at any hour, the Institute’s list of what the disorder can look like, how it is diagnosed, the therapies, the part on medicines, what to do when a feeling is too big, the peer groups, work, families, and the words to say when you call. What is different: the line on getting better now gives the Institute’s words, that evidence-based treatments have been shown to help many people have fewer and less severe symptoms, function better and have a better quality of life. For someone in danger, the page now gives the Institute’s line: in a life-threatening situation, call 911. Taken out because no page we can use says them: anything about age and improvement; the claim that men and women have the disorder equally often (the page still reports two sources that differ); a line about being alone; a line about what an evaluation looks at; a line comparing the part medicines play with other conditions; the advice about staying with someone after a suicide attempt; and, on the Spanish page, the abbreviation and second Spanish name that article gave. The link to the encyclopedia article is gone, and a link to the Library’s Personality Disorders page is in its place. Both pages carry a dated note saying all of this. Written with AI; no clinician has reviewed it, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. General information, not medical advice.
When your feelings hit hard and fast →Correction: the guide for after a miscarriage or a stillbirth no longer leans on two encyclopedia articles we could not reuse
Changed at /pregnancy-loss/ and /es/perdida-del-embarazo/: until today about thirty lines in each language passed on two MedlinePlus medical encyclopedia articles. Their publisher does not allow that text to be reused, including by AI. We should not have leaned on them, and we have stopped. The lines from MedlinePlus’s own two topic pages stay. The others now come from pages read on October 9, 2026: the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development’s pages on pregnancy loss (last reviewed in 2017) and on stillbirth (2023), the CDC’s stillbirth data page, the Office on Women’s Health’s page on pregnancy loss (last updated in 2021, and marked free of copyright), and the March of Dimes page the guide already used. The Spanish guide uses the institute’s and the CDC’s own Spanish editions; the Office on Women’s Health page was read in English only and is marked so. What is the same for a reader: the three signs that mean call 911, what counts as heavy bleeding, that a loss can happen in any pregnancy and could not have been stopped, the grief pages, the free helplines, and the words to say to a doctor. What is different: the figures. The guide now says early pregnancy loss occurs in about 10% of confirmed pregnancies (the institute, citing the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists), or as many as 10 to 15 percent (the Office on Women’s Health), and that stillbirth affects about 1 in 175 births (the CDC). On why a stillbirth happened it now says the reason is not known almost half of the time. The part on the birth now says the delivery does not always have to happen right away, and that an autopsy and lab tests need the parents’ permission. The part on another pregnancy now says both things the institute says: that most people go on to have a healthy baby, and that one loss does raise the chance of another. Taken out because no page we can use says them: the list of reasons to call after a stillbirth (the guide now says it has no such list, tells you to ask before leaving the hospital, and points to the CDC’s urgent warning signs for the year after a pregnancy); how long a doctor may wait and watch when tissue has not passed; asking for tissue to be tested; that grief after a loss makes depression after a birth more likely; and that problems with the placenta or the cord seldom repeat. The link to the encyclopedia article is gone, and a link to the institute’s page on care after a stillbirth is in its place. The guide is thinner on warning signs after a stillbirth and says so in a dated note. Written with AI, which has not lived this; no doctor, midwife or grief counselor has reviewed it, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
After a miscarriage or a stillbirth →Correction: the guide to paying for medicine now draws on the National Institute on Aging in place of an encyclopedia article we could not reuse
Changed at /medicine-costs/ and /es/costo-de-medicinas/: until today about half of this guide passed on one MedlinePlus medical encyclopedia article. Its publisher does not allow that text to be reused. Those lines now come from “Taking Medicines Safely as You Age” by the National Institute on Aging (content reviewed September 22, 2022), read on October 9, 2026, and from the FDA and Medicare.gov pages the guide already used. The Spanish guide uses the institute’s own Spanish edition where it has the same line; that edition is older (2019) and has no part on saving money or buying online, so those lines are marked as read in English. What is the same for a reader: say out loud that the cost is a problem, ask about a generic, ask at each visit whether every medicine is still needed, tell the doctor everything you take, and do not skip or halve doses to save money. What is different: the guide now says that savings programs come from some retail pharmacies, drug companies and nonprofit organizations, and it points to Medicare.gov’s lookup instead of describing how to apply; the part on mail order now passes on the institute’s advice to compare prices and Medicare.gov’s line that mail order is sometimes cheaper; the part on splitting pills now rests on the FDA alone, with one line from the institute. Taken out because no page we can use says them: the figure for how many days a mail-order pharmacy can send and the line that the copay may be lower; that splitting a stronger pill can save money; that a different medicine for the same condition may cost less; that the brand name sometimes matters; that a pharmacist can recommend ways to save; and the advice against buying medicine from other countries. The links to two websites that only the encyclopedia article named were taken out as well; we had not reviewed either. The guide no longer links the encyclopedia or names MedlinePlus as a source. Written with AI.
When you can’t afford your medicine →Correction: the drinking and drugs guide’s part on stopping safely now comes from the federal alcohol and drug institutes
Changed at /drinking-or-drugs/ and /es/alcohol-o-drogas/: until today the part of the guide about withdrawal (“Stopping safely”), and three lines elsewhere about overdose after a time of not using, passed on three MedlinePlus medical encyclopedia articles. Their publisher does not allow that text to be reused. Those lines now come from pages read on October 9, 2026. The list of what alcohol withdrawal can feel like and the line that it is potentially life-threatening are from “Understanding Alcohol Use Disorder” by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA); the Spanish guide uses the institute’s own Spanish edition. When symptoms come and what delirium tremens is are from an article written for clinicians in NIAAA’s journal in 1998, read in English only, and the guide gives its date. The line that detox alone is not treatment is from NIAAA’s Alcohol Treatment Navigator, in English only. The opioid withdrawal symptoms, the line about starting buprenorphine in an emergency department, and the line about overdose when someone goes back to the amount they used before are from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, in English and in its Spanish editions. What is different for a reader: the times are less exact than before; the signs that send someone to 911 are now a seizure, a fever, not knowing where they are, and seeing or hearing things that are not real, and the guide says that sending them to 911 is our caution, not a sentence from those pages; an irregular heartbeat is no longer on that list. Taken out because no page we can use says them: telling hospital staff about heavy drinking so they can watch for withdrawal, having another person with you through milder withdrawal at home, and whether opioid withdrawal is dangerous by itself. The guide no longer links the encyclopedia or names MedlinePlus as a source. Written with AI.
When drinking or drugs have become a problem →Correction: the chronic pain guide’s part on mood and depression now comes from three federal pages
Changed at /chronic-pain/ and /es/dolor-cronico/: until today the part of the guide about pain, mood and sleep, two lines in “When it is too much”, and three shorter lines about depression passed on a MedlinePlus medical encyclopedia article, “Pain and your emotions”. Its publisher does not allow that text to be reused. Those lines now come from three pages read on October 9, 2026. The list of signs of depression, the line that depression is more likely with a chronic disease (the page names pain as one), the line that it is treatable, and the line about 988 and 911 are from the National Institute of Mental Health’s “Understanding the Link Between Chronic Disease and Depression” (revised 2024), which says it is in the public domain; the Spanish guide uses the Institute’s own Spanish edition. The lines about how pain and mood affect each other, what cognitive-behavioral therapy teaches, and sleep are from the pain page of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, read in English only. The lines about the cycle of resting, losing fitness and hurting more, and about pain together with post-traumatic stress, are from “Chronic Pain and PTSD” by the National Center for PTSD at the Department of Veterans Affairs, a page written for Veterans, in English and in its Spanish edition. Taken out because these pages do not say them: a line about mild depression, a line about medicines for stress, and a line about which to treat first when there is PTSD. The National Institute of Mental Health’s page is about chronic disease in general, not pain alone, and the guide says so. The guide no longer links the encyclopedia. Written with AI.
When pain doesn’t go away →Correction: the child abuse guide’s lists of signs now come from a federal factsheet that may be freely reproduced
Changed at /child-abuse/ and /es/maltrato-infantil/: until today the guide’s lists of signs, its lines about what agencies do after a report, a line about a medical exam within a number of days, and about a dozen other lines came from three MedlinePlus medical encyclopedia articles, some of them reworded by us. Their publisher does not allow that text to be reused. The lists of signs are now the ones in “What Is Child Abuse and Neglect? Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms”, a factsheet of April 2019 from the federal Child Welfare Information Gateway, which says it may be freely reproduced and distributed; in English they are in its words, and in Spanish they are our translation. The line about calling 911 and the line about what the Childhelp hotline offers now come from the Gateway’s How to Report page. Taken out with nothing in their place: what agencies and courts usually do after a report, the number of days for a medical exam after sexual abuse (the page now says, as our own suggestion, to ask a doctor or the Childhelp counselor how soon), the sentence about counseling for parents who have hurt a child, and some signs the factsheet does not list, such as marks of particular shapes. The guide no longer links the encyclopedia. Written with AI.
If a child is being hurt →Correction: the asthma guide’s danger signs now come from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Changed at /asthma/ and /es/asma/: until today the guide’s list of danger signs in an asthma attack was four signs we had taken from a MedlinePlus medical encyclopedia page and put in our own words. Its publisher does not allow that text to be reused. The list is now the two danger signs printed on the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s own Asthma Action Plan form, in its words: trouble walking and talking due to shortness of breath, and lips or fingernails are blue; the form says to go to the hospital or call for an ambulance now. In Spanish it is our translation, because the form’s page offers no Spanish version. Hunching over is still on the page, in the American Lung Association’s five steps, and confusion is still in the Institute’s list about young children. Taken out: one line about telling a child’s caregivers when to call 911, replaced with the Institute’s line about giving them the action plan, and the pointer to the encyclopedia’s inhaler pages. The guide no longer links the encyclopedia. Written with AI.
When it’s hard to breathe →Correction: the burns guide no longer passes on a medical encyclopedia
Changed at /burns/ and /es/quemaduras/: until today the guide carried many first aid steps that we had taken from four MedlinePlus medical encyclopedia pages, reworded and marked "Ours". Their publisher does not allow that text to be reused, and the steps were not ours. Each one is now replaced with what a named source says, or taken out, and the guide no longer links those four pages. The steps for electric shock and fallen power lines now come from a page of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (in Spanish, our translation of it). Taken out with no replacement yet: the signs of shock, the signs of a burned airway, brushing off a dry chemical, raising a burned arm or leg, and the tetanus reminder. The 911 list on Get help now is corrected too. Written with AI.
When someone is burned →The eye care guide no longer leans on licensed encyclopedia pages
A correction to a page shipped on October 7, in English and Spanish, and the fourth of its kind today. The guide for when you can’t afford glasses or an eye exam took its list of sight changes that need emergency care, its list for eye injuries, three first aid lines and its list of reasons for an eye exam from two MedlinePlus encyclopedia articles. Those articles are licensed text, and their publisher’s notice does not allow them to be reused this way, including by AI. We should not have leaned on them, and we have stopped. What changed for a reader: the part about a sudden change or a painful eye now passes on what the National Eye Institute says on two of its own pages, “Retinal Detachment” (last updated November 5, 2025) and “Glaucoma” (last updated August 19, 2026), read on October 9, 2026 in English and Spanish. For a detached retina, the institute lists these sudden symptoms: a lot of new floaters, flashes of light in one eye or both eyes, and a dark shadow or “curtain” on the sides or in the middle of your field of vision; it calls retinal detachment a medical emergency and says to go to your eye doctor or the emergency room right away. For angle-closure glaucoma it lists intense eye pain, upset stomach (nausea), red eye and blurry vision, and says to go to your doctor or an emergency room now. Those two lists are not every eye emergency, and the guide says so in a paragraph marked as ours, which also points to our stroke page. Taken out, because we did not find it on a government page we may pass on: the longer list of sight changes (among them temporary blindness and double vision), the list for eye injuries, the lines about flushing a chemical, leaving a stuck object alone and not rubbing an injured eye, and the list of reasons for an eye exam. First aid for an injured eye is on our eye injury page, which names its own sources. The guide is thinner in that one part and says so in a dated note. Everything about the exam, the free and low-cost programs, children, Medicare, insurance for adults and VA is unchanged. Seven more guides still link pages from the same encyclopedia; we are reading what each one passes on and will correct them the same way. Written with AI; no eye doctor, doctor or nurse has reviewed it. General information, not medical advice.
Open the eye care guide →The dental care guide no longer leans on licensed encyclopedia pages
A correction to a page shipped on October 7, in English and Spanish, and the third of its kind today. The guide for when you can’t afford a dentist took its list of toothache signs that mean seek care, and its list of tooth abscess signs, from two MedlinePlus encyclopedia articles. Those articles are licensed text, and their publisher’s notice does not allow them to be reused this way, including by AI. We should not have leaned on them, and we have stopped. What changed for a reader: the part about pain or swelling now passes on three sentences from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research’s “Tooth Decay” page (last reviewed September 2025, read on October 9, 2026 in English and Spanish): that tooth decay left untreated can cause pain, infection, and even tooth loss; that as it advances it can cause a toothache or sensitivity to sweets, hot, or cold; and that if the tooth becomes infected, an abscess, or pocket of pus, may form, causing pain, facial swelling, and fever. That page does not say how soon to be seen, so the lines about asking to be seen today when there is swelling, the emergency room, and calling 911 when it is hard to breathe or swallow are our own, and the page marks them so. Taken out, because we did not find it on a government page we may pass on: the list of signs that mean seek care, the list of abscess signs, the warning about putting aspirin on the gum, the line about pain that comes from somewhere other than the tooth, and the line about hospital stays. The guide is thinner in that one part and says so in a dated note. Everything about where low-cost care is and what Medicaid, Medicare, the Marketplace and VA cover is unchanged. Eight more guides still link pages from the same encyclopedia; we are reading what each one passes on and will correct them the same way. Written with AI; no dentist, doctor or nurse has reviewed it.
Open the dental care guide →The high blood pressure and high cholesterol guides no longer lean on licensed encyclopedia pages
The second half of a correction that began earlier today, in English and Spanish. The guides on high blood pressure and high cholesterol, shipped on October 8, each passed on two MedlinePlus encyclopedia articles. Those articles are licensed text, and their publisher’s notice does not allow them to be reused this way, including by AI. We should not have leaned on them, and we have stopped. Both guides now pass on only what the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says, plus what is marked as ours. What changed for a reader of the blood pressure guide: the sodium limits (2,300 mg a day, or 1,500 mg) and the list of foods now come from the institute’s DASH Eating Plan page, read on October 9, 2026; that page is in English only, so the Spanish guide says so and the translation is ours. The caution to ask before adding potassium or using a salt substitute stays, now marked as our own sentence. Taken out, because we could not find it in the sources we do use: a description of one dangerous form of very high blood pressure, five tips on home monitors and where to be measured, when medicine is usually started at each level, a weekly amount of exercise, a daily limit on alcohol, the names “essential” and “secondary” hypertension, and several added causes, medicines and tests. What changed in the cholesterol guide: the only numbers left are the institute’s own goal (non-HDL below 130 mg/dL, HDL of at least 40 for men and 50 for women) and its testing schedule. Taken out: general targets for LDL, HDL, total cholesterol and triglycerides, the LDL level at which medicine is more likely, a list of tips for the store and the stove, when to be tested more often, three other tests, other names for high cholesterol, and a few added causes. Each page says, in its note at the bottom, what changed and when. Written with AI (Claude). Not reviewed by a clinician; a provider’s own numbers come first.
Open the high blood pressure guide →The heart failure guide and the weight log now rest on a VA patient guide, and the weight figure changed
A correction to two pages shipped on October 8, in English and Spanish. The heart failure guide and the weight log took their 911 signs, their weigh-in steps and their weight figures from MedlinePlus encyclopedia pages. Those pages are licensed text, and their publisher’s notice does not allow them to be reused this way, including by AI. We should not have leaned on them, and we have stopped. Both pages now pass on, by name, what a patient guide from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says (“Living with Heart Failure”, publication IB 10-1163, May 2019, read on October 9, 2026), alongside the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. What changed for a reader: the weight log now speaks up at a gain of 3 pounds or more from one morning to the next (it was more than 2 pounds) and still at 5 pounds or more above the lowest of the 7 days before; in kilograms that is 1.4 and 2.3, which is our conversion because the VA guide gives pounds only, and the page says so. Nothing in anyone’s kept log was changed. The 911 list on both pages is now the VA guide’s: short of breath or struggling to breathe, feeling very light-headed or like you are going to faint, new chest pain or pressure, a racing heartbeat with dizziness. The guide’s one line about a chest-pain medicine is left out, and the page says so. The heart failure guide gained the VA guide’s green, yellow and red zones and now links the weight log. It lost what we could not find in the sources we do use: six questions to ask yourself, the steps for taking a pulse and a blood pressure, a list of what can make heart failure suddenly worse, and two tips about exercise and rest. The VA guide is in English only, so each Spanish sentence that passes it on says so, and the translation is ours. It was written for veterans in VA care; these are not VA pages. Two more guides, on high blood pressure and high cholesterol, still carry facts from the same kind of page and are next. Written with AI (Claude). Not reviewed by a clinician; a provider’s own numbers come first.
Open the heart failure guide →
New guide: When it’s atrial fibrillation (AFib): when to call 911, what it feels like, blood clots and blood thinners, medicines, cardioversion and ablation, and day-to-day care, in English and Spanish
For people who were told they have atrial fibrillation, people whose heart flutters, races or skips and who do not know why, and the people beside them. It passes on, by name, what the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says: the signs that are a 911 call (a stroke, serious bleeding on a blood thinner, a heart attack, someone who suddenly faints); that it often occurs with no symptoms, and the symptoms when there are some; the four types; the exam, the EKG and the other tests; how clots form and what they can lead to; what the institute says about blood thinners and about living with one; the medicines that slow the heart rate and the ones for the rhythm, with the side effects it lists; the five procedures it describes, from electrical cardioversion to catheter ablation; follow-up visits and what a provider may recommend to make another episode less likely; and what raises the risk. It builds the questions to ask at a visit and prints a wallet card. The institute is the only source. Its page on living with atrial fibrillation exists only in English, so the Spanish guide marks every part that was translated from it. The guide names warfarin and the group called DOACs because the follow-up advice differs between them; it names no other individual medicine, no brand and no amount. It was written with AI (Claude); no clinician or person living with atrial fibrillation has reviewed it, and it says so. General information, not medical advice. It saves nothing and loads no tracking.
Open the guide →New guide: When it’s high cholesterol: what the numbers mean, how often to be tested, statins and other medicines, food, and when it runs in the family, in English and Spanish
For people who were told their cholesterol is high, people holding a lab report they cannot read, and the people beside them. It passes on, by name, what the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and MedlinePlus (the National Library of Medicine’s site) say, both read in English and in Spanish: what a lipid panel reports (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides) and the goal and the general targets each source gives, shown side by side with whose is whose; the institute’s guide to how often to be tested, by age; that it usually causes no symptoms, and that a heart attack or a stroke is a 911 call; the habits it lists; the kinds of medicine it describes and what it says about their side effects; its tips for staying safe on a statin (do not stop on your own, ask what to avoid, grapefruit, muscle pain, pregnancy and breastfeeding); what MedlinePlus says to look for on a food label; what raises cholesterol, including other conditions and medicines; and what to know when it runs in the family, including the Lp(a) test that is not in the routine panel. It builds the questions to ask at a visit and prints a card with blanks for your own numbers. It names no medicine brands or individual medicines and gives no amounts, and it does not list heart attack or stroke symptoms from memory: it links the two guides that carry them. The two sources do not agree on one testing schedule or one set of targets, and the page says so. The institute has no Spanish version of its symptoms page; the Spanish guide says what was read in English. Written with AI (Claude); no doctor, nurse, pharmacist or person living with high cholesterol has reviewed it. It saves nothing and loads no analytics. Update, October 9, 2026: the facts this entry credits to MedlinePlus were taken from pages whose publisher does not allow that reuse. They have been replaced with what the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says, or taken out; see the entry of October 9.
Open the guide →Weight log: your morning weigh-in, kept on your own device
New at /weight-log/ (and in Spanish at /es/registro-de-peso/): the one hundred and eighty-sixth free tool, and the companion to the heart failure guide. Some people are asked by a doctor or nurse to step on a scale every morning, most often with heart failure, where a sudden gain can be fluid building up. Type in what the scale showed (pounds or kilograms, the day and the time; a few ticks and a note are optional), and the page keeps the weights in order, shows how each day’s first weight differs from the day before and from the lowest of the 7 days before, gives the lowest and highest of the last 7 and 30 days, draws a bar for each recent day, and makes a one-page sheet to print with empty rows to fill in by hand. MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine’s health site, says to contact your provider if your weight goes up by more than 2 to 3 pounds (1 to 1.5 kilograms) in a day or 5 pounds (2 kilograms) in a week. The page speaks up at more than 2 pounds (or 1 kilogram) from one morning to the next, and at 5 pounds (or 2 kilograms) or more above the lowest of the 7 days before; it says on the page exactly how it applies the rule, that starting at the low end of “2 to 3” is our choice, and that a provider’s own numbers come first. It also carries MedlinePlus’s steps for weighing in (every morning, the same scale, before eating and after the bathroom, similar clothing). It is not for losing weight: it sets no goal, counts nothing anyone eats, and never says what anyone ought to weigh, and it points people for whom weighing has become a struggle to the eating disorders guide instead. There is no account and no server behind it: the weights are kept only in this browser on this device, we never receive them, and the page runs no analytics. That is not the same as secret, and the page says so. It measures nothing, cannot tell fluid from a meal or a different scale, does not diagnose, is no reason to change a medicine, and cannot remind anyone. Its numbers come from one MedlinePlus page (review date 7/14/2024) and one page of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, read in English and Spanish on October 8, 2026 and linked; we added none of our own. Written with AI (Claude). Not reviewed by a clinician. The Spanish is AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker. Checked by programs, not yet used by people. Update, October 9, 2026: the facts this entry credits to MedlinePlus were taken from pages whose publisher does not allow that reuse. They have been replaced with what a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs patient guide says, or taken out, and the weight figure is now 3 or more pounds in one day; see the entry of October 9.
Open the weight log →New guide: When it’s high blood pressure: what the numbers mean, a very high reading and when to call 911, checking at home, medicines, salt and food, and pregnancy, in English and Spanish
For people who were told their blood pressure is high, people who just got a very high reading, and the people beside them. It passes on, by name, what the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and MedlinePlus (the National Library of Medicine’s site) say, both read in English and in Spanish: the institute’s table of levels, from normal to hypertensive crisis; that with a reading of 180/120 and no symptoms it says to wait 5 minutes and check again, and to call your provider if it is still high; its list of signs for calling 911 (a sudden, severe headache, difficulty breathing, a sudden, severe pain in your abdomen, chest or back, numbness or weakness, a sudden change in vision, problems talking); its seven steps before a reading, and why a reading can still be off (white coat hypertension, masked high blood pressure, the wrong cuff); that a diagnosis takes two or more readings at separate appointments; the habits it lists and the four kinds of medicine it describes; MedlinePlus’s sodium figures, its caution about potassium and salt substitutes, and what the DASH diet looks like; what raises the risk, including medicines that can raise blood pressure; and what the institute says about high blood pressure during and after pregnancy. It builds the questions to ask at a visit and prints a card with blanks for the numbers your own provider gives you. It names no medicine brands and gives no amounts of medicine, and it lists no side effects. The Spanish page says where the institute’s Spanish and English pages word the levels differently. Written with AI (Claude); no doctor, nurse, pharmacist or person living with high blood pressure has reviewed it. It saves nothing and loads no analytics. Update, October 9, 2026: the facts this entry credits to MedlinePlus were taken from pages whose publisher does not allow that reuse. They have been replaced with what the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says, or taken out; see the entry of October 9.
Open the guide →New guide: When it’s heart failure: when to call 911, the ejection fraction number, medicines, the morning weigh-in, salt and fluid, and what to ask, in English and Spanish
For people who have heart failure (also called congestive heart failure), people who get short of breath or have swelling and do not know why, and the people beside them. It passes on, by name, what the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and MedlinePlus (the National Library of Medicine’s site) say, both read in English and in Spanish: that the term “heart failure” does not mean that your heart has stopped; that MedlinePlus says to go to the emergency room or call 911 if you faint, have a fast and irregular heartbeat, or feel a severe chest pain; that it says to weigh yourself every morning on the same scale and to contact your provider if your weight goes up by more than 2 to 3 pounds in a day or 5 pounds in a week; the symptoms on each side of the heart; the tests, and what an ejection fraction of 40% or less, 50% or more, or in between means; the kinds of medicine, devices and surgery NHLBI describes; six questions to ask yourself through the day, and how to take your pulse; salt, fluid, activity, sleep and the other conditions that can worsen it; what causes it and what raises the risk; and what NHLBI says about fear, depression, support groups and palliative care. It builds the questions to ask at a visit and prints a card with blanks for the numbers your own provider gives you. It names no medicine brands and gives no amounts of medicine, salt or fluid. It leaves out NHLBI’s side-effect lists and the lines on its 2022 treatment page about what was still being studied, and says so; it says nothing about what Medicare or insurance pay. Written with AI (Claude); no doctor, nurse, pharmacist or person living with heart failure has reviewed it. It saves nothing and loads no analytics. Update, October 9, 2026: the facts this entry credits to MedlinePlus were taken from pages whose publisher does not allow that reuse. They have been replaced with what a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs patient guide says, or taken out, and the weight figure is now 3 or more pounds in one day; see the entry of October 9.
Open the guide →New guide: Working while you get disability benefits: the SSDI trial work period, how earnings change SSI, keeping Medicare and Medicaid, reporting your work, and getting benefits back, in English and Spanish
For anyone who gets SSDI or SSI and wants to work, or is already working and afraid of what it will do to the check and the health coverage. It passes on, by name and date, what Social Security’s own Red Book (Publication No. 64-030, June 2026) and two other Social Security pages say: that the SSDI trial work period lets you test your ability to work for at least 9 months, which do not have to be in a row, while you receive full benefits if you report your work activity and have a disabling impairment; the 36 months after it, the grace period, and that benefits can restart without a new application; that SSI has no trial period and does not count the first 65 dollars of the earnings you receive in a month, plus half of the remaining earnings; that most people keep Medicare for at least 93 consecutive months after the trial work period, and the conditions under which Medicaid continues under section 1619(b); what you must report, the ways to report it, and the receipt Social Security says to save; that if you ask for a waiver or appeal within 30 days of an overpayment notice, Social Security won’t collect the money until it decides; the impairment-related work expenses it can deduct; expedited reinstatement within 5 years, with up to 6 months of temporary benefits during the medical review; and the free benefits counselors reached through the Ticket to Work Help Line. It puts the questions you pick on one sheet and prints a card. It prints none of the amounts that change each January, and says where this year’s are. Every source was read in English only; the Red Book’s sections for people who are blind and for youth, its Spanish edition, the waiver and appeal forms and every state’s Medicaid buy-in were not read, and the page says so. Written with AI (Claude), not by a person with lived experience of disability; no lawyer, benefits counselor or Social Security employee has reviewed it. It saves nothing and loads no analytics.
Open the guide →New guide: Living on your own terms with a disability: Centers for Independent Living, leaving an institution, your right to live in the community, work, and savings, in English and Spanish
For any adult with a disability who wants to live in a home of their own choosing and run their own life: someone in a nursing home or another institution who wants out, someone at home who is not getting enough help, someone finishing school, and the people beside them. It states no dollar figure and names no center, agency or company. It passes on, by name and date, what the Administration for Community Living, the Justice Department’s ADA.gov, Medicaid.gov, Social Security and the Rehabilitation Services Administration say: that Centers for Independent Living are local nonprofits led by and for people with disabilities, and the five core services every one offers; that the Americans with Disabilities Act bans the unnecessary segregation of people with disabilities, the three conditions from the Olmstead case, and that this applies to people at serious risk of entering an institution as well as people in one; the three kinds of organization in every state to ask about moving out, and the Money Follows the Person demonstration, which not every state runs; that Protection and Advocacy Systems provide legal advocacy and that there is one in each state and territory; who state vocational rehabilitation is for, and the free and voluntary Ticket to Work Program with its Help Line; and that ABLE accounts cover qualified disability expenses without affecting SSI eligibility and, since January 1, 2026, are open to people whose disability began before age 46. It puts the questions you pick on one sheet and prints a card. ADA.gov’s page is informal guidance, every source was read in English only, and no state’s program, waiting list or ABLE plan was read; the page says so. Written with AI (Claude), not by a person with lived experience of disability; no lawyer, benefits counselor or independent living specialist has reviewed it. It saves nothing and loads no analytics.
Open the guide →New guide: When someone needs a nursing home and you can’t pay for it: what Medicare covers, Medicaid, a spouse at home, being told to leave, and who to ask, in English and Spanish
For anyone who needs a nursing home or assisted living, or is already in one, and cannot pay for it, and the husband, wife, daughter, son or friend doing the paperwork. It states no price and names no facility or company. It passes on, by name and date, what Medicare.gov, Medicaid.gov, one federal rule, Veterans Affairs, the Administration for Community Living and the National Institute on Aging say: that Medicare covers skilled nursing facility care only after an inpatient hospital stay of at least 3 days in a row, that time under observation does not count, and that Part A limits it to 100 days in each benefit period; the “Notice of Medicare Non-Coverage” and the noon deadline for a fast appeal; that Medicare generally does not cover long-term nursing home stays; that nursing facility services are required to be provided by state Medicaid programs and may not be made subject to waiting lists; what is protected for a spouse living at home, when a state may not recover from an estate, and that states must have a hardship waiver; that a nursing home must not require a third party guarantee of payment, the six reasons it may make a resident leave, the written notice at least 30 days before, and that it may not discharge a resident while an appeal is pending, with an exception for danger; VA’s Community Living Centers, community nursing homes, State Veterans Homes and Aid and Attendance; and the Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs that work to resolve residents’ problems. It puts the questions you pick on one sheet and prints a card. The federal rule is for nursing homes that take Medicare or Medicaid, not for assisted living; no state’s Medicaid program or assisted living rule was read, and the page says so. Written with AI (Claude); no doctor, lawyer or benefits counselor has reviewed it. It saves nothing and loads no analytics.
Open the guide →Thirteen more guides you can save for when there is no signal
Take the help with you now saves thirteen more guides, in English and in Spanish: the six about care you can’t pay for (medicine, a dentist, glasses and eye exams, a ride to the doctor, medical equipment, help at home), child care, finishing high school as an adult, student loans, a bank account, your credit report, payday loans and repossession, and bankruptcy. Press Save on that page and they open later without a connection, on that device only. Twelve of those guides also gained a short list of the tools on this site that go with them, such as the call script, the paper trail and the medicine list. We chose those ourselves; no clinician, lawyer or counselor did. Some guides are left out of offline saving on purpose, because a saved copy can be seen by someone else who uses the device. Written with AI (Claude).
Take the help with you →New essay and song: Never Just the Job
An essay for anyone who has lost a job. It says that losing work is two losses that arrive together: the money, which it does not make smaller, and the answer to “what do you do?”. It names the voice that reads a decision about a position as a ruling on a person, and says what you carried in every morning left with you. Then the practical part, taken from our own page When you’ve lost your job: the U.S. Department of Labor says to contact your state’s unemployment insurance program as soon as possible and that the first payment generally takes two to three weeks, HealthCare.gov says you can enroll in a Marketplace plan within 60 days of losing job-based coverage, and American Job Centers are free. It does not promise when the next job comes. It comes with a mid-tempo heartland-rock-style song and a lyric film with closed captions. The essay was written with AI (Claude), which says in the essay that it has never been hired, paid or let go; the song, the singer’s voice and the images are AI-made too, the narrator of the song is a character and not a real person, and the page says so at the top. What it says about work and identity is general observation, not a study we read. It is general information, not legal or financial advice. It names 988 and 911 and points to When you’ve lost your job, When the money runs out and Get help now.
Read and watch →New guide: When you need help at home and can’t pay for it: home health care, aides, bathing and meals, what Medicare and Medicaid cover, and who to ask, in English and Spanish
For anyone who needs a nurse, an aide, or a hand with bathing, dressing and meals at home and cannot pay for it, and the people beside them. It states no price and names no agency or company. It passes on, by name and date, what Medicare.gov, Medicaid.gov, two federal Medicaid rules, Veterans Affairs, the Administration for Community Living and the National Institute on Aging say: the home health care Medicare covers when a provider orders it, and that Medicare does not pay for personal care when it is the only care you need; what an agency should tell you in writing before it starts; the “Notice of Medicare Non-Coverage” and the noon deadline for a fast appeal when an agency says your care is ending; long-term care and PACE; that Medicaid home health services cannot be limited to people who are homebound, that a state may add personal care, and how self-directed services work; VA’s home aide program, Veteran Directed Care and Aid and Attendance; and the area agencies on aging behind home-delivered meals and homemaker help. It puts the questions you pick on one sheet and prints a card. No state’s Medicaid program was read, and the page says so. Written with AI (Claude); no doctor, lawyer or benefits counselor has reviewed it. It saves nothing and loads no analytics.
Open the guide →New guide: When you can’t afford medical equipment: wheelchairs, walkers, oxygen and hospital beds, what Medicare and Medicaid cover, and where to borrow, in English and Spanish
For anyone who needs a wheelchair, a walker, oxygen, a hospital bed or other equipment at home and cannot pay for it, and the people beside them. It states no price and names no supplier or brand. It passes on, by name and date, what Medicare.gov, Medicaid.gov, the Code of Federal Regulations, Veterans Affairs, the Administration for Community Living and the Assistive Technology Act say: that Medicare Part B covers medically necessary equipment when your doctor or other health care provider orders it for use in your home; why to ask a supplier whether it will accept assignment before you take anything home; the exam and prescription for a power wheelchair; how the 36-month oxygen rental works and what the supplier owes you; that a state’s Medicaid coverage of equipment is not restricted to what Medicare covers, that absolute exclusions are prohibited, and that a denial comes with the right to a fair hearing; what VA’s Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service provides; and that the law says each state’s assistive technology program shall carry out device reuse and short-term loan programs. It puts the questions you pick on one sheet and prints a card. Medicare.gov was read in Spanish and English; the rest in English only, and the Spanish page says so. We read no state’s Medicaid list or assistive technology program, and nothing about power outages: the page says so. Written with AI; no doctor, lawyer or benefits counselor has reviewed it. General information, not medical or legal advice.
Open the guide →New guide: When you have no ride to the doctor: Medicaid rides, what Medicare covers, VA rides and travel pay, paratransit, and who to call, in English and Spanish
For anyone who misses care because there is no way to get there, and the people beside them. It states no fare and names no company. It passes on, by name and date, what the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicare.gov, Veterans Affairs, the Code of Federal Regulations and the National Institute on Aging say: that Medicaid covers rides for eligible individuals to and from Medicaid-approved care, and that the rules differ by state; who to call, what they will check, and what to do when the ride does not come; that the ride Medicare.gov describes is an ambulance, and when a written order from a doctor matters; the free rides VA gives and who it pays back for travel; what the federal paratransit rule says a transit agency owes a person whose disability keeps them off the bus; and the Eldercare Locator for older adults. It puts the questions you pick on one sheet and prints a card. Only the Medicare page was read in Spanish; the Spanish page says so. The Federal Transit Administration’s own pages would not open for us, and we read no state’s ride rules: the page says both. Written with AI; no doctor, lawyer or benefits counselor has reviewed it. General information, not medical or legal advice.
Open the guide →
New guide: When you can’t afford glasses or an eye exam: free and low-cost programs, what Medicare and insurance cover, and what should not wait, in English and Spanish
For anyone who cannot see well and cannot pay to find out why, and the people beside them. Our guide for people whose sight is fading already had the Medicare facts and the programs; this one is for the person who needs an exam or a pair of glasses and has no money for them, and it adds children, insurance for adults and VA’s list for eyeglasses. It states no price and names no store. It passes on, by name and date, what the National Eye Institute, MedlinePlus, Medicare.gov, HealthCare.gov and Veterans Affairs say: the changes in your sight that need emergency care; that a dilated eye exam is the only way to check for eye diseases early on; that some community health centers have an eye clinic; the programs the National Eye Institute names for free or low-cost exams, eyeglasses and cataract or glaucoma surgery; that Medicaid and CHIP cover the cost of vision care for children and that every Marketplace plan includes vision coverage for children; that Medicare does not cover routine eye exams or most eyeglasses, and the four conditions it does cover; that only some Marketplace plans include vision coverage for adults; and who gets eye exams and eyeglasses through VA. It puts the questions you pick on one sheet and prints a card. The programs are named only because the National Eye Institute names them: none is a government program, and we did not read any program’s own page. It does not say what any state’s Medicaid covers for adults, and the lines about 911 and the emergency room are ours and marked so. Written with AI; no eye doctor, doctor or nurse has reviewed it. General information, not medical advice. Update, October 9, 2026: the facts this entry credits to MedlinePlus were taken from pages whose publisher does not allow that reuse. They have been replaced with what the National Eye Institute says, or taken out; see the entry of October 9.
Open the guide →New guide: When you can’t afford a dentist: where low-cost care is, what Medicaid and Medicare cover, and what should not wait, in English and Spanish
For anyone with a tooth that hurts and no way to pay, and the people beside them. The site had 175 tools and one page about teeth, for a tooth that was knocked out. This guide states no price and names no clinic. It passes on, by name and date, what the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, MedlinePlus, Medicaid.gov, InsureKidsNow, Medicare.gov, HealthCare.gov and Veterans Affairs say: the signs of a toothache that should not wait, and that a swollen jaw is a very serious symptom; that dental schools often have clinics with care at a reduced cost, supervised by licensed dentists; that federally funded health centers charge by income; that states must cover dental care for children on Medicaid but choose what to cover for adults; that Medicare does not cover routine dental care, and the few situations where it may; that a separate dental plan can have a waiting period while you pay premiums; how VA decides who gets dental care; and that ads offering free implants in a federal study are likely fraudulent. It puts the questions you pick on one sheet and prints a card. It does not say what any state covers for adults, and the three lines about 911 and the emergency room are ours and marked so. Written with AI; no dentist, doctor or nurse has reviewed it. General information, not medical or dental advice. Update, October 9, 2026: the facts this entry credits to MedlinePlus were taken from pages whose publisher does not allow that reuse. They have been replaced with what the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research says, or taken out; see the entry of October 9.
Open the guide →New guide: When you can’t afford your medicine: what to ask, the programs that help, and buying online safely, in English and Spanish
For anyone doing the math at a pharmacy counter, and the people beside them. The site had 174 tools, and its guides only touched the cost of medicine in passing. This guide names no medicine and gives no dose or price. It passes on, by name and date, what MedlinePlus, the Food and Drug Administration, Medicare.gov, Social Security and HealthCare.gov say: to tell your provider when you are having trouble paying; what a generic must match; that drug companies and some states run assistance programs; who gets Medicare’s Extra Help automatically and how to apply; Medicare’s monthly limit on insulin; that the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan spreads costs but does not lower them; the exceptions process and the right to appeal when a Marketplace plan will not cover a medicine; mail order and a 90-day supply; the FDA’s signs of a safe and an unsafe online pharmacy; and why to ask before splitting a pill or skipping a dose. It puts the questions you pick on one sheet and prints a card. It does not copy the yearly dollar limits (each agency’s page has this year’s), and it says which sites it names without having reviewed them. Written with AI; no doctor, nurse or pharmacist has reviewed it. General information, not medical advice. Update, October 9, 2026: the facts this entry credits to MedlinePlus were taken from a page whose publisher does not allow that reuse. They have been replaced with what the National Institute on Aging, the FDA and Medicare.gov say, or taken out, and the guide no longer has a line about a 90-day supply from any source; see the entry of October 9.
Open the guide →The phone list grew: 21 more lines from the newer guides, and a new group for debt, credit, the bank and the mortgage
The phone list at /phone-list/ (in Spanish at /es/lista-de-telefonos/) was made on October 5, when the site had 122 tools. Fifty-two tools later, the guides added since then lead with numbers the list did not have. It now has 66 lines in English and 67 in Spanish, up from 45 and 46. New under “When someone is hurting you, or a child”: the National Human Trafficking Hotline (call or text), the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, VictimConnect, and the National Parent & Youth Helpline. New for young people: Safe Place by text. New under health: the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association’s Lung HelpLine, the American Liver Foundation and Parkinson’s Foundation helplines, the Office on Women’s Health helpline, Medicare’s number for finding a dialysis network in an emergency, and the number for a child’s Medicaid or CHIP. New under benefits, work and papers: the Wage and Hour Division, OSHA, the USCIS Contact Center and the automated immigration court line. A new eighth group, “Debt, credit, the bank, the mortgage”, has the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s complaint line, the phone number for free credit reports, the two checking account reporting companies, the HOPE Hotline and Military OneSource. As before, nothing on the list is a new fact: each line repeats a guide on this site, in that guide’s words (including where a guide says a helpline’s own pages disagree about its hours, or that we could not confirm Spanish), and the page cannot be built if a number or its hours no longer match the guide. It is still not all the numbers in the guides. Nobody here has dialed these numbers for this page. Written with AI (Claude); a list of numbers, not advice.
Open the phone list →New guide: Immigration help without getting cheated: who is allowed to help, free forms, your case and your court date, in English and Spanish
For anyone with immigration papers to deal with, and the people beside them. The site had 173 tools and nothing on immigration. This guide does not say what anyone qualifies for: nobody honest can do that from a web page, and the rules move. It passes on, by name and date, what the Federal Trade Commission, USCIS, the Department of Justice’s immigration courts and USAGov say about what comes first: that only an attorney or a Department of Justice accredited representative may give immigration legal advice, and how to check one; where the free and low-cost lists are; how the notario, fake-website and payment scams work; that the official forms are free; how to check a USCIS case; the automated line that gives an immigration court date at any hour, and how to enter the A-number; how to look for someone who was detained; and where to report being cheated. It puts the questions you pick on one sheet and prints a card. It gives no deadline, no fee and no statistic, and says which sites would not open for our server. Written with AI; no lawyer or accredited representative has reviewed it. General information, not legal advice.
Open the guide →Your state’s offices: the official links for benefits, health, ID, voting and more, for 59 states and territories
New at /your-state/ (and in Spanish at /es/tu-estado/): the page for when a guide says “it depends on your state.” Pick your state or territory and get its official offices: the government website, benefits and social services, the health department, consumer protection, the attorney general, driver’s licenses, voting, emergencies, state prisons, schools, and cities and counties. We typed no office name and no link. A program copied them on October 7, 2026 from USAGov, the U.S. government’s own directory, which lists 59 places: the 50 states, the District of Columbia, five territories and three island nations in free association with the United States. The row labels are ours, and we left out governors, agriculture departments and prosecutors. The same day a program opened all 607 different links on the English page: 543 opened, 46 refused the program or did not answer (many government sites block automated visitors), and 18 answered “page not found.” Those 18 are marked on the page, with a pointer to the state’s main website; we did not replace them with links of our own. The page also says what USAGov’s state pages leave out (unemployment, food stamps, Medicaid, legal help, birth certificates) and where USAGov sends you for each, next to our guide on the subject. Picking a place only hides the others: nothing is saved or sent, the page never asks where you are, and it runs no analytics. Each place has its own address, such as /your-state/#nj. Without JavaScript all 59 lists show. On the Spanish page, offices that USAGov en Español lists carry its Spanish names and links; the rest come from the English page and are marked “(en inglés)”. What it cannot do: say what your state’s rules are, whether you qualify, or which office handles your exact problem. No person here has opened every link by hand, and offices move their pages. Made with AI (Claude); no government office and no native Spanish reader has reviewed it. Scarlet Beast is not part of, or endorsed by, USAGov or any government.
Find your state’s offices →Press a word, read what it means: official definitions inside the guides
On 161 guide pages (English and Spanish), words from our word list now carry a dotted line under them: Chapter 7, lien, default judgment, deductible, Medicaid, COBRA, credit report and more. Press one and a small box opens right there with the definition, quoted word for word from the same official U.S. government glossary the word list uses (the United States Courts, HealthCare.gov or CuidadoDeSalud.gov, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), with a link to the source. Esc or Close shuts it. We wrote no definition. We did choose where each word is linked, by reading the places: 65 of the 105 words in English and 35 in Spanish. Words the guides mostly use in an everyday sense (answer, complaint, claim, appeal, discharge) are not linked at all. On the Spanish pages, court and money words show our own translation, marked as made with AI and not official, above the English original. The box cannot say what a word means in your case, and it is not advice. It stores nothing and sends nothing. Without JavaScript the pages read as they did. Made with AI (Claude); no lawyer, insurance worker or native Spanish reader has reviewed it.
See it on the bankruptcy guide →What does that word mean? 105 words from court papers, insurance letters and bills, in official definitions
New at /words/ (and in Spanish at /es/palabras/): a glossary for the paper in your hand. It has 105 words: 42 from court and legal papers (default judgment, pro se, lien, wage garnishment), 32 from health insurance (deductible, prior authorization, balance billing) and 31 about money, credit, taxes and scams (APR, overdraft, withholding). We chose which words to list; we did not write the definitions. Each one is quoted word for word from an official U.S. government glossary we read on October 7, 2026: the United States Courts, HealthCare.gov, and a glossary the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau wrote for teaching young people about money. A program checks every quote against the text we saved. Where an entry is long, the page quotes its opening and links to the rest. Under each word are the guides on this site that go with it. A box at the top hides and shows words as you type; what you type is not saved or sent, and the page runs no analytics. Every word has its own address, such as /words/#deductible. On the Spanish page each word stands as it appears on the paper, in English, with a Spanish name. The health insurance definitions there are CuidadoDeSalud.gov’s own Spanish. The courts’ and the Bureau’s glossaries were read in English, so for those words the page gives our own translation, made with AI and not official, with the English original under it. What it cannot do: say what a word means in your case. The court words come from the federal courts, and a state or local court may use a word differently; your own plan, lender or contract decides. It is not legal, medical or money advice. Made with AI (Claude); no lawyer, insurance worker or accountant has reviewed it, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Open the glossary →The homepage and the Spanish front page now ask the first question of Start here
The eight subjects of Start here now stand on the homepage, in its Free tools section, and on the Spanish front page at /es/. Each is a plain link: pick one and Start here opens at its second question, so the way to at most five pages is one press shorter. Each subject shows how many of the 173 pages touch it; a page can touch more than one. The twelve “what do you need right now?” links and the search box are still there, below. Pass it on also has a slip with a QR code for Start here now. Nothing about how Start here picks pages has changed: a short list and a simple rule written ahead of time, which cannot understand anyone’s situation. Written with AI (Claude); the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
See it on the homepage →Start here: up to three questions, at most five pages, in English and Spanish
New at /start-here/ (and in Spanish at /es/empieza-aqui/): a way in for the day when a list of 173 tools and guides is too long to read. You press buttons; there is nothing to type. The first question sorts everything into eight broad subjects. The second offers the same “what do you need right now?” choices the free tools page uses. If more than five pages fit, a third asks what kind of page would help: a guide to read, a tool you fill in, or a page you can save for when there is no signal. Then you get at most five pages, each with the same description and labels it has on the tools page, and a link to the full list. For the twelve needs that many pages share, we wrote down ahead of time which five come first; the rest are ordered by a simple rule. No person and no AI reads what you press, and the page saves nothing and sends nothing: your answers sit only in the page’s address, which is how the Back button works, and which also means the address shows what you pressed. Choosing the first subject, “Someone is in danger, or might be”, puts 911 and 988 above the next question. A program walked every path through the questions in both languages to check that each ends in at least one page. The questions have not yet been tried by people who came needing help, and the page cannot understand anyone’s situation: it matches buttons to a list. Written with AI (Claude); the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker.
Open Start here →New guide: Finishing high school as an adult: the GED, the HiSET, free classes, and diploma scams, in English and Spanish
For anyone who left school without a diploma and wants one now, at 17 or at 70, and the people cheering them on. The site had guides for losing a job, coming home from prison and learning disabilities, but no page of its own on the piece of paper so many applications ask for first. This one passes on, by name and date, what each source’s own page said on October 7, 2026. From the Federal Trade Commission’s article on high school diploma scams, read in English and in Spanish: the real ways to finish (an equivalency test, and in some states classes for credit), that passing any of the equivalency tests offered by your state gives you a diploma, who to ask, and the signs of a scam, such as no classes, no tests, done in a day, or a charge for the diploma itself. From CareerOneStop, a U.S. Department of Labor site, read in English: where to see which exams your state offers, and that Adult Basic Education classes are free and open to people at least 16 years old who are not enrolled in high school. From the two tests’ own sites, ged.com (read in English, its home page in Spanish) and hiset.org (read in English and in Spanish): the subjects, the passing scores, retakes, testing at home, and how to ask for accommodations such as extra time. Those two sites sell the tests, and the guide says so on every card that links to them; it passes on their rules and leaves out their advertising. It prints no price, no statistic and no state’s rules, and it does not copy the state-by-state table, because CareerOneStop says states change. What it could not do: ed.gov refused our server, so the Education Department’s list of state education departments is not linked; and it did not read which languages each state offers each test in. A builder puts the questions you tick on one sheet, and a card keeps your subjects and test dates in one place. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; no teacher, test administrator or school counselor has reviewed it, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. General information, not legal or professional advice.
Open the guide →New guide: Student loans: when you can’t pay, default, and what to ask, in English and Spanish
For anyone who can’t make a student loan payment, is in default, is having pay or a tax refund taken, co-signed a loan, or was offered “forgiveness” for a fee, and the people helping them. The site had guides on debt collectors, credit reports and bankruptcy, but nothing on the debt that follows many people longest. This one passes on, by name and date, what each source’s own page said on October 7, 2026. From USAGov’s two student loan pages, read in English and in Spanish: contact your loan servicer; what deferment and forbearance are; that a payment one day late makes the account delinquent; what default can bring; the forgiveness programs it names; and three steps for a dispute. From seven Consumer Financial Protection Bureau pages, read in English: how to tell federal loans from private ones, asking for a lower payment based on income, the questions to ask before a pause, the two ways out of default on a federal loan (rehabilitation and consolidation), private loans and co-signers, and the signs of a scam, including that you never have to pay someone to contact your servicer and that nobody needs your FSA ID. What it could not do: StudentAid.gov, the Education Department’s own site, did not load its text for our server, so nothing is taken from it and its links are the ones USAGov gives. The CFPB’s pages are from 2022 to 2024 and still describe some programs of those years as new, so the guide names no repayment plan, gives no years to forgiveness, and says on each part how old its source is. It prints no statistic, no servicer’s name and no figure for how much pay can be taken. A builder puts the questions you tick on one sheet, and a card keeps your calls in one place. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; no lawyer or financial professional has reviewed it, and the Spanish has not been read by a native speaker. General information, not legal or financial advice.
Open the guide →New guide: A bank account: opening one, being turned down, and second chances, in English and Spanish
For anyone who has never had a bank account, was turned down for one, lost one with money owing, or is paying to cash checks, and the people helping them. The site had guides on credit reports, debt collectors and payday loans, but nothing on the account itself, which is where a paycheck, a refund or a benefit has to land. This one passes on, by name, what each source’s own page said on October 7, 2026. From the FDIC’s “Get Banked!” page, read in English and in Spanish: what an account does for you, the six steps for opening one, what ID to bring, that you may be able to open one with as little as 25 dollars, that many banks will open one for people who are not U.S. citizens, eight questions to ask before choosing, and its answer to past banking problems, which is “That’s okay.” From the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: why banks turn people down, the notice they must give naming the reporting company, that the report is free once every 12 months and after a denial, the phone numbers its list gives for Chex Systems and Early Warning Services, how to dispute a mistake with both the reporting company and the bank, how to avoid debit card overdraft fees, when a bank will cash a check for someone without an account, and what to look for on a prepaid card. From the National Credit Union Administration: what a credit union is and the four ways people become members. Twelve lines to say or write, built from ticks, and a card to print for keeping track of each place you try. Left out on purpose: every count of how many people have no account, the amount of credit union share insurance (it was not on the pages read), the reporting companies’ mailing addresses, and the name of any bank or card. It gives no state’s rules and recommends no bank. Written with AI; no lawyer, banker or financial professional has reviewed it, and the Spanish was not read by a native speaker. It saves nothing and has no analytics. General information, not legal or financial advice.
Open the guide →New guide: Your credit report: getting it free, reading it, and fixing mistakes, in English and Spanish
For anyone who has never seen their credit report, was turned down for a loan, a home or a job because of one, found a mistake on one, or is being offered credit repair for a fee, and the people helping them. The site’s guides on identity theft, tenant screening and debt collectors each touch credit reports, but there was no page on the report itself. This one passes on, by name, what each source’s own page said on October 7, 2026. What a credit report is and who looks at it, and why a credit score is a different thing. The FTC’s three ways to order your free reports: AnnualCreditReport.com, 1-877-322-8228, or a form by mail; that the three bureaus now let you check each report once a week; and the extra free report within 60 days of being turned down. Braille, large print and audio. What to check, and when a mistake may be identity theft. How to dispute a mistake with the credit bureau: what goes in the letter, certified mail, and the three dispute phone numbers the FTC and the CFPB both print. How to dispute it with the business that reported it. What has to happen next: 30 days to investigate, the results in writing, notices to people who saw the mistake if you ask, and a statement of the dispute if it is not resolved. How long true information stays: seven years for most negative information, 10 for a bankruptcy, and the exceptions. The rules credit repair companies must follow, the FTC’s six signs of a scam, and what real credit counseling looks like. Twelve ticks put lines on one sheet, for the bureau, the business, a company that turned you down, a credit repair company and legal aid, and the page prints a card for keeping track of a dispute. Left out on purpose, and the page says so: the bureaus’ mailing addresses for disputes, because the two sources point to different places for the current ones; any score to aim for; any product; any state’s rules. The lines that are ours are marked, among them: a credit report is a record of accounts, not a measure of you. It has no place to type, saves nothing and loads no analytics. Written with AI; no lawyer or financial professional has reviewed it. The Spanish page is our translation; the FTC’s three articles were read in Spanish, and the CFPB’s answers in English. General information, not legal or financial advice.
Open the guide →New guide: Payday loans, title loans, and when the car might be taken, in English and Spanish
For anyone thinking about a payday loan or a car title loan, stuck in one, behind on car payments, or whose car was just repossessed, and the people helping them. The site had guides for debt collectors, bankruptcy and the mortgage, but no page of its own on the loans people reach for when the month runs out, or on repossession. This one passes on, by name, what each source’s own page said on October 7, 2026. How the loans work, in the FTC’s own examples: 75 dollars to borrow 500 dollars for two weeks, and what a rollover does to that. What the FTC says to try first: asking for more time, a credit union, a community bank, a tax refund, a credit counselor, family, local charities. What the CFPB says to do when a payday loan can’t be repaid: ask the lender right away for an extended repayment plan, which depends on state law or the lender’s policy. The CFPB’s general steps for stopping automatic withdrawals from a bank account, with the reminder that the loan is still owed. For a car loan: the FTC says to call the lender before a repossession, not after, and to get any new agreement in writing. When a lender can take a car, and that it may not breach the peace. After a repossession: your belongings, buying the car back or reinstating the loan where a state allows it, notice of the sale, the deficiency you may still owe, and the surplus you may be owed. A part for military families on the Military Lending Act’s 36 percent cap. Twelve ticks put questions on one sheet, for the lender, the bank, the state’s offices and legal aid, and the page prints a card for the loan’s details. The page does not tell anyone to borrow or not to, and never says to stop paying a loan. It gives no state’s rules, because we read none, and no statistics. One line is ours and marked so: do not put your body between a tow truck and the car. It has no place to type, saves nothing and loads no analytics. Written with AI; no lawyer or financial professional has reviewed it. The Spanish page is our translation; the FTC’s two articles were read in Spanish, and the CFPB’s answers in English. General information, not legal or financial advice.
Open the guide →New guide: Bankruptcy, what it is, what it costs, and where to start, in English and Spanish
For anyone who can no longer pay what they owe, and the people helping them. The site had guides for debt collectors, the mortgage, medical bills and taxes, but nothing on bankruptcy itself. This one passes on, by name, what each source’s own page said on October 7, 2026. What bankruptcy is and is not: the FTC calls a discharge a court order that says you don’t have to repay certain debts, and says the record stays on a credit report for 10 years. What the FTC says to try first: call your creditors before a collector is involved, and what a good credit counselor does. Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 side by side, from the FTC and the U.S. Courts. The steps in order: the U.S. Courts say nobody may file without credit counseling from an approved agency in the 180 days before, and a second course comes after filing. What the court charges, and that an individual may ask to pay in up to four installments, or in Chapter 7 to have the fees waived when income is under 150 percent of the poverty level. One thing we could not settle: the U.S. Courts’ basics pages give the administrative fee as 75 dollars and its fee schedule gives 78, so the page shows both and says to ask the clerk. What filing stops, what the FTC says it usually won’t erase (child support, alimony, fines, taxes and most student loans), and what a discharge means afterwards, including that creditors must stop and that an employer may not discriminate solely because of it. A part on people who prepare forms without being lawyers, and on credit repair offers the FTC says are against the law. Twelve ticks put questions on one sheet, for the credit counselor, legal aid and the court clerk, and the page prints a card for the dates. The page does not tell anyone to file or not to. It gives no state’s exemptions, because we read none; no dollar limits for the means test or Chapter 13, because the pages carry no date; and no statistics. It has no place to type, saves nothing and loads no analytics. Written with AI; no lawyer has reviewed it. The Spanish page is our translation; the FTC’s article was read in Spanish, and the rest in English. General information, not legal advice.
Open the guide →New essay and song: Nothing Gets Decided Tonight
An essay for anyone lying awake with their worries. It says two plain things: everything looks worse at three in the morning, and the dark does not only show you your troubles, it asks you for a verdict on them. It offers a rule to borrow, nothing gets decided at three in the morning, and a few small things to go with it: write the worry down with one thing for tomorrow and turn the paper over, turn the clock to the wall, breathe out longer than you breathe in, and aim for rest instead of sleep. It does not say the morning fixes anything. It comes with a slow, classic-country-style ballad and a lyric film with closed captions. The essay was written with AI (Claude), which says in the essay that it does not sleep and has never lain awake; the song, the singer's voice and the images are AI-made too, and the page says so at the top. What it says about the night is general observation, not a study we read. It is not medical advice. It names 988 and 911, says that weeks of bad nights are worth telling a doctor, and points to Can't sleep?, When the worry won't switch off and Get help now.
Read and watch →New guide: Tenant screening, for when a background check stands between you and a home, in English and Spanish
For anyone applying for a place to rent with an eviction case, rough credit, or an arrest or conviction in their past, and the people helping them. This morning’s guide to clearing a record said plainly that it did not cover tenant screening; this one does. It passes on, by name, what each source’s own page said on October 7, 2026. What a tenant screening report is, and that the FTC says there may be a score in it you never see. What to do before you apply: the FTC says to ask what information the landlord uses before you pay an application or background check fee, and to check your credit report and your housing court records first. How long things can be reported: the FTC says an eviction case can be reported for up to seven years from the date it was filed, even if you were not evicted, that criminal convictions have no time limit, and that sealed or expunged records should not show up in any report. What happens after a no: the landlord must give you a notice with the screening company’s name, address and phone number, and the company must give you a free copy of the report if you ask within 60 days. A bigger deposit, higher rent or a required co-signer count too. How to dispute a mistake with the company, a creditor or a court, step by step from the FTC. A part for people with a record that passes on what the CFPB wrote in 2024 and what HUD’s fair housing page says now about withdrawing earlier guidance, side by side, without saying how they fit together. And what two federal rules say about public housing and vouchers: the few things an agency must deny for, how much is left to each agency, and that before it denies you over a criminal record it must give you a copy and a chance to dispute it. Twelve ticks put questions on one sheet, for the landlord, the screening company and legal aid, and the page prints a card with the dates that matter. The page covers federal law only. It does not say which states or cities limit screening or fees, because we read none of those laws; it gives no statistics and promises nobody an apartment. It has no place to type, saves nothing and loads no analytics. Written with AI; no lawyer has reviewed it. The Spanish page is our translation; the FTC’s two articles were read in Spanish, and the rest in English. General information, not legal advice.
Open the guide →New guide: Clearing your record (sealing, expungement, pardons, and fixing mistakes), in English and Spanish
For anyone with an arrest or a conviction on their record, and the people helping them. Until now this site had a job kit for people with records and a guide to coming home, but nothing on clearing the record itself. The guide passes on, by name, what each source’s own page said on October 7, 2026. What the words mean, and that they get mixed up: a Justice Department bulletin says many states say “expunge” when the records are only sealed and still exist. How to see your own record: a federal rule lets you ask the FBI for your identification record and ask for a correction, and the FTC says that if a background report cost you a job you can get a free copy from the company if you ask within 60 days. Where to find what your state allows: the Collateral Consequences Resource Center’s state-by-state summary and the Clean Slate Clearinghouse’s page for each state, with court forms and a list of legal help. That “automatic” does not always mean done: some automatic clearing laws have not yet been put into practice, so look. Federal convictions: there is no general way to seal one, and the Justice Department’s pardon office says a pardon is forgiveness, does not erase the record, and can be applied for without a lawyer. What to do when a background check is wrong, step by step from the FTC, and what the EEOC says an employer may not do. Juvenile records, which are not automatically cleared at 18. Twelve ticks put questions on one sheet to take to a legal aid office or the court clerk, and the page prints a card for keeping track of each case. The page does not say which state allows what and gives no counts of states, because the charts we read are dated July 2024 and these laws change every year; it promises nobody that their record can be cleared. The FBI’s own pages would not open for our reader, and we did not read the pardon application form, any single state’s law, or a source on tenant screening, and the page says so. It has no place to type, saves nothing and loads no analytics. Written with AI; no lawyer has reviewed it. The Spanish page is our translation; the FTC’s page and the pardon office’s application page were read in Spanish, and the rest in English. General information, not legal advice.
Open the guide →New guide: LGBTQ+ (coming out, staying safe, and people to talk to), in English and Spanish
For LGBTQ+ people of any age, for people who are not sure yet, and for the parents and friends beside them. Until now this site only listed phone numbers for them. The guide passes on, by name, what each organization’s own page said on October 7, 2026. From The Trevor Project’s Coming Out Handbook: that you don’t have to figure it out right now (or ever), that there is no one way to come out or be out, questions to think through first, a back-up plan for housing, food, school and transportation where things feel unsafe, and that if people don’t react the way we wish, it is not our fault. From the American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org, read in English and in Spanish): what parents and families can do, and that parents usually need time. From The Trevor Project’s guide for allies: names, pronouns, what not to ask, and how to apologize. There is a part listing who answers the phone: The Trevor Project at any hour, four lines of the LGBT National Help Center and Trans Lifeline with the hours each printed, and what each says it does and does not report. Two things have changed that older lists still get wrong, and the page says so: SAMHSA announced that the 988 Lifeline’s separate “Press 3” option would end on July 17, 2025 (988 still answers everyone), and SAGE’s site says its elder hotline was discontinued in 2023. Twelve ticks put the handbook’s own questions on one sheet to copy or print, and the page prints a card to keep. It gives no statistics, says nothing about medical care or any law, and tells nobody what they are. It also explains that the page saves nothing but a browser keeps history, for anyone reading on a shared device. We called none of the numbers. No doctor, counselor or LGBTQ+ organization has reviewed it, and the page says so. It saves nothing and has no tracking. Written with AI (Claude). If you are thinking about suicide, call or text 988.
Open the guide →New guide: After a suicide attempt, in English and Spanish
For the days and months after a suicide attempt: for the person who survived, and for the people who love them. Nothing on this site spoke to that moment until now. The guide passes on, by name, three sources. The first is SAMHSA’s “A Journey Toward Help and Hope” (2015), a public-domain handbook prepared with a support group of attempt survivors; it says the important thing is that you’re still here, that it is normal to feel several conflicting emotions, and that it’s your story to tell, or not. The second is three pages of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, including two for family and friends. The third is the National Institute of Mental Health’s questions and answers about suicide (revised 2023), read in English and in Spanish. There are parts on the first days, on what you may be feeling, on what to say when people ask, on the seven parts of a plan to stay safe, on finding a counselor you can afford and what to ask one, on what helps if you don’t go to counseling, on hope later on, and on how family and friends can be there. Ten ticks put the handbook’s own practice sentences on one page to copy or print, and the page prints a card for hard moments. It describes no method, gives no statistics and names no medicine; it quotes survivors without their names; and it gives 988 rather than the older number the handbook prints. The handbook and the AFSP pages were read in English only, so the Spanish page says “en inglés” wherever it passes them on, and the translation is ours. No doctor, counselor or attempt survivor has reviewed it, and the page says so. It saves nothing and has no tracking. Written with AI (Claude). If you are thinking about suicide, call or text 988.
Open the guide →New guide: Registering and voting, in English and Spanish
For anyone who wants to vote and is not sure they can: with no home address, with a conviction, with a disability, without ID, after a move, or for the very first time. It passes on, by name, what USAGov, vote.gov and ADA.gov say. vote.gov says you don’t need a home to vote: you need a mailing address, it does not have to be a fixed home address, and a nearby shelter or General Delivery may do. For a felony conviction, vote.gov says every state and territory has different laws, and that registering to vote before you are eligible can result in criminal prosecution; the guide describes the four kinds of rule and who can confirm which applies, and it deliberately does not list states, because vote.gov’s lists are dated March 22, 2024. USAGov says voters with disabilities have the right to vote in private, without help, and to have an accessible polling place, and that federal law lets anyone who cannot read or write bring someone to the polls to help. There are parts on registering and checking that a registration is still active, on ID and provisional ballots, on voting by mail or early, on moving or changing a name, and on where to report it if someone tries to stop you (the Justice Department’s Voting Section, 1-800-253-3931). Ten ticks build a list of questions for an election office, in sentences that are our own and say so, and the page prints a plan to keep. The Spanish page was written from USAGov en Español’s pages, which are not word-for-word twins of the English ones: it carries their warning that a non-citizen who votes or registers for federal elections risks naturalization and even deportation. vote.gov was read in English only, so each Spanish sentence from vote.gov says so. The guide gives no state’s rules and no date of any election or deadline, because none of the pages read gives one, and it names no candidate, party or ballot question. Where two federal pages disagree (which states accept the national mail registration form), it says so. It was written with AI, no lawyer or election official has reviewed it, it saves nothing and loads no analytics. General information, not legal advice.
Open the guide →New guide: When it’s bullying, in English and Spanish
For a young person who is being bullied, a parent who thinks their child is, someone who saw it happen, and the family of a child who is doing it. It passes on, by name, what Nemours KidsHealth, MedlinePlus (from the National Library of Medicine) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say. MedlinePlus says bullying is when a person or group repeatedly harms someone on purpose, that it always involves aggressive behavior, a difference in power and repetition, and that a child who is bullied should be assured it is not his or her fault. KidsHealth tells kids to tell an adult they trust and to keep telling until something is done, to stay near other people, and not to hit back, because someone could get hurt and they are also likely to get in trouble. It tells parents to listen calmly, to praise a child for telling, and that in most cases teachers or counselors are the best ones to contact first. For bullying online or by text it says not to respond, to keep screenshots, to block and to report. There are parts on the signs parents miss, on what a person who saw it can do, on what to do when your own child is the one doing it, and on where to turn when it is hurting badly, with 988 for thoughts of suicide or self-harm. Ten ticks build a message to the school, in sentences that are our own and say so, and the page prints a card for writing down what happened, who saw it and who was told. The Spanish page was written from KidsHealth’s and MedlinePlus’s Spanish pages; the CDC’s page has no Spanish version, and each sentence from it says it was read in English. What the guide could not read, and says so: StopBullying.gov, the federal government’s own site on bullying, and the Education Department’s civil rights pages refuse our server, so nothing is taken from them except five warning signs the CDC credits to StopBullying.gov. What it leaves out on purpose: every statistic, every state’s law and school district’s policy, when a school’s response breaks federal law, and any helpline we did not read about. It says “the child who bullies” and “the child who is bullied” instead of labels. It was written with AI; no counselor, doctor, teacher or lawyer has reviewed it. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. With it there are one hundred and sixty-two free tools.
Open the guide →New guide: When it’s divorce or custody, in English and Spanish
For anyone in the United States whose marriage is ending, who has been handed court papers, or who is trying to work out where the children will live, whether or not the parents were ever married. Family law is state law, so no page can say what a court in your state will do, and this one does not try. It passes on, by name, what WomensLaw.org (a project of the National Network to End Domestic Violence) says is true in most places, so that the words make sense when you hear them and you know what to ask: that the two main requirements to file for divorce are residency and grounds; that most states have no-fault grounds; the three paths after papers are served (your spouse agrees, does nothing, or disagrees); how property and debts are divided under the two standards states use; that judges decide custody on what they think is in the best interests of the child, with its list of what a judge might look at; and that once a divorce is filed, a common automatic order is that neither parent can remove the child from the state unless the judge or the other parent consents. There is a part on moving or travelling with the children, a part for people who are afraid of their spouse or the other parent, and a part on what can be done after a decision, where WomensLaw.org says the typical time for a motion for reconsideration is around 15 days and for an appeal 30 days in most states, and that you need to confirm it in yours. A part on helping children through it passes on Nemours KidsHealth, with a note of our own that its advice assumes two parents who are both safe for the child. The tax lines are the Internal Revenue Service’s, and the list of places to look for free legal help is USAGov’s. Ten ticks build the questions to ask a lawyer, a legal aid office or a court clerk, and the page prints a card for your case. The Spanish page was written from the same organizations’ Spanish pages. What the guide leaves out, on purpose: every state’s own rules, fees, forms, waiting periods and deadlines; legal separation and annulment; how spousal support is worked out; military and international cases; and immigration. WomensLaw.org is written for survivors of abuse and often says “the abuser”; this page passes on its general explanations and says “your spouse” or “the other parent”. It was written with AI; no lawyer has reviewed it. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. With it there are one hundred and sixty-one free tools.
Open the guide →Type what is going on, right on the tools page and the home page
The tools page lists 160 tools and guides, and until now the only ways through it were the starting-point buttons and scrolling. There is now a box under those buttons, on the English and the Spanish page: type a few words and the cards narrow as you type. It uses the same everyday phrases the site search learned this week, so “hep c”, “kicked out”, “food stamps” or “no puedo dormir” bring up the right cards, and when a word is on no card it tries the closest spelling and tells you which word it used. Words that sound like a crisis light the 988 and 911 box and always keep Get help now and the safety plan in the list. Nothing is fetched for this: the phrases are already in the page, and what you type is not sent anywhere and not saved. A link under the count hands the same words to the whole-site search. The home page has a box too, in the Free tools section; it opens the search page with your words after the # of the address, the part a browser does not send. The box is not clever: it matches words, it does not understand sentences, and a subject with no tool will find nothing. Written with AI (Claude).
Open the tools page →Search now understands everyday words, short forms and spelling slips, in English and Spanish
The search on this site used to match only the words a page uses, so “hep c”, “long haul”, “kicked out”, “food stamps” or “me tiemblan las manos” found little or nothing, and one wrong letter found nothing at all. Three things changed. First, every tool and guide now carries a list of other ways people say what it is about, in English and in Spanish: short forms (SSI, IEP, PTSD), everyday and regional words (laid off, broke, aseguranza, bochornos, embolia) and the way a frightened person would put it (my husband hits me, no tengo dónde dormir). There are 2,756 phrases in all. We checked the lists against the pages and left out phrases that would promise something a page does not cover. Second, when a word is on no page, the search tries the closest spelling it knows and tells you which word it swapped, so “anxeity” finds anxiety and “alcolismo” finds alcoholismo. Third, a whole sentence works better: small words are ignored, and a page is shown when its subject is in the sentence even if other words are not on it. More ways of saying you do not want to live now light the 988 and 911 box and put the crisis page first. None of this is clever, and the page says so: the swap can guess wrong, and a phrase we did not think of may find nothing. As before, the search runs in your browser, what you type is not sent to anyone, and the page runs no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); the Spanish lists were not reviewed by a native speaker.
Try the search →New guide: When it’s Long COVID, in English and Spanish
For anyone in the United States who had COVID-19 and never got back to how they were, for parents who think it is happening to their child, and for the people beside them. Everything on the page is passed on, by name, from the Long COVID pages of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which were updated between March and May 2026, and from one page of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. It starts with the sentences people in this situation most need to hear from someone official: CDC calls Long COVID a serious illness; it says there is no approved laboratory test for it, that a positive COVID test is not required for a diagnosis, and that routine blood tests, chest X-rays, and electrocardiograms may be normal in someone who has it. CDC also says, in so many words, that people with these hard-to-explain symptoms may not be taken seriously or believed, sometimes even by their healthcare providers. After that: the symptom lists, including what CDC lists for babies and young children; what a provider bases a diagnosis on; CDC’s own appointment checklist, before, during and after; day-to-day life; work, where CDC says Long COVID is a recognized condition that may result in a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lists changes at work it calls common, such as rest breaks, a flexible schedule or telework, and a quiet workspace; children and school; a part for the people who love someone with it; and what CDC says lowers the chance of getting it again. Ten ticks build what to say at a visit, and the page prints a card to keep or to show to someone who needs to understand. The Spanish page uses CDC’s own Spanish pages and its name for the illness, COVID-19 persistente. What the guide leaves out, on purpose: every medicine, supplement, and activity or rest program, because CDC’s pages for the public name none and say there are no approved treatments; the names of support groups, which CDC lists without endorsing; and the current vaccine recommendation, which can change and which we did not read. The line at the top telling you to call 911 for new, sudden or severe chest pain or trouble breathing is ours, and says so. It was written with AI; no doctor, nurse or lawyer has reviewed it. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. With it there are one hundred and sixty free tools.
Open the guide →New guide: When it’s hepatitis, in English and Spanish
For anyone in the United States who has hepatitis A, B or C, anyone who thinks they were exposed or wonders whether to be tested, and the people who live with them. Everything on the page is passed on, by name, from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health, whose pages on viral hepatitis were last reviewed in December 2024. The box at the top starts where time matters: NIDDK says that if you think you had contact with the hepatitis A or hepatitis B virus you should see your doctor right away, and that for hepatitis B the vaccine dose and, if needed, a medicine called HBIG must be given shortly after, preferably within 24 hours. After that: why many people feel nothing for years; who NIDDK says should be tested (all adults at least once in their life, for both hepatitis B and hepatitis C); hepatitis A, B and C each in turn; how each one spreads and, just as plainly, how it does not (a hug, a shared fork and a seat next to someone are all safe for B and C); the two vaccines; and hepatitis C treatment, which NIDDK says can cure more than 95 in every 100 people with chronic hepatitis C in 8 to 12 weeks. There is a part on pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding, and one on alcohol, food and other medicines. The American Liver Foundation’s website says its free Helpline, 1-800-465-4837, is staffed Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM Eastern Time, by people who are not medical professionals. Ten ticks build the questions to ask at a visit, and the page prints a card to carry. A note on the Spanish page: NIDDK’s own Spanish hepatitis pages were last reviewed in May 2017 and differ from the English ones, so our Spanish page translates the newer English pages and says so. What the guide leaves out, on purpose: the names and amounts of any medicine, prices and the names of payment programs, case counts, hepatitis D and E beyond a sentence each, and the current national vaccine schedule, which can change and which we did not read. It was written with AI; no doctor, nurse, pharmacist or liver specialist has reviewed it. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. With it there are one hundred and fifty-nine free tools.
Open the guide →New guide: When it’s Parkinson’s, in English and Spanish
For anyone in the United States living with Parkinson’s disease, anyone worried about a tremor, stiffness or slowness, and the people beside them. Everything on the page is passed on, by name, from two parts of the National Institutes of Health: the National Institute on Aging (NIA), read in English and in Spanish, and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), which has its Parkinson’s page in English only. The box at the top starts with the sentence that can matter most on a bad day: NIA says people living with Parkinson’s should never stop taking levodopa without telling their doctor, because suddenly stopping may have serious side effects. After that: the four main symptoms and the early signs other people often notice first; what changes besides movement, from sleep and constipation to a drop in blood pressure on standing up; mood, thinking and memory, and the hallucinations and strong urges that NINDS says the medicines can cause in some people; how a diagnosis is made, and where the two institutes’ pages differ on tests; the kinds of medicine and the side effects to report; deep brain stimulation, including what NINDS says it does not help; what helps day to day; and who to call. The Parkinson’s Foundation says its Helpline, 1-800-473-4636, answers Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time, free, in English and Spanish. Ten ticks build the questions to ask at a visit, and the page prints a card to carry. What it leaves out, on purpose: amounts of any medicine, brand names, how long anyone lives with Parkinson’s, statistics, costs and insurance, and the risks of surgery, which neither page lists. It was written with AI; no doctor, nurse, pharmacist or neurologist has reviewed it. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. With it there are one hundred and fifty-eight free tools.
Open the guide →New guide: When it’s arthritis, in English and Spanish
For anyone in the United States whose joints hurt or who has been told they have arthritis, and for the people beside them. Everything on the page is passed on, by name, from one government source: the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), whose pages on arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout we read in English and in Spanish. It starts with the point NIAMS makes first: arthritis is many different types with different causes and treatments, so the first job is finding out which one it is. After that: the seven common types NIAMS lists; how osteoarthritis shows up, joint by joint; rheumatoid arthritis, its flares, and why NIAMS says early diagnosis and treatment are very important; gout, what a flare is like, and the three things NIAMS lists to do during one; the tests, with the reminder that there is no single test and that early x-rays and blood tests can be normal; the kinds of treatment for each type; what helps day to day, from heat and cold to jar openers; and who does what on a care team. The page says plainly what it could not find: the pages we read list no emergency signs, and the page does not make any up. NIAMS’s Spanish pages are shorter than its English ones, so the Spanish guide says where a fact comes from the English page. Ten ticks build the questions to ask at a visit, and the page prints a card to bring. What it leaves out, on purpose: amounts of any medicine, brand names, statistics, costs and insurance, pregnancy, and arthritis in children. It was written with AI; no doctor, nurse, pharmacist or rheumatologist has reviewed it. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. With it there are one hundred and fifty-seven free tools.
Open the guide →New guide: Migraine and headaches, in English and Spanish
For anyone in the United States living with migraine or with headaches that keep coming back, and for the people beside them. Everything on the page is passed on, by name, from one government source: the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), whose Headache and Migraine pages we read in English and in Spanish. It starts with the signs NINDS says mean call or see a doctor right away, such as a sudden, severe headache, a headache after a brain injury, or one that comes with weakness, confusion, convulsions or trouble breathing. NINDS gives that list without sorting it by urgency, and the page says so rather than sorting it for you. After that: how tension-type headache, migraine and cluster headache differ; the four phases of a migraine episode and the kinds NINDS names; what can set one off, with the note that a list of triggers is not a list of things you did wrong; the three quick steps for the middle of an attack; the kinds of medicine that treat an episode and the kinds that prevent them; why taking headache medicine too often can make headaches worse, and that a doctor can help make a plan; what NINDS lists besides medicines; and headaches in children and teens. The two languages of the NINDS Migraine page are not the same text: the Spanish one says some people have found certain supplements helpful, where the English one names none and gives a caution. We pass on both and do not settle it. Ten ticks build the questions to ask at a visit, and the page prints a card with the warning signs and room for what you take. What it leaves out, on purpose: amounts of any medicine, statistics, costs and insurance, pregnancy safety, and links to sites we did not open. It was written with AI; no doctor, nurse, pharmacist or headache specialist has reviewed it. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. With it there are one hundred and fifty-six free tools.
Open the guide →New guide: Menopause, and the years around it, in English and Spanish
For anyone in the United States going through perimenopause or menopause, and for the people beside them. Everything on the page is passed on, by name, from three government sources: the National Institute on Aging (NIA), which we read in English and in Spanish, and the Office on Women’s Health (OWH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which we read in English. It starts with what to have checked: OWH says to see a health care provider as soon as possible about any vaginal bleeding after a full year without a period, and NIA lists the changes in bleeding to take to a doctor before then. After that: what the transition is, when it usually happens and how long symptoms last; why birth control still matters for 12 months after the last period; what NIA says to try first for hot flashes and night sweats; sleep, mood and memory; vaginal dryness, pain during sex and bladder leaks, which OWH says are not a normal part of aging and can be treated; early and premature menopause, including after surgery or cancer treatment; and staying well afterwards. On hormone therapy the sources do not agree, and the page says so: NIA’s and OWH’s pages, written earlier, list the risks and say lowest dose for the shortest time, while the FDA announced on November 10, 2025 that it is removing the broad boxed warnings from these products. We give both, with their dates, and do not settle it. Ten ticks build the questions to ask at a visit, and the page prints a card for your dates. It gives the OWH Helpline, 1-800-994-9662, with the hours OWH lists. What it leaves out, on purpose: amounts of any medicine, the percentages the FDA release gives for benefits, costs and insurance, and links to sites we did not open. It was written with AI; no doctor, nurse, pharmacist or menopause specialist has reviewed it. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. With it there are one hundred and fifty-five free tools.
Open the guide →New guide: When it’s sickle cell, in English and Spanish
For people in the United States who have sickle cell disease or sickle cell trait, for parents whose baby’s newborn screening came back with it, and for the people beside them. Everything on the page is passed on, by name, from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health, which we read in English and in Spanish: its list of the symptoms that are emergencies (severe pain; a fever of more than 101.3 degrees Fahrenheit, which it says needs a healthcare provider and antibiotics right away; chest pain, coughing or shortness of breath; signs of a stroke; signs of serious anemia; an erection lasting 4 hours or more); what to do when a pain crisis is just starting and where to go when it cannot be managed at home; its plain statement that many people with sickle cell disease feel providers do not pay attention to their symptoms, and that stigma, bias and discrimination affect care; what it is and how it is inherited; what sickle cell trait does and does not mean; newborn screening and blood tests; hydroxyurea, the other medicines, blood transfusions, transplant and the two gene therapies approved in December 2023, with their limits; routine care, vaccines and triggers; what to learn if it is your child; and periods, birth control and pregnancy. Ten ticks build the questions to ask at a visit, and the page prints a card with the emergency signs and room for your hematologist’s number. What it leaves out, on purpose: amounts of any medicine, life expectancy, the death rates NHLBI gives for transplants, costs and insurance, and any helpline, because we found no phone line on the pages we read. Where NHLBI’s English and Spanish pages differ, each of our pages follows its own language and the Spanish one says so. It was written with AI; no doctor, nurse, hematologist or person living with sickle cell disease has reviewed it. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. With it there are one hundred and fifty-four free tools.
Open the guide →New guide: When it’s COPD, in English and Spanish
For people in the United States who have COPD (emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or both), who have a cough that won’t go away or get winded easily, and for the people beside them. Everything on the page is passed on, by name, from the source. From the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health: its five signs for calling 911 during a flare-up, and that family or friends should call if the person cannot; to call a healthcare provider right away if symptoms suddenly get worse or there is a fever; the common symptoms and what raises the risk; that there is no routine screening, so the breathing test (spirometry) usually starts with you saying something; the kinds of medicine, without a single brand name or amount; that trouble using an inhaler is normal and worth asking about more than once; what pulmonary rehabilitation and oxygen therapy are, and that oxygen is a fire risk; its suggestions for easier days at home and for avoiding triggers; that quitting smoking is the most important step for slowing COPD, and that vaping is not a good idea for smokers who have COPD; and what COPD has to do with the heart and with mood. From Medicare.gov: who is eligible for pulmonary rehabilitation and home oxygen under Part B, the 20% you pay, the 36-month rental and the five-year cycle, and what an oxygen supplier must do. From the American Lung Association: its free Lung HelpLine at 1-800-586-4872 (press 2), staffed by nurses and respiratory therapists, which it says has Spanish-speaking staff. A builder puts together the questions for a visit from ten things you tick, and there is a card to print with the 911 signs and room for your own numbers. The Spanish page passes on NHLBI from its own Spanish pages, and marks what was read in English. The page says where it runs out: NHLBI’s separate oxygen therapy page was not found, the HelpLine’s hours were not on the page we read, and we read nothing on Medicaid, private insurance, Medicare Advantage or inhaler prices. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. Written with AI; no doctor, nurse, respiratory therapist or person living with COPD has reviewed it. One hundred and fifty-three free tools now.
Open the guide →New guide: If someone is threatening to share your pictures, in English and Spanish
For anyone in the United States being blackmailed over a nude or sexual picture or video, real or fake, and for the adult they told. It is called sextortion. Everything on the page is passed on, by name, from the organizations themselves. From the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC): that the blackmailer is to blame and not you, that cooperating or paying rarely stops the blackmail, to report the account and block it but not delete your profile or the messages, its red flags, its CyberTipline and what happens to a report, and its 24-hour call center at 1-800-843-5678. From its Take It Down service: a free and anonymous way to stop the spread of pictures taken before you were 18, which works from a digital fingerprint so the picture never leaves your device, and its own stated limits. From StopNCII.org: the same kind of tool for adults, including for fake or synthetic pictures. From the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative: its six steps for adults, and how to save evidence. From Homeland Security Investigations: how these schemes work, that paying or sending more makes things worse, and what a parent should do in the first minutes. From Congress.gov: the summary of the federal TAKE IT DOWN Act of 2025, which makes these threats a crime and requires covered platforms to remove such pictures within 48 hours of being notified. A builder puts together the first words to tell someone from ten things you tick, and there is a card to print. The page says where it runs out: the FBI’s and the Federal Trade Commission’s pages refused our connection, the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative’s helpline page would not open so its number is not there, we read no state’s law and only the summary of the federal one, and we used no tool, filed no report and called no number. It gives no statistics, never asks for a picture, saves nothing and loads no tracking. The Spanish page says which one source was read in Spanish and that the rest were read in English. Written with AI; no counselor, investigator, lawyer or person who has been through this has reviewed it. One hundred and fifty-two free tools now.
Open the guide →New guide: When you’re young and have nowhere safe to stay, in English and Spanish
For any teen or young person in the United States who has run away, been kicked out, is thinking about leaving home, or has no safe place to sleep tonight, and for the adults who care about one. Everything on the page is passed on, by name, from the organizations themselves. From the National Runaway Safeline: that it answers calls and texts at 1-800-786-2929 at any hour, that you do not need to give identifying information, and the one limit it states, that if someone is hurting you and you do give identifying information it is required by law to report it; its Home Free program, a free bus ticket for young people ages 12 to 21 to get home or to an agreed safe place; its mediated calls and message service between a young person and a parent; its own questions for someone thinking about leaving; and its advice to parents. From the National Safe Place Network: the yellow diamond sign on fire stations, libraries and other buildings where a young person can walk in and say “I need help”, and its text line (SAFE and your location to 44357). From the federal Family and Youth Services Bureau: emergency shelter of up to 21 days for young people under 18, and longer housing for those who are 16 to 22 when they enter, including homes for young parents. From youth.gov: the right to enroll in and attend school without an address, the school district liaison, and free school meals. A builder puts together the first words to say from ten things you tick, and there is a card to print. The page says where it runs out: it read no state’s law, it could not open the Department of Education’s or Federal Student Aid’s pages, the federal map of youth shelters was a broken link, and no number was called. It never tells a young person to go home or to stay away. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. The Spanish page says the sources were read in English and that we could not confirm either line answers in Spanish. Written with AI; no counselor, shelter worker, lawyer or young person who has been through this has reviewed it. One hundred and fifty-one free tools now.
Open the guide →New guide: When you need child care, in English and Spanish
For any parent or guardian in the United States who needs someone to look after a child and can’t find a place, can’t pay for one, or isn’t sure a place is safe. Everything on the page is passed on, by name, from ChildCare.gov, the child care website of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: that every state and territory has a child care website with an online search, a financial assistance program for families with low incomes, and in many states resource and referral agencies whose staff help families look; the kinds of care, including Head Start and Early Head Start, which it says are free for families that meet the income requirements, and care by a relative, friend or neighbor, which it says is not usually regulated; its steps for a search and what to try when there are only waitlists; the kinds of help with the cost, from state assistance to tax credits; what a license does and does not mean, who must pass a background check and how often, and that inspection reports must be posted online; what a contract should cover; what it says about children with disabilities and about programs that ask a child to leave; and the separate places to report abuse, an unsafe program, or fraud. A builder puts together questions for a program from ten things you tick, and there is a card to print. The page says where it runs out: it read no state’s rules, income limits or copayments, and not the pages for military families, the tip sheets or the tax rules. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. The Spanish page says the sources were read in English, links to ChildCare.gov’s Spanish pages where they were found, and uses their terms. Written with AI; no child care licensor, provider, benefits worker or parent has reviewed it. One hundred and fifty free tools now.
Open the guide →
New guide: When you have to go to court without a lawyer, in English and Spanish
For anyone in the United States with a civil or family court case and no lawyer: court papers that arrived, a case you need to start, a hearing coming up, a hearing by video, or a decision that went the wrong way. The page explains the usual steps in plain words and gives the court’s own word beside each one, so you know it when you hear it. Most of it passes on, by name, WomensLaw.org’s section Preparing for Court – By Yourself: that you are generally allowed to represent yourself and that some judges may hold you to the same standards as a lawyer; how a case starts and why you cannot hand the papers to the other party yourself; that your own testimony is evidence; its list for the day in court; how to object and why it matters for an appeal; what to sort out before a hearing by video; and what can be done after a decision, including its line that in many states, but not all, a Notice of Appeal must be filed within 30 days. From the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: why to respond when you are sued for a debt. There is a part for people who are afraid of the person on the other side, from WomensLaw.org’s page on safety in court. A builder puts together questions for the court clerk from ten things you tick. The page says where it runs out: it read no state’s rules, forms, fees or deadlines, it did not read every answer on discovery, objections and hearsay, and it says nothing about criminal cases beyond telling you to ask for a lawyer. WomensLaw.org wrote for survivors of abuse; where its sentence is about an abuser, the page says the other person. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. The Spanish page keeps the English court words in quotes, because the hearing will be in English, and says that the sources were read in English and only checked against WomensLaw.org’s Spanish version. Written with AI; no lawyer, judge or court clerk has reviewed it. One hundred and forty-nine free tools now.
Open the guide →New guide: When you’re losing health coverage, in English and Spanish
For anyone in the United States whose health coverage has ended or is about to: a job’s plan, Medicaid or CHIP, a parent’s plan at 26, a spouse’s plan after a divorce or a death, a plan with a missed payment, or coverage that changes hands at 65. Most of the ways back in have a deadline, so the page is built around the dates. It passes on, by name, what HealthCare.gov says: that you must pick a Marketplace plan within 60 days after coverage ended, 90 days if it was Medicaid or CHIP, or within 60 days before it will end; when the new coverage starts; the documents that may be asked for and the 30 days to send them; the grace period after a missed premium, with the site’s own example; the 90 days to appeal a Marketplace decision; and its warning never to pay anyone to keep Medicaid. From the U.S. Department of Labor: the 60 days to choose COBRA, how long it usually lasts, and who pays. From Medicare.gov: the seven-month first sign-up period, the eight-month period after a job’s plan ends, and its line that COBRA isn’t considered group health plan coverage. There is a part on getting care while nothing is in place. A builder puts together the words for the call from ten things you tick. The page says where it runs out: it read no state’s Medicaid rules or appeal deadlines and no state-run Marketplace, it read only part of the Department of Labor’s questions and answers, and it gives no prices and no income limits, because they change every year. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. The Spanish page says which sources were read in Spanish and which only in English. Written with AI; no lawyer, insurance professional or Marketplace assister has reviewed it. One hundred and forty-eight free tools now.
Open the guide →New guide: When you’re leaving foster care, in English and Spanish
For young people in the United States who are about to leave foster care at 18 or a little later, which people call aging out, and for those who already have. It is written to the young person, not about them. It passes on, by name and date, what federal publications say can be asked for: the personal transition plan that a 2018 Children’s Bureau factsheet says the law requires the agency to help make in the 90 days before leaving; the papers that factsheet says a young person should leave with (birth certificate, Social Security card, health insurance information, medical records, a state ID, and official proof of having been in foster care); and the yearly credit check. From a February 2026 federal brief: young adults who were enrolled in Medicaid when they aged out are eligible for Medicaid until age 26, with no income test, even after a gap, and the two steps to sign up. From a federal summary of state laws: staying in care past 18, coming back after leaving, and the agreement that goes with it, with each count of states given with its date and no list of states, because the lists are from 2020 to 2022. From HUD: Foster Youth to Independence housing vouchers and how a young person gets certified for one. From the Children’s Bureau: the Chafee program and Education and Training Vouchers. There is a part on being heard, from a federal guide written with people who had been in foster care, and a part on not doing this alone. A builder puts together the words for the call from ten things you tick. The page says where it runs out: it read no state’s rules, the Federal Student Aid site would not load so nothing is passed on from it, two publications give different ages for the credit check and the page shows both, and it leaves out the statistics about what happens to young people after care, because the reader does not need to be told their odds. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. The Spanish page says which sources were read in Spanish and which only in English. Written with AI; no lawyer, caseworker or person who has been in foster care has reviewed it. One hundred and forty-seven free tools now.
Open the guide →New guide: When you’re raising a relative’s child, in English and Spanish
For grandparents, aunts, uncles, older brothers and sisters, other relatives and close family friends in the United States who are raising a child whose parents cannot right now. Agencies call it kinship care. Most of the page passes on, by name, one federal publication written for the people doing it: Kinship Care and the Child Welfare System, a factsheet for families from Child Welfare Information Gateway, a service of the Children’s Bureau, dated May 2022. It starts with the question the factsheet treats as the key: who has legal custody, because whoever has it can enroll a child in school and give permission for medical care, and it is often not the person the child lives with. It sets out the three kinds of kinship care and what each means for help; what the factsheet says about power of attorney and consent forms when the parents still have custody; money for the child (child-only grants, foster care payments for licensed kin, guardianship assistance, SNAP and SSI), with no dollar amounts, because they differ in every state; Medicaid and CHIP, which the factsheet says every state lets kin caregivers apply for on the child’s behalf; what a caseworker may check and plan, with the factsheet’s own questions to ask; court hearings; and the long term: going home, guardianship, which does not end the parents’ rights, and adoption, which does. There is a part on what the child may be carrying, and a part for the caregiver: respite care, support groups, kinship navigators, and the federal caregiver program that serves relatives age 55 and older. A builder puts together the words for the call from ten things you tick. The page says where it runs out: it read no state’s laws, forms or amounts, it found no Spanish version of the factsheet, the factsheet does not say what a background check rules out, and it gives no words for telling a child why they cannot live with their parents, so the page invents none. It does not judge the parents. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. The Spanish page says which sources were read in Spanish and which only in English. Written with AI; no lawyer, caseworker or kin caregiver has reviewed it. One hundred and forty-six free tools now.
Open the guide →New guide: When it’s about child support, in English and Spanish
For people in the United States on either side of a child support order: the parent or caregiver raising a child, and the parent who owes and cannot pay. It takes no side. It passes on, by name, what the federal child support office says: that your case is handled by a state or tribal office and not by the federal one; what to bring and what it can cost to apply; how legal parentage is established and what to do with a notice that names you as the parent; that every state sets amounts by its own guidelines (the page gives no formula and no amount); and what an office can do when support is not paid. The part people most need to hear early is about changing an order: the office's guide says an order cannot be changed for the time before the date you ask, that orders may not be reduced automatically when a parent is incarcerated, and that the debt keeps building until someone asks for a review. There are parts on past-due support (programs to ask about, disability payments, passports, tax refunds), on cases across states, tribes and countries, and on visits, which the guide says the law keeps separate from support. For anyone afraid of the other parent, it passes on the federal safety guide: that fear of violence may be good cause to get benefits without a child support case, the questions to ask about your address, and the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233). A builder puts together the words for the call from ten things you tick. The page says where it runs out: it read no state's rules, the federal office's page of frequently asked questions was down for maintenance, and no federal page we found explains custody, so the page does not. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. The Spanish page says which source was read in Spanish (USAGov en Español) and which only in English. Written with AI; no lawyer or caseworker has reviewed it. One hundred and forty-five free tools now.
Open the guide →New guide: When someone is missing, in English and Spanish
For people in the United States who cannot find someone: a child, a teenager who left, a person living with dementia, an adult, or someone who has been gone a long time. It passes on, by name, what the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children says to do when a child is missing: call local law enforcement immediately, then its 24-hour hotline at 1-800-843-5678; where to look at home; what to tell the police; and to ask that the child be entered into the FBI's National Crime Information Center Missing Person File. It also passes on the Center's statement that federal law prohibits a waiting period before a missing child report is accepted, and that a custody order is not required to report. For a teenager who left, there is the National Runaway Safeline (call or text 1-800-786-2929) and its free bus ticket program. For a person with dementia, the Alzheimer's Association's steps: search immediately, and call 911 if the person is not found within 15 minutes. There are parts on how AMBER Alerts are decided, and on NamUs, the Department of Justice's free system for long-term cases, including what it says about family DNA. A builder puts together the words for the call to the police from ten things you tick. The page says where it runs out: we found no federal page that sets out first steps for a missing adult, we could not read the State Department's or the FBI's pages from our server, and we read no state's rules. It leaves out how many people go missing each year, because NamUs's own two pages give two different averages. It saves nothing and loads no tracking. The Spanish page says which sources were read in Spanish and which only in English. Written with AI; no police officer, lawyer or advocate has reviewed it. One hundred and forty-four free tools now.
Open the guide →New guide: If someone is stalking you, in English and Spanish
For people in the United States who are being followed, watched, tracked, or called and messaged again and again by someone who will not stop, and for the people beside them. It passes on, by name, what the Stalking Prevention, Awareness, and Resource Center (SPARC) says: what stalking is, that two or more incidents make a pattern, that your fear is justified, and what to write down each time, including its warning not to put anything in the log that you would not want the person to see. From Safety Net, the technology project of the National Network to End Domestic Violence: how to save messages as evidence, that some apps tell the other person when you take a screenshot, and that changing a phone's settings can alert the person who is watching it. There are parts on stopping contact, on home, work and school, on protection orders in general terms, on who to call (the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 and VictimConnect at 1-855-484-2846), and for friends, employers and landlords. A builder puts together what to say to the people around you, or to the police, from eight things you tick. The page says what it left out: how many people are stalked (the three sources read give three different figures), every state's law, the names of tracking products, and anything about weapons. It also says where two sources disagree about a helpline's number and hours. It has a Leave quickly button, saves nothing, loads no tracking, and is left off the offline list on purpose. The Spanish page says which sources were read in Spanish and which only in English. Written with AI; no lawyer or advocate has reviewed it. One hundred and forty-three free tools now.
Open the guide →New guide: When something is wrong at work, in English and Spanish
For people working in the United States who were not paid right, whose workplace is not safe, who were hurt on the job, who are harassed or treated differently, who were punished or fired after speaking up, or who are afraid to say anything, and for the people beside them. It sorts the problem to the right federal office and gives each one's phone number and time limit as the agency states it: the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division for pay (1-866-487-9243), OSHA for danger (1-800-321-6742, and 30 days for a whistleblower complaint), the EEOC for discrimination and harassment (1-800-669-4000, in general 180 calendar days), the National Labor Relations Board for acting together with coworkers, and state workers' compensation for an injury. It passes on what the Wage and Hour Division says about itself: no charge, confidential, and that all services are free and confidential whether you are documented or not. It shows where to search for back wages the Division may be holding for you. A builder puts together what to say to an employer about your pay from ten things you tick, and there is a card for your wallet. It says plainly what it did not read: no state's wage or leave law, who is eligible for family and medical leave, the contractor test, and nothing about how agencies share information with immigration authorities. The Spanish page says which sources were read in Spanish and which only in English. Written with AI; no lawyer has reviewed it. Saves nothing, no tracking. One hundred and forty-two free tools now.
Open the guide →New guide: When you might be evicted, in English and Spanish
For renters in the United States who are behind on rent or about to be, who are holding a demand for payment, an eviction notice, court papers or a move-out date, who were locked out, or who have already lost a home, and for the people beside them. It follows the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's three situations: no lawsuit yet, a lawsuit filed, and a court ruling. It passes on the Bureau's four questions for the court clerk, its four things to ask a landlord for, its list of what a landlord cannot do (starting with changing your locks without a court order), and where the help with rent is: 211, local programs, and HUD-approved housing counselors at 1-800-569-4287. There are parts on free legal aid, housing discrimination (HUD, 1-800-669-9777), violence at home, servicemembers and veterans, where to sleep and how to keep a mailing address after losing a home, tenant screening reports, and fake rental listings. A builder puts together what to say to your landlord from ten things you tick, and there is a card to keep with your lease. It says plainly what it did not read: no state's or city's eviction law, notice periods or court deadlines, so it gives no count of days and sends you to legal aid for those. The Spanish page says which sources were read in Spanish and which only in English. Written with AI; no lawyer or housing counselor has reviewed it. Saves nothing, no tracking. One hundred and forty-one free tools now.
Open the guide →New guide: When you can't pay the mortgage, in English and Spanish
For homeowners in the United States who have missed a mortgage payment or are about to, who are holding a foreclosure notice, a sale date or court papers, and for the people beside them. It starts with the two calls that cost nothing: the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says to contact your mortgage servicer right away and that in most cases the worst thing you can do is nothing, and HUD funds free or very low-cost housing counseling nationwide (1-800-569-4287). It gives the Bureau's advice on the call itself: what to have ready, the questions to ask, and not signing anything until you understand it. It sets out the ways to stay (a repayment plan, forbearance, a loan modification, refinancing) and the ways to leave without a foreclosure (selling, a short sale, a deed-in-lieu), each in the Bureau's own description, including that forbearance does not erase what you owe. It passes on HUD's outline of how a foreclosure goes, month by month, with HUD's caution that every state is different, and gives no count of days of its own. It covers a sale date or court papers, the phone lines for FHA, VA, USDA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans, reverse mortgages, what to do when a servicer won't work with you, and the Federal Trade Commission's rule on mortgage relief companies: it is illegal to charge you before you have a written offer from your lender and accept it. It builds the words to say from what you tick, and prints a card to keep with your mortgage papers. It says plainly what it did not read: no state's foreclosure law, nothing on bankruptcy, and whether the phone lines answer in Spanish. The Homeowner Assistance Fund is left out because the federal page said it was scheduled to end by September 2026. The Spanish page says which sources were read in Spanish and which only in English. Written with AI; no lawyer or housing counselor has reviewed it. Saves nothing, no tracking. One hundred and forty free tools now.
Open the guide →New guide: When the power or heat might be shut off, in English and Spanish
For people in the United States who are behind on an electric, gas, heating, water, phone or internet bill, who are holding a shutoff notice, or whose service is already off, and for the people beside them. It starts with the part that has a date on it: the Federal Trade Commission says to contact the utility company immediately, and that companies often won't shut off your service if you pay part of the overdue bill now and agree to a plan to catch up. It lists what the FTC says to check before agreeing to a payment arrangement or budget billing. It explains LIHEAP, the federal energy assistance program, in the federal office's own words: what it can and cannot pay for, that it charges no fee, that you apply locally (energyhelp.us or 1-866-674-6327), that the money can run out, and that you can appeal a denial. It says what state shutoff rules do and do not do, from the LIHEAP Clearinghouse's summary, without pretending to know any one state's dates. It covers weatherization, Lifeline for a phone or internet bill and how people lose it, deposits and denials when starting service, and the shutoff call that is a scam. On water it says the plain thing: the federal water assistance program's own page says its funding has ended, and it passes on where that page says to ask instead. It builds the words to say from what you tick and prints a card to keep with your bills. Every fact names the agency it came from, read on October 6, 2026; one of the federal pages is from 2020 and the guide says so where it leans on it, and two federal pages give different hours for the referral line, so it shows both. The Spanish page was written from USAGov en Español and the FTC's Spanish pages, read in full; what was read only in English is marked. It lists what we did not read, including every state's law. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; no lawyer or benefits counselor has reviewed it, and the Spanish was not reviewed by a native speaker. The tools page now lists 139.
Open the guide →New guide: When someone is using your name (identity theft), in English and Spanish
For people in the United States whose card, bank account, Social Security number, tax refund, medical insurance or child's information has been used by someone else, for people holding a data breach notice, and for the people beside them. It starts with the part that has a clock: the Federal Trade Commission says to report a lost or stolen card to the bank as soon as possible, and that with a debit card what you can lose depends on how quickly you report it. Then the three steps IdentityTheft.gov gives for right away: call the companies where you know fraud occurred, place a free fraud alert with one credit bureau (which must tell the other two) and get your credit reports, and report it to the FTC to get an Identity Theft Report and a recovery plan. It sets a fraud alert and a credit freeze side by side, and covers closing accounts you never opened, getting fraudulent information blocked from a credit report, debts that are not yours, what to do when the IRS says you already filed and what an IP PIN is, medical identity theft, a child's identity, and the longer list: Social Security numbers, IDs, benefits, checks, utilities, rentals and an arrest in your name. It says what the Federal Trade Commission says paid monitoring does and does not do, and names no product. It builds the words to say from what you tick and prints a card to keep with your papers. The guide never asks you to type a number, on purpose. Every fact names the agency it came from, read on October 6, 2026. The Spanish page was written from RobodeIdentidad.gov's Spanish steps, read in full; the other Spanish pages were checked for numbers, deadlines and names, and what was read only in English is marked. It lists what we did not read, including the laws themselves and the credit bureaus' own sites. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; no lawyer has reviewed it, and the Spanish was not reviewed by a native speaker. The tools page now lists 138.
Open the guide →New guide: When a debt collector calls, in English and Spanish
For people in the United States who are being called, written to, threatened or sued over a debt, and for the people beside them. It starts with the part that cannot wait: the Federal Trade Commission says that if a debt collector sues you, the most important thing is to respond by the date in the court papers, even if you think you don't owe the debt. Then the first call (what a collector has to tell you, what you can ask, and what the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says never to give until you know the caller is real), how to tell a collector from a scam, and how to dispute a debt in writing within 30 days so the collector has to stop until it sends proof. It covers when and how often a collector may call, the letter that makes the calls stop, and what collectors may not do: threaten harm or arrest, lie about the amount, or tell your employer or your family. It explains old debts, where the Federal Trade Commission says that in some states a small payment or a promise can restart the clock for a lawsuit; what a collector can and cannot take, and how direct deposit protects Social Security, SSI and veterans benefits; paying and settling; a debt of someone who died; and where to report a collector and find free legal help. It builds the words to say from what you tick, none of which admit the debt, and prints a card to keep by the phone. Every fact names the agency it came from, read on October 6, 2026. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Spanish address led to its English home page that day, so the Spanish page is written from the Federal Trade Commission's Spanish pages and marks everything that was read only in English. It lists what we did not read, including every state's law and every court's rules. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; no lawyer or credit counselor has reviewed it, and the Spanish was not reviewed by a native speaker. The tools page now lists 137.
Open the guide →New guide: When it's HIV, in English and Spanish
For people in the United States who may have been exposed to HIV, who want a test or are afraid of one, who have just tested positive, who have HIV and have fallen out of care, or whose partner has HIV, and for the people beside them. It starts with the part that cannot wait: HIV.gov, the federal government's HIV site, says a medicine called PEP can prevent HIV after a possible exposure, that it must be started within 72 hours, and that every hour counts. Then getting tested (who, where, what it costs, tests you do at home, and the window period in which no test can find the virus yet), what a negative or a positive result means, and the first steps after a positive one. It passes on HIV.gov's plain sentences: having HIV does not mean you are going to die, and people who take HIV medicine as prescribed and get and keep an undetectable viral load will not transmit HIV to their HIV-negative partners through sex. It covers PrEP, the medicine that prevents HIV, and what HIV.gov says about it being free under almost all health insurance plans; who needs to know your status and who doesn't; the federal laws that protect people with HIV at work and in health care; the Ryan White program and other ways people pay for care, and housing help; and pregnancy. It builds the questions to ask from what you tick, and prints a card about the 72 hours that says nothing about the person carrying it. Every fact names the page it came from, read on October 6, 2026. HIV.gov has no Spanish version, so the Spanish page is written from the National Institutes of Health's Spanish HIVinfo fact sheets and marks everything that was read only in English. Where the sources disagree with each other, or one site with itself (on breastfeeding, for one), the guide gives both and says so. It names no medicines and gives no doses, and it lists what we did not read, including every state's law. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; no doctor, case manager or lawyer has reviewed it, it was not written by someone who lives with HIV, and the Spanish was not reviewed by a native speaker. The tools page now lists 136.
Open the guide →New guide: When it's your kidneys, in English and Spanish
For people in the United States who have kidney disease, who have diabetes or high blood pressure and have never been told how their kidneys are, or who are facing dialysis, and for the people beside them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than 1 in 7 American adults has chronic kidney disease and as many as 9 in 10 don't know it, so the guide starts with who should be tested and the two ordinary tests that can tell: a blood test (GFR) and a urine test (albumin), with what the kidney institute at the National Institutes of Health says each number means. Then how to protect the kidneys you have (the institute calls controlling blood pressure the most important step), the blood pressure medicines that may protect kidneys and the common pain relievers that can damage them, food, and who is on the team. If kidneys fail, it lays out the four choices, including care without dialysis, and the institute's words that you have the right to decide. It covers living on dialysis, including Medicare's line that a facility can't take any action against you for filing a complaint; a transplant, including the 36-month limit on Medicare after one; and how Medicare covers permanent kidney failure at any age, with the dates that matter. It builds the questions to ask the doctor from what you tick, and prints a card to carry. Every fact names the page it came from, read on October 6, 2026; several of those pages are years old and the guide says so; the Spanish page is written from the institute's and Medicare's Spanish pages and marks what was read only in English. It lists what we did not read. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; no doctor, dietitian or lawyer has reviewed it, and the Spanish was not reviewed by a native speaker. The tools page now lists 135.
Open the guide →New guide: When your sight is fading, in English and Spanish
For people in the United States who are not seeing as well as they used to, or who have been told that glasses can't fix it, and for the people beside them. It starts with what cannot wait: the National Eye Institute says a lot of new floaters, flashes of light or a shadow over your vision can mean a detached retina, a medical emergency, and to go to an eye doctor or the emergency room right away. Then what "low vision" means, who to see and what a dilated eye exam is, the four most common causes, and what Medicare's own pages say: it does not cover routine eye exams for glasses, and it does help with a yearly exam if you have diabetes and a glaucoma screening if you are at high risk. It passes on the Institute's list of places where eye care is free or low-cost, explains vision rehabilitation (which you can ask for even without an eye doctor), small changes at home, the Library of Congress's free audiobook and braille library, getting around and driving, and what you can ask for at work. It builds the words to say to the eye doctor from what you tick, and prints a card to hand over. Every fact names the page it came from, read on October 6, 2026; the Spanish page is written from the Institute's and Medicare's Spanish pages and marks what was read only in English. It lists what we did not read. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; no eye doctor or lawyer has reviewed it, it was not tested by anyone using a screen reader, and the Spanish was not reviewed by a native speaker. The tools page now lists 134.
Open the guide →New guide: When someone you love is dying, in English and Spanish
For people in the United States who are sitting beside someone at the end of life, and for the person who is dying. It explains the two words that get mixed up: the National Institute on Aging says palliative care can start at diagnosis and go alongside treatment, and that hospice is comfort care for the final weeks or months, an approach to care and not a place. It gives what Medicare's own page says about hospice: who is eligible, that you pay nothing for hospice care from a Medicare-approved provider, what is not covered (room and board, and an emergency room or ambulance the hospice did not arrange), and to contact the hospice team first. Then the Institute's advice on keeping someone comfortable (pain, breathing, skin and mouth, not forcing food), the things you may see as death gets close so they frighten you less, what to say and do at the bedside, how to decide for someone who can no longer speak, and what the papers are (a living will, a health care proxy, do-not-resuscitate orders). There is a part written to the person who is dying, and one for the caregiver. It builds a sheet of the Institute's questions for the doctor from what you tick, and prints a card for the bedside. The Spanish page is written from the Institute's Spanish pages, which are older than the English ones, and marks everything that was read only in English. Every fact names its owner and comes from pages read on October 6, 2026; the page lists what was not read (the signs that death is hours away, choosing a hospice, Medicaid and private insurance, state forms and laws). It saves nothing and has no analytics. It was written with AI, has not been reviewed by a doctor, a nurse, a hospice worker or a lawyer, and the Spanish has not been reviewed by a native speaker. It is the 133rd free tool.
Open the guide →New guide: When it gets hard to hear, in English and Spanish
For people in the United States who are not hearing as well as they used to, and for the people who talk with them. It starts with the one kind of hearing loss that cannot wait: the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders says to consider sudden deafness symptoms a medical emergency and visit a doctor immediately, even if you think it is earwax or a cold. Then it gives the National Institute on Aging's signs, five of the ten questions the first institute prints, and who to see (a primary care doctor, an ear, nose and throat doctor, an audiologist), with the list of symptoms that mean see a doctor promptly. There is a part on hearing aids: the over-the-counter kind, which the Food and Drug Administration says adults can buy in a store or online without an exam or a prescription, and the prescription kind, with the questions to ask before buying. The part on paying says it plainly: Medicare's own page says it does not cover hearing aids or the exams for fitting them; Medicaid pays for eligible children and young adults up to 21; and the institute's Information Clearinghouse (1-800-241-1044, TTY 1-800-241-1055, English and Spanish) answers questions about organizations that help with the cost. There are parts on ringing in the ears, on protecting the hearing you have, on how to talk with someone who has trouble hearing, on captioned phones, 711, alarms that flash or shake and hearing loops, on what ADA.gov and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission say you can ask for at a doctor's office and at work, and on a baby's or a child's hearing, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It builds the words to say to the doctor from what you tick, and prints a card to hand over that says: please face me, speak clearly, and don't shout. The Spanish page is written from the Spanish pages of the two institutes, Medicare and MedlinePlus, and marks each fact that was read only in English. We could not read the Federal Communications Commission's pages on relay and captioned telephones (its site refused us), or the Hearing Loss Association of America's site, so the guide does not describe them; it names no brands and no prices. It saves nothing and has no analytics. It was written with AI and has not been reviewed by a doctor, an audiologist or a lawyer, or by anyone who is deaf or hard of hearing; the Spanish is an AI translation not reviewed by a native speaker. It was checked by programs, not yet used by people. With it, the tools page lists 132 free tools and guides.
Open the guide →New guide: If an older person is being hurt, in English and Spanish
For people in the United States who are worried about an older person (a parent, a neighbor, someone in a nursing home), for older people who are being hurt, frightened, neglected or robbed, and for caregivers who have nothing left. It starts with the words the National Institute on Aging uses for the kinds of elder abuse, and with one sentence from MedlinePlus: elder abuse will not stop on its own; someone else needs to step in and help. It gives the signs the Institute and the Department of Justice list, and says that one sign by itself proves nothing. It has the Institute's advice on how to talk with the person (alone, and saying you are worried) and on checking in when you live far away. It explains where a report goes, in the National Center on Elder Abuse's words: 911 in immediate danger, Adult Protective Services at home, the state licensing agency for a nursing home or assisted living, and that you do not need proof. There is a part on the Long-Term Care Ombudsman, a part on money taken by someone the person knows, and a part on scams by strangers with the Department of Justice's National Elder Fraud Hotline (1-833-372-8311, Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern) and its warning that scammers now pretend to be the hotline itself. There is a part written to the older person (it is not your fault), and a part for a caregiver at the end of their rope, with where to look for a break. It gives the Eldercare Locator (call or text 1-800-677-1116) and says we could not find its hours. It builds the words to say when you call from what you tick, and prints a card. It has a Leave quickly button, and it is left off the offline list on purpose. It is the 131st free tool. Every fact names its owner and comes from pages read on October 6, 2026. The Spanish page was written from the Institute's, MedlinePlus's and the Department of Justice's Spanish pages where they exist, and marks what was read only in English. Two sources differ on whether women or men are abused more often, so the page does not say. We did not call any line, and we did not read any state's law, how an investigation works, or what happens when the older person does not want a report: the page says so. Written with AI, which has not grown old; not reviewed by a doctor, a social worker, a protective services worker or a lawyer; the Spanish is AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker. Checked by programs, not yet used by people. General information, not medical or legal advice. Saves nothing, no tracking.
Open the guide →New guide: If a child is being hurt, in English and Spanish
For people in the United States who are worried about a child, for the adult a child has just told, for kids and teens who are being hurt, for parents who are afraid of what they might do, and for adults it happened to long ago. It starts with what the health agencies mean by abuse and neglect, including one sentence from the federal Child Welfare Information Gateway that matters to many families: poverty does not equal neglect. It gives the signs MedlinePlus and Nemours KidsHealth list, and says that one sign by itself proves nothing. It has what to say when a child tells you, from Stop It Now: believe what they say, thank them for telling you, and tell them they are not to blame. It explains who takes a report, and has a picker for your state's reporting line; a number is shown only where two lists agreed when we read them (40 of 54 states and territories), and nobody called them. It gives the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline (call or text 1-800-422-4453, at any hour) with what Childhelp itself says: that it is not a reporting line, that it never asks for names or addresses, and when it has to share what it hears. There is a part written to kids and teens (it is never your fault; keep telling until someone helps you), a part for a parent at the end of their rope (the CDC says to put a crying baby in a safe place, walk away to calm down, and check every five to 10 minutes), a part on sexual abuse, a part on pictures and threats online (the CyberTipline and the free Take It Down tool), and a part for adults who were hurt as children. It builds the words to say when you call from what you tick, and prints a card that does not say what it is for. It has a Leave quickly button, and it is left off the offline list on purpose. It is the 130th free tool. Every fact names its owner and comes from pages read on October 6, 2026. The Spanish page was written from MedlinePlus's, KidsHealth's and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's Spanish pages where they exist, and marks what was read only in English. We did not call any line, and we did not read any state's law, how an investigation works, or how long anyone has to bring a case: the page says so. Written with AI, which has not lived this; not reviewed by a doctor, a social worker, a child protection worker or a lawyer; the Spanish is AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker. Checked by programs, not yet used by people. General information, not medical or legal advice. Saves nothing, no tracking. Update, October 9, 2026: the lists of signs and some other lines were re-sourced; see the correction dated that day.
Open the guide →New guide: When the doctor says cancer, in English and Spanish
For people in the United States who have just been told they have cancer, and for the people beside them. It starts with the first days: what the word means, why the exact name and stage matter, and what the National Cancer Institute says about feeling out of control. It gives the Institute's own lists of questions to ask about a diagnosis and about treatment, and what it says about second opinions (very common, and most doctors welcome one). It has the one warning sign to learn by heart: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher during chemotherapy is a medical emergency, and to call the doctor at once, even in the middle of the night. There are parts on clinical trials and who pays for them; on paying for treatment (the billing office, the hospital social worker, the organizations the Institute names, and what to do without insurance); on your job, with what the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Labor say about the disabilities act and family and medical leave, and who those laws leave out; on fear, anger, guilt and support groups; on telling your children; on being the person beside someone with cancer; and on palliative care, hospice and putting your wishes on paper. It lists free people to call: the American Cancer Society at any hour (1-800-227-2345), the National Cancer Institute on weekdays in English and Spanish (1-800-422-6237), CancerCare and the Cancer Support Community. It builds the words to say to the doctor from what you tick, and prints a wallet card with the fever rule on it. It is the 129th free tool. Every fact names its owner and comes from pages read on October 6, 2026. The Spanish page was written from the Institute's and the CDC's Spanish pages where they exist, and marks what was read only in English. We did not call any line, and we did not read about any one type of cancer, any one treatment, survival figures, or any state's laws: the page says so. It gives no doses and names no medicines. Written with AI, which has not had cancer; not reviewed by a doctor, a nurse, a social worker or a lawyer; the Spanish is AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker. Checked by programs, not yet used by people. General information, not medical or legal advice. Saves nothing, no tracking.
Open the guide →New guide: If someone is forcing you to work or to sell sex, in English and Spanish
For people in the United States who are being made to work, or to have sex for money, by force, lies or threats; for people who got out; and for people who are worried about someone. The law calls it human trafficking. The guide says what that means in plain words, and passes on the National Human Trafficking Hotline's own lists of signs, at work and in commercial sex. It gives the hotline: call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733, at any hour. It says what the hotline says it keeps private (it does not record calls, and you do not have to give your name) and when it reports (its staff are mandated reporters). The Department of Homeland Security says the hotline is not a law enforcement or immigration authority. Then the hotline's safety tips for staying safer, for leaving (it says leaving can raise the risk of violence) and for afterwards. For people who are not U.S. citizens, it passes on what U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services says about T nonimmigrant status: up to 4 years, no fee, a safe mailing address. There are parts on a job offer or a partner that worries you, on being under 18, and on what to do, and not do, when you are worried about someone else. It builds the words to say when you call from what you tick, and prints a card that does not say what it is for. The page has a Leave quickly button, and it is left off the offline list on purpose, because a saved copy is a trace. It is the 128th free tool. Every fact names its owner and comes from pages read on October 6, 2026. The hotline's website did not open in Spanish for us, so the Spanish page marks what was read only in English; the Department of Homeland Security's Spanish page says the hotline answers in Spanish by phone. We did not call, text or chat with any line, and we did not read state laws, the immigration forms, or the U visa page. Written with AI, which has not lived this; not reviewed by a lawyer, an advocate or a survivor; the Spanish is AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker. Checked by programs, not yet used by people. General information, not legal advice. Saves nothing, no tracking.
Open the guide →New guide: After a miscarriage or a stillbirth, in English and Spanish
For people in the United States who have lost a pregnancy or a baby, and the people beside them. It explains the words doctors use. It gives the warning signs after a loss: the three signs the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development says mean call 911, and what it calls heavy bleeding. It passes on what MedlinePlus and that institute say a doctor may offer after a miscarriage or a stillbirth, and what they say about why it happens: that it can happen in any pregnancy, that there is no known way to stop a loss before 20 weeks once it has started, and that up to half the time the reason for a stillbirth is never known. Then grief, partners and children at home (from the March of Dimes), thinking about another pregnancy, and what to say, and not say, to someone who has lost a baby (that list is ours, and says so). The free help: the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-852-6262, by call or text at any hour, the Postpartum Support International HelpLine, Share, First Candle's grief line, The Compassionate Friends, 988 and 911. It builds the words to say to a doctor or a midwife from what you tick, and prints a pocket card. It is the 127th free tool. Every fact names its owner and comes from pages read on October 6, 2026. The Spanish page says which sources were read only in English. We did not call or text any of the lines, and we did not read about ectopic or molar pregnancy, ending a pregnancy for medical reasons, the death of a newborn, leave from work, or funerals and certificates for a baby. Written with AI, which has not lived this; not reviewed by a clinician or a grief counselor; the Spanish is AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker. Checked by programs, not yet used by people. General information, not medical advice. Saves nothing, no tracking.
Open the guide →New guide: When you want to quit smoking, in English and Spanish
For people in the United States who smoke cigarettes and want to stop, and the people beside them. It says what the CDC says happens after the last cigarette, from minutes to 15 years. It lists the free help: 1-800-QUIT-NOW, 1-855-DÉJELO-YA in Spanish, the lines in Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean and Vietnamese, the text programs (QUIT to 47848, ESP for Spanish), the quitSTART app and the National Cancer Institute's chat. It passes on what the FDA and the CDC say about patches, gum, lozenges and the two prescription tablets, with their risks, and gives no doses and no brand names. Then the first day, what to do in a craving, the first weeks, what to do if you smoke again, how to help someone quit, and when it is too much (988, 911). It builds the words to say to a doctor or a pharmacist from what you tick, and prints a pocket card. It is the 126th free tool. Every fact names its owner and comes from pages read on October 6, 2026: the CDC, Smokefree.gov, MedlinePlus and the FDA. The Spanish page says which sources were read only in English. We did not call or text any of the lines, and we did not read about vaping, other tobacco, teenagers or any product's label or cost. Written with AI, not reviewed by a clinician; the Spanish is AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker. Checked by programs, not yet used by people. General information, not medical advice. Saves nothing, no tracking.
Open the guide →New essay and song: Learning How to Carry You
An essay for anyone who is grieving, and for their friends. It says what people who have been through it keep saying: there is no timetable, it comes in waves, and you do not get over someone you love, you learn to carry them. It does not promise that the weight gets lighter. It gives one small thing for today: say their name out loud. And one for the friend: do not ask "better yet?"; offer something with a day in it. It comes with a slow New Orleans brass band hymn and a lyric film with closed captions. The essay was written with AI (Claude), which says in the essay that it has not lost anyone; the song, the singer's voice and the images are AI-made too, and the page says so at the top. The jazz funeral is described from general knowledge, not from a source we opened. It is not medical advice or counseling. It names 988 and 911 and points to When someone has died, When someone you love died by suicide and Get help now.
Read and watch →The street sheet: free food and shelter in New York City, one borough to a printed page
New at /street-sheet/ (and in Spanish at /es/hoja-de-calle/): the KONG New York list of free food and shelter, turned into one page to print for each of the five boroughs. A phone dies and a library closes; a sheet of paper keeps working. Each sheet has the soup kitchens, food pantries and shelters in that borough with their addresses and phone numbers, the ten city-wide lines, 911, 988 and 311 in large type, and a code that opens the live list. Pick a borough and press Print: one page, black and white. It is meant for a pocket, a church door, a library desk or an outreach bag. Nothing new was checked for it: a program copies all 54 places from the list each time the page is built, and the list was checked on 29 Sep 2026 against each organisation's own website, not by phone. Two of the 54 could not be confirmed, and the sheets say so next to them. The sheets print no opening hours, because the list has none it trusts, so each one says to call before you go. A printed page goes out of date, and the date is on every sheet. The page keeps nothing, sends nothing and runs no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); checked by programs, not yet used by people; nobody here visited these places or dialed these numbers for this page; the Spanish was translated by AI and has not been reviewed by a native speaker.
Open the street sheet →Blood sugar log: your readings, kept on your own device
New at /blood-sugar-log/ (and in Spanish at /es/registro-de-azucar-en-la-sangre/): the one hundred and twenty-fifth free tool. A doctor or diabetes educator who asks someone to check their blood sugar wants to see the numbers afterwards. Type in what the meter showed, in mg/dL, with the day and the time (when it was taken, a few things about the moment and a note are optional), and the page keeps the readings in order, works out the average of the last 7 days and the last 30, readings before and after meals apart, counts how many were below 70 or above 180, draws a bar for each recent reading, and makes a one-page sheet to print with empty rows to fill in by hand. Under each reading it says where the number sits next to the ranges the CDC publishes for most people with diabetes who are not pregnant: 80 to 130 before meals, below 180 one to two hours after. When a reading is below 70, it repeats the CDC's 15-15 rule; below 55, the CDC's words about glucagon and emergency treatment and the NIDDK's about calling 911; at 250 or above, the CDC's steps about ketones and its list of signs for going to the emergency room or calling 911. There is no account and no server behind it: the readings are kept only in this browser on this device, we never receive them, and the page runs no analytics. That is not the same as secret, and the page says so. It measures nothing, it does not diagnose, it does not say what anyone's numbers ought to be (a care team's own target is the one that counts), it is no reason to change a medicine or an insulin dose, it takes mg/dL only, and it cannot remind anyone. Every number on it comes from six pages we read on October 6, 2026 and link: four from the CDC and two from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; we added none of our own. Written with AI (Claude). Not reviewed by a clinician. The Spanish is AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker. Checked by programs, not yet used by people.
Open the blood sugar log →Blood pressure log: your readings, kept on your own device
New at /blood-pressure-log/ (and in Spanish at /es/registro-de-presion-arterial/): the one hundred and twenty-fourth free tool. A doctor who asks someone to check their blood pressure at home wants to see the numbers afterwards. Type in what the monitor showed (the top number, the bottom number, the day and the time; the pulse, where it was taken and a note are optional), and the page keeps the readings in order, works out the average of the last 7 days and the last 30, mornings and evenings apart, draws a bar for each recent reading, and makes a one-page sheet to print with empty rows to fill in by hand. Under each reading it names the row of the American Heart Association's blood pressure chart that the reading falls in. When a reading is higher than 180 on top or higher than 120 on the bottom, it repeats that association's steps: wait one minute and measure again, call 911 if it comes with chest pain, shortness of breath, back pain, numbness, weakness, a change in vision or difficulty speaking, and contact a healthcare professional right away if it does not. The page also carries the CDC's checklist for getting a reading you can trust. There is no account and no server behind it: the readings are kept only in this browser on this device, we never receive them, and the page runs no analytics. That is not the same as secret, and the page says so. It measures nothing, it does not diagnose (naming a row of a chart is not a diagnosis), it does not say what anyone's numbers ought to be, it is no reason to change a medicine, and it cannot remind anyone. Every number on it comes from four pages we read on October 6, 2026 and link: two from the American Heart Association, one from the CDC and one from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; we added none of our own. Written with AI (Claude). Not reviewed by a clinician. The Spanish is AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker. Checked by programs, not yet used by people.
Open the blood pressure log →
Period diary: your dates, kept on your own device
New at /period-diary/ (and in Spanish at /es/diario-del-periodo/): the one hundred and twenty-third free tool. A doctor or nurse will often ask when your last period started and whether they come regularly, and it is hard to answer from memory. Write down the first day and the last day of each period, how heavy it got, and anything that came with it (cramps, a headache, clots, a day of work missed). The page counts how long each one lasted and how many days passed from one first day to the next, shows which day you are on today, gives the shortest, longest and average of your last six gaps on a small chart, and makes a sheet to print with empty rows to fill in by hand. One tap adds the last day when a period ends. There is no account and no server behind it: the dates are kept only in this browser on this device, we never receive them, and the page runs no analytics. That is not the same as secret, and the page says so: anyone who can open the browser on that device can read it, and one button erases it. It is not birth control and cannot tell which days someone can or cannot get pregnant; it cannot tell whether someone is pregnant; it does not forecast (it adds past gaps to the last first day and says that is arithmetic); it does not diagnose and cannot remind anyone. When your own dates meet one of the points the U.S. Office on Women's Health gives as a reason to talk to a doctor or nurse (cycles shorter than 24 days or longer than 38, no period for 90 days, a period longer than eight days, very heavy bleeding or large clots), the page says so and names that office; we read its two pages on October 5, 2026, link them, and added no health facts of our own. Written with AI (Claude). Not reviewed by a clinician. The Spanish is AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker. Checked by programs, not yet used by people.
Open the period diary →Correction: this morning's link check missed 596 links, and its one repair broke three
Earlier this morning we published Sources, a record of a program opening every outside link on this site. It had three mistakes, all ours. First, it missed 596 links. Many guides write an address in two parts, a beginning and an ending, and join them when the page opens; the check read only the beginnings. It reported 1,850 links and the count is 2,384. The missed ones have now been opened: 586 opened and 10 turned the program away. Second, it listed 61 addresses that no reader can follow, those beginnings on their own, and three of them were among the eight links it called broken (CDC's Spanish stroke and winter weather pages, and an allergy institute's pages). Nothing on this site links to those three addresses, and the eleven real links built from them all opened. Third, its one repair to a guide was a mistake: it changed a beginning in the learning disabilities guide, which broke three working links to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development for part of the morning. They are restored. We found this by having a second program open every page in a browser, press what can be pressed, and write down each link that appeared. Also repaired today: the Spanish guide for after a sexual assault now says that four Office on Women's Health pages are in English, because their Spanish addresses now lead to English; and the legal help guide's court directory link, which had started landing on a front page, now goes to the U.S. Department of Justice library's list of court websites by state. The Sources page carries the correction in both languages. Written with AI (Claude); checked by programs and by the AI, not by a person.
Read the correction →Sources: every outside link on this site was opened by a program, and the broken ones are named
The guides and tools here lean on other people's pages: government agencies, medical libraries, helplines, state laws. Until today nobody had gone back to see whether those links still open. A program has now tried all 2,384 outside links on the 320 pages in our sitemap, on 459 websites: 2,357 opened and 27 turned the program away, so we could not tell. This entry first said 1,850 outside links and named 8 as still broken. That count was wrong, and so was part of the list: see the correction posted the same morning. Repaired on the day: four links on the Spanish guide for after a sexual assault whose Spanish address now leads to English (the guide now says they are in English), the court directory on the legal help guide, and a citation on a lab page. The page lists every link by website, with the pages that use it. A link that opens is not proof that the page still says what our guide says: nobody re-read the sources for this, and nobody dialed a phone number. It is a record of one day and does not update itself. Written with AI (Claude); the check was run by a program and its doubtful results were looked at by the AI, not by a person. Also in Spanish (AI-translated, not reviewed by a native speaker).
See every link →Accessibility: the Tab key no longer lands behind the header on the tools and guides
If you get around a page with the Tab key, the link or box you had just reached could be sitting behind the header or the announcement bar at the top of the window, where you could not see it. We had listed that as a known problem without measuring it. A program has now moved the focus through up to 120 links, buttons and boxes on each of the 262 free tool and guide pages (English and Spanish), forward and backward, at desktop and phone width: 46,222 moves at each width. Before, the focus landed completely behind a fixed bar 2,856 times at desktop width, on every one of the 262 pages, and 1,575 times at phone width. Each of those pages now measures the bars and keeps that much room clear, and the same check finds 0. With real key presses on six pages it went from 44 and 76 of 419 to 1 and 3. Not fixed: the homepage, essays, music, press, library and archive pages do not have the change yet, and a tall writing box can still land partly past the bottom of the window. The fix needs JavaScript. Written with AI (Claude); measured by a program in one browser on a copy of the site, not yet tried by a person who uses a keyboard to get around.
Read the measurements →The phone list: who to call, on one page to print
New at /phone-list/ (and in Spanish at /es/lista-de-telefonos/): the helplines and office numbers our guides lead with, gathered on one page: 66 lines in English and 67 in Spanish (45 and 46 when it opened on October 5), in eight groups (seven at first), from 911 and 988 to food and shelter, health, benefits, work, taxes and lost papers. Tap a number to call or text, type a word to narrow the list, or press Print for a plain black-and-white sheet to keep by the phone. The Spanish page carries what each guide says about being answered in Spanish, including where we could not confirm it. Nothing on the page is a new fact: each line is copied from a guide on this site and links to it, and the page cannot be built if a number or its hours no longer match that guide. It does not have all the numbers in the guides, and it has no local numbers except 311 for New York City. Get help now links to it under the pocket card. The page keeps nothing and sends nothing, and runs no analytics. It is a list, not a new tool, so the count of tools stays at 122. Written with AI (Claude); nobody dialed these numbers for this page. Checked by programs, not yet used by people. The Spanish was translated by AI and not reviewed by a native speaker.
The phone list →Find the letter: every letter on this site, on one page
New at /letters/ (and in Spanish at /es/cartas/): one page that lists every letter the free tools can help you write, sorted by who the letter is for: a doctor’s office, hospital or billing office, a debt collector, your landlord, your child’s school, an employer, or someone in your life. Twenty have blanks to fill in and six you write in your own words. Pick one and its page opens with that letter already chosen; a box at the top narrows the list as you type. The four fill-in letter tools now open on a chosen letter when a link names it, and the tick boxes and option buttons on three of them are bigger (24 by 24 pixels, up from 20). The page keeps nothing and sends nothing, and runs no analytics. It is a list, not a new tool, so the count of tools stays at 122. Written with AI (Claude); it is not legal advice and no lawyer has reviewed the letters. Checked by programs, not yet used by people. The Spanish was translated by AI and not reviewed by a native speaker.
Find the letter →Letters to your child’s school: an evaluation, the records, the IEP
New at /school-letters/ (and in Spanish at /es/cartas-a-la-escuela/): five short letters from a parent or guardian to a public school, with blanks to fill in. Ask that your child be evaluated for special education services. Ask to see your child’s school records and get copies. Ask for a meeting to review the IEP. Ask the school to put in writing a decision it told you out loud (prior written notice). Or raise a problem you want to solve with the school. The letter can be in English or in Spanish on both pages, and a tick box adds a request for a Spanish interpreter. Print it, save it as a PDF, or copy the text into an email. The notes under each letter pass on what the Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) says on pages read on October 5, 2026, in English and, for four of the five letters, in Spanish; those pages are from 2021 and 2022. The letters are ours, not CPIR’s model letters, which the page links to: ours ask, name no law, and say “my child” throughout. No state’s rules are stated because none was read. Nothing you type is kept or sent, not even on your device, and the page runs no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); not reviewed by a lawyer, a special education advocate, a teacher or a Parent Center, and not yet used with a real school. The Spanish was translated by AI and not reviewed by a native speaker.
Write a letter to the school →Accessibility: the tools checked past their first screen, and bigger tick boxes
Until now the automated accessibility check only looked at each page as it first opens. A new program opens each of the 242 free tool pages (English and Spanish), types test words, presses up to 48 buttons and runs the checker (axe-core 4.13) on what appears, at desktop and phone width: 484 runs, 11,834 presses, 2,751 checks. First screens had nothing to report. Further in, it found tick boxes, round option buttons and sliders smaller than 24 by 24 pixels on 35 pages, and a green button on My day that was hard to read. Both are fixed on 48 pages and those pages were checked again. The statement lists what the check could not reach, what was not fixed, and two kinds of report we judged not to be real faults, with the reasons. Written with AI (Claude); the check ran in one browser, on a copy of the site, and no person with a screen reader has tested the tools.
Read the October 5 check →Letters to your landlord: a repair, back rent, your deposit
New at /landlord-letters/ (and in Spanish at /es/cartas-al-arrendador/): five short letters from a renter to a landlord or property manager, with blanks to fill in. Ask for a repair. Ask again when it has not been done. Ask to agree on a repayment plan when you are behind on rent. Ask for a written statement of what you have been charged and what you have paid. Ask for your security deposit after you move out. You pick one, type your name, the landlord, the address of the home and what you are asking for, and the page lays it out as a letter to print, save as a PDF or copy. The letter can be in English or in Spanish on both pages. A note under each letter passes on what USAGov, the CFPB and HUD say, from pages read on October 5, 2026: read your lease first, the four repayment options the CFPB lists, and where to turn when a landlord does not answer. The sentences of the letters are ours; they ask, cite no law and threaten nobody. No state’s law is stated because we read none, we read no source on security deposits or on how long a repair may take, and the page says nothing about holding back rent or answering an eviction notice: for those it points to legal aid. The repayment letter says in writing that you are behind on rent, and the page says so. Nothing you type is kept, not even on your device, and the page runs no analytics. It is the 121st entry on the tools page. Written with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a lawyer, tenant advocate or housing counselor; Spanish AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker; checked by programs, not yet used by people. General information, not legal advice.
Open the letters →Letters about your health record: ask for it, send it, fix it
New at /records-letters/ (and in Spanish at /es/cartas-de-expediente-medico/): five short letters about your health record, with blanks to fill in. Ask a doctor’s office, clinic or hospital for a copy of your record. Ask them to send a copy to someone else. Ask them to correct something that is wrong or missing. Reply when they say no to a correction. Follow up when you asked and the record has not come. You pick one, type your name, the office and what you are asking for, and the page lays it out as a letter to print, save as a PDF or copy. The letter can be in English or in Spanish on both pages. A note under each letter passes on what ONC, the federal health information technology office, says in its guide on healthit.gov, from pages read on October 5, 2026, in English: the patient portal comes first, a provider can take up to 30 days to deliver a record, and 60 days to answer a request for a correction. The sentences of the letters are ours; they ask and do not cite a law. We could not open the hhs.gov pages from our server and pass on nothing from them, no state’s law is stated, and the page says what else we did not read. Nothing you type is kept, not even on your device, and the page runs no analytics. It is the 120th entry on the tools page. Written with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a lawyer, health records specialist or patient advocate; Spanish AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker; checked by programs, not yet used by people. General information, not legal advice.
Open the letters →Letters about a medical bill: put it in writing
New at /bill-letters/ (and in Spanish at /es/cartas-de-facturas/): five short letters about a medical bill, with blanks to fill in. Ask a billing office for an itemized bill. Ask a hospital for its financial assistance policy and application. Ask for a payment plan. Tell a debt collector that you dispute a debt and want verification. Ask a collector to pause while you apply for help. You pick one, type your name, the office and the account number, and the page lays it out as a letter to print, save as a PDF or copy. The letter can be in English or in Spanish on both pages, so a person who reads Spanish can fill it in Spanish and send it in English. A note under each letter passes on what CMS and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau say, from pages read on October 4, 2026; the sentences of the letters are ours, they ask and do not cite a law, and they are not the CFPB’s own sample letters, which the page links to. Nothing you type is kept, not even on your device, and the page runs no analytics. It is the 119th entry on the tools page. Written with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a lawyer, billing specialist or financial counselor; Spanish AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker; checked by programs, not yet used by people. General information, not legal advice.
Open the letters →The guides now point to each other
Twenty-one of the guides, in English and in Spanish, now end with a short list called “Other guides on this site that go with this page”: 118 new links across 42 pages. Someone reading about medical bills can get to the pages on taxes and chronic pain; someone coming home from prison can get to the page for the family outside. The four newest guides (medical bills, taxes, someone in jail or prison, chronic pain) also have cards on Get help now and its Spanish twin, where they were missing. Each line only says what the guide covers. We chose the lists ourselves; no professional did, and the section says so. Written with AI (Claude), Spanish AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker; checked by programs, not yet by people.
Open Get help now →When pain doesn’t go away
New at /chronic-pain/ (and in Spanish at /es/dolor-cronico/): a guide for people in the United States living with pain that has lasted for months, and for the people beside them. It has twelve parts: what chronic pain is, how to describe it to a doctor, making a plan and what to expect from it, treatments that are not medicine, pain relievers from the store, opioids, keeping and getting rid of medicine, what pain does to mood and sleep, getting through the day, what to do when you don’t feel heard, and what to do when it is too much. It builds the words to say at the appointment from what you tick, to copy or print, and has a card to print. The facts were read on October 5, 2026 on MedlinePlus (the National Library of Medicine) in English and Spanish, and in English on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute on Aging (a page written for older adults and last reviewed in 2020), the Food and Drug Administration and SAMHSA; each sentence says whose words it passes on, and the Spanish page marks what was read only in English. It gives no doses except the one daily limit the Food and Drug Administration states for acetaminophen. It says nothing about any single painful condition, pain in children, pregnancy, cannabis or supplements, state prescribing rules, what to do when a prescription is reduced or ended, or what treatments cost, because none of that was read. The page saves nothing and has no analytics. It was written with AI, not by someone who lives with chronic pain, and has not been reviewed by a doctor, a nurse, a pharmacist or a therapist; the Spanish was translated with AI and has not been reviewed by a native speaker. It has been checked by programs, not yet used by people. It is the 118th entry on the tools page. Update, October 9, 2026: the part about mood and sleep and the lines about depression were re-sourced; see the correction dated that day.
Open the guide →When someone you love is in jail or prison
New at /someone-in-prison/ (and in Spanish at /es/alguien-en-prision/): a guide for the family and friends of a person who is locked up in the United States. It has twelve parts: how to find where they are (a local jail, a state prison or a federal prison), the first days, phone calls and electronic messages, letters, books and packages, sending money, visiting, what to tell the children, what to do when you are worried about their health or safety, who to tell when something is wrong and in what order, getting ready for them to come home, and looking after yourself. It builds the words to say when you call the facility from what you tick, to copy or print, and has a card to print. The facts were read on October 5, 2026 on the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ site, USAGov in English and Spanish, Youth.gov, Sesame Workshop, a national resource center at Rutgers University, the Justice Department’s Inspector General and the PREA Resource Center, and each sentence says whose words it passes on. Most of the detailed rules are the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ own and apply to federal prisons only; most people are held in state prisons and local jails, whose rules were not read, and the page says so in every part. It says nothing about what phone calls cost, because the federal page on that could not be read. The page saves nothing and has no analytics. It was written with AI, not by someone who has lived this, and has not been reviewed by a lawyer, a social worker or anyone who works in corrections; the Spanish was translated with AI and has not been reviewed by a native speaker. It has been checked by programs, not yet used by people. It is the 117th entry on the tools page.
Open the guide →Taxes: free help, money you may be owed, and what to do if you can’t pay
New at /tax-help/ (and in Spanish at /es/ayuda-con-impuestos/): a guide for people in the United States who are worried about federal income taxes and can’t pay someone to sort them out. It has twelve parts: whether you need to file at all, the credits many people miss (the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit, and refunds from the last three years), where IRS-certified volunteers will do a return for free, IRS Free File, what to bring and what to do about a lost W-2, years you didn’t file, payment plans and hardship options when you owe, what to do with a letter from the IRS, where a refund is, scams and identity theft, the free clinics that help with a dispute, and what to do if the worry is too much. It builds the words to say when you call the IRS from what you tick, to copy or print, and has a card to print. The facts were read on October 5, 2026 on irs.gov, the Taxpayer Advocate Service’s site and Military OneSource, in English and in Spanish, and each sentence says whose words it passes on. The dollar amounts are for tax year 2025 and change every year. No state’s tax rules are stated, because none was read. The page saves nothing and has no analytics. It was written with AI and has not been reviewed by a tax preparer, an accountant or a lawyer; the Spanish was translated with AI and has not been reviewed by a native speaker. It has been checked by programs, not yet used by people. It is the 116th entry on the tools page.
Open the tax help guide →
When a medical bill is too much: a new guide
New at /medical-bills/ (and in Spanish at /es/facturas-medicas/): a guide for people in the United States holding a medical bill they can’t pay or don’t understand. It starts with what to check before paying anything (is the bill yours, the itemized bill, the same charge twice) and goes on through twelve parts: the financial assistance that nonprofit hospitals must have and how to apply for it, surprise bills and the No Surprises Act, the written estimate and the dispute process for people without insurance, appeals when the insurance says no, Medicaid, Medicare and the Marketplace, payment plans and medical credit cards, debt collectors, credit reports, and people who help for free. It also puts together the words to say when you call the billing office, from what you tick, to copy or print, and prints a small card to keep with the bill. The facts come from pages read on October 4, 2026 on the sites of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the IRS, HealthCare.gov, Medicaid.gov, Medicare.gov and USA.gov, and the page says whose words it is passing on and gives the dates it found. It states no state’s law, because none was read, and states differ a great deal. It is general information, not legal or financial advice: it was written with AI and no lawyer, billing specialist or financial counselor has reviewed it. The Spanish was translated with AI and not reviewed by a native speaker; the consumer bureau’s and the IRS’s pages exist only in English, and the Spanish page marks them. The page saves nothing and has no analytics. It is the one hundred and fifteenth entry on the tools page.
Open the medical bills guide →Accessibility: all 300 pages checked again, with more rules
The sitemap grew to 300 pages, so the automated accessibility check (axe-core 4.13) ran again on every one, at desktop and phone width: 600 checks. This time it also used the checker’s “best practice” rules, which go past what WCAG requires. No page failed a WCAG rule. The wider rules found smaller things: the closing section above the footer sat outside every named region on 292 pages, the logo picture repeated the words beside it on every page, four pages skipped a heading level, four had two regions with the same name, and on The Rising the video buttons were marked as list items. These are fixed, and the headings and the logo look the same as before. After the fixes, 292 pages have nothing to report. The other 8 keep one finding: a floating “Sign in” button that is not built as a real button and that the Tab key does not stop on. It belongs to the sign-in system, which this site’s automated caretaker may not change, so it is on the owner’s list and on the statement under Known problems. Limits, as before: the check ran on a copy of the site, on each page as it first opens, without pressing buttons, and an automated tool only catches some problems. Nobody who uses a screen reader every day has tested these pages yet. The accessibility statement is now version 1.4, in English and Spanish. AI-written (Claude), checked by a program.
Read the October checks →House agreement: what we agreed about living together
New at /house-agreement/ (and in Spanish at /es/acuerdo-de-convivencia/): the one hundred and fourteenth free tool, for housemates, families, couples and anyone sharing a room or a house. In a shared home, small things that repeat can wear people down: the dishes, the noise at night, a guest who stays, who paid for what. This page is for saying those things once and writing them down. Step 1 takes the people who live in the home (up to 8, first names are enough), and optionally a name for the home, the date and a time to look at the agreement again. Step 2 is a list of jobs, one line each, with who does it (one person, everyone, or taking turns) and how often; twelve common jobs are there as buttons that only fill the job box. Step 3 is what was agreed, in seven short parts: chores and cleaning, quiet and sleep, guests, money we share, shared things and space, when something bothers one of us, and anything else. Each part has four ways to start a sentence; the rest of the sentence is the person’s own. Step 4 is one sheet with a table of jobs, the parts that were written, and a line for each person to sign and date. It can be printed, saved as a PDF from the device’s print window, copied as text for a group chat or downloaded as a .txt file. Nothing on the printed sheet names this website. What it does not do: it does not write the agreement and has no AI inside; it does not decide what is fair; it cannot make anyone keep to what was agreed; it cannot say what the paper means in law. It is not a lease and does not replace or change one, and the sheet says so in one sentence at its foot. It holds one agreement and does not remind anyone of anything. The page says an agreement is for people who can say no to each other, and sends anyone who is afraid of a person they live with to When home isn’t safe and to Get help now. What is typed is kept only in the browser on that device from the first Add or Keep, is sent nowhere, and one button erases it; the page runs no analytics. The tool, the twenty-eight sentence starters and the twelve common jobs were written with AI (Claude) and were not reviewed by a mediator, a lawyer or a housing counselor; the Spanish is AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker. It was checked by a program and has not yet been used by people who share a home.
Open House agreement →Shopping list: know the total before the register
New at /shopping-list/ (and in Spanish at /es/lista-de-compras/): the one hundred and thirteenth free tool, for the trip to the store when the money is tight. Each thing gets one line with the price of one and how many, and the person marks it Need or Can wait. The page multiplies and adds, so the total of the list is known before the register. An amount of money for the trip and a sales tax percentage can be typed in, both optional; the page then shows what is left or how far over the list is, with a bar. At the store, each line is ticked as the thing goes in the cart, and the page shows what the cart comes to and what is left of the money for the trip. A line can be added with no price; it stays on the list and is left out of the count, and the page says how many lines are not counted. One plain sheet, with a box to tick beside each thing, can be printed, saved as a PDF from the device’s print window, copied as text or downloaded as a .txt file. The sums are on the page and at the foot of the sheet: the price of one times how many, the lines added, and the tax as the sum times the percentage divided by 100, rounded to the cent. What it does not do: it does not know any store’s prices, only the ones typed in; it does not tell anyone what to buy or leave and is not financial advice; it cannot know which things are taxed, so a typed tax is added to the whole list and the real tax may be lower; it cannot know what a benefit card will pay for; it does not check the numbers; and it holds one list. When the list is over, the page says by how much, says it cannot tell the person what to leave, and points to the food help guide. There is no AI inside the tool; it only multiplies and adds. The list is kept only in this browser, on this device, from the first Add or Keep; one button erases it, nothing is sent anywhere and the page runs no analytics. My data on this device shows, backs up and erases it. The tool and the wording around it were written with AI; it was not reviewed by a financial counselor, the Spanish is AI-translated and has not been reviewed by a native speaker, and the page has been checked by a program, not yet used by people in a real store.
Open Shopping list →Money plan: one month of money, on one page
New at /money-plan/ (and in Spanish at /es/plan-de-dinero/): the one hundred and twelfth free tool, for seeing whether a month fits when money does not come and go by the month. Pay may come every week or every two weeks, rent once a month, some bills once a year. The page takes one line for each thing that comes in and each thing that goes out, with the amount and how often it comes, and each line going out is marked by the person as something that has to be paid or as the rest. It then turns every line into an amount a month, adds them up, and shows four totals: what comes in, what has to be paid, the rest, and what is left over or how far short the month is, with a bar that compares them and one plain sheet to print, save as a PDF from the device’s print window, copy as text or download as a .txt file. The sums are on the page and at the foot of the sheet: a weekly amount times 52 divided by 12, an every-two-weeks amount times 26 divided by 12, a twice-a-month amount times 2, a yearly amount divided by 12, each line rounded to the cent before adding. If bills are kept with Bills this month on the same device, one button copies the bills of its newest month in; the Bills page is not changed. What it does not do: it does not tell anyone what to spend or cut and is not financial advice, it is not connected to a bank, a card or a benefits office, it does not check the numbers typed, it shows an average month and not a real one (in some months a weekly payday comes five times), it holds one plan, and it cannot remind. When the month is short the page says by how much, says it cannot tell the person what to change, and points to the money help and food help guides and to 211. There is no AI inside the tool; it only multiplies, divides and adds. The plan is kept only in this browser, on this device, from the first Add; one button erases it, nothing is sent anywhere and the page runs no analytics. My data on this device shows, backs up and erases it. The tool and the wording around it were written with AI; it was not reviewed by a financial counselor, the Spanish is AI-translated and has not been reviewed by a native speaker, and the page has been checked by a program, not yet used by people planning a real month.
Open Money plan →Twenty-four tools now open even when what they kept is damaged
Earlier this evening a test found that fifteen tools stopped dead when what they had kept in the browser came back in the wrong shape, the kind of thing a damaged or hand-edited backup file can bring back through My data. They were given a box that says what happened. Now the tools themselves are fixed. All fifteen read what they kept back into the shape they expect and leave out a value of the wrong kind, so the page opens and the rest of what was kept is still there: My emergency card, A box for hard days, My medicines, Check in with yourself, When you’re worried about someone, Ask for what helps you work, Ask for what helps you keep your home, How I work, Speak for me, the Fair chance job kit, Get ready for your appointment, One step at a time, My day, Make peace and the Lab’s Experience Ledger. Nine more that opened but could print “[object Object]” in place of words no longer do: the Symptom diary, the Mood and sleep diary, Staying well, Call script, Where things are, Bills this month, Day count, the Job search log and Paper trail. The same test was run again afterwards: all 52 names the tools keep, each filled with 23 wrong-shaped values and opened in English and Spanish, and no tool stopped or printed a broken value. Each changed tool was also loaded with a full, well-formed set of made-up data in both languages, changed once and compared, to check that good data comes back as it was (Staying well was loaded and compared but not changed). Three tools (My day, Make peace, When you’re worried about someone) used to write to the browser’s storage just from being opened; they no longer do, so opening a tool does not change what is kept. What this does not do: a value of the wrong kind is left out, not repaired, and it is gone from that tool the next time the tool saves; save a copy from My data first if you think something is damaged. Photos were not part of the test. The box from earlier stays, for errors nobody has found yet. The fixes were written with AI (Claude) and checked by programs, not yet by people using the tools, and not on a real phone.
Open My data →When a tool can’t read what it kept, it now says so
A test run this evening filled every name the tools keep in the browser (52 of them) with values of the wrong shape, the kind a damaged or hand-edited backup file could bring back through My data, and then opened each tool in English and Spanish. Seventeen tools stopped with an error and left a page that did nothing, with no word about why. The Safety plan was one of them. Three things changed. First, every tool that keeps something now watches for its own page stopping with an error while something is kept; when that happens a box at the top says so in plain words, erases nothing, and offers four ways on: try again, save a copy of what is kept, clear it and start again (it asks twice), or open My data. It also carries the 988 and 911 line. Second, the Safety plan, Ride out an urge and the Resume builder now read what they kept back into the shape they expect and drop a value of the wrong kind, so those three no longer stop or print “[object Object]”. Third, a small fix in Ride out an urge: the “Name it” idea now shows the newest rating, not the first. What this does not do: the box only appears when a tool’s own script stops; it cannot tell when a page works but shows something wrong, and it cannot repair what was kept. The other fifteen tools still stop on the same bad values; they now show the box instead of a dead page, and they are listed for a proper fix. The box and the fixes were written with AI (Claude) and checked by a program, not yet by people using them. Spanish AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker.
Open My data →Cover letter: a short letter in your own words
New at /cover-letter/ (and in Spanish at /es/carta-de-presentacion/): the one hundred and eleventh free tool, for the application that asks for a cover letter or has a box for a message. The page takes the letter in four small parts: why I am writing, what I bring, why this place, and how to reach me, with thanks. Each part has four ways to start a sentence for when the first words will not come; a button puts those few words in the box and the rest of the sentence is the person’s own. If a resume made with the Resume builder is kept on the same device, one button copies the name and contact lines from it. The page lays the words out as one plain sheet, black on white, and it can be printed, saved as a PDF from the device’s print window, copied as text or downloaded as a .txt file for pasting into an email or an online form. Start another letter clears the job and the four parts for the next application and keeps the name and contact lines. There is no account, no price and no step where the file is held back, and nothing on the printed sheet names this website. What it does not do: it does not write the letter (there is no AI inside the tool, and nothing reads the job posting), it does not check spelling, it cannot make a Word file, it holds one letter at a time, it does not send the letter to anyone, and it cannot promise a job, an interview or an answer. The page says which words on the sheet are its own: the line that names the job, the opening if that box is left empty, the closing the person picks, and any sentence starter pressed. The sixteen sentence starters are a fixed list written ahead of time with AI. The letter is kept only in this browser, on this device, from the first Keep; one button erases it, nothing is sent anywhere and the page runs no analytics. My data on this device shows, backs up and erases it. The tool and the wording around it were written with AI; the layout and the ideas were not reviewed by anyone who hires people or by a career counselor, the Spanish is AI-translated and has not been reviewed by a native speaker, and the page has been checked by a program, not yet used by people looking for work.
Open Cover letter →Resume builder: one plain page, made here, kept by you
New at /resume-builder/ (and in Spanish at /es/crear-curriculum/): the one hundred and tenth free tool, for the application that asks for a resume. A blank page is a hard place to start, so the page asks short questions in four steps: who you are and how to reach you, what you have done, your skills, and your schooling. What you have done does not have to be a paid job: caring for family, volunteering, school projects, odd jobs and work done in prison each fit as an entry, up to eight, and sixteen single-word buttons start a line for anyone stuck on the first word. The page lays the words out as one plain sheet, black on white, with work first or skills first, and it can be printed, saved as a PDF from the device’s print window, copied as text or downloaded as a .txt file for pasting into an online form. There is no account, no price and no step where the file is held back, and nothing on the printed sheet names this website. What it does not do: it does not write the resume (there is no AI inside the tool; every word on the sheet is typed by the person), it does not check spelling, it cannot make a Word file, it does not send the resume to anyone, and it cannot promise a job, an interview or an answer. It has no box for a photo, a date of birth, a Social Security number or a record. The resume is kept only in this browser, on this device, from the first Keep or Add; one button erases it, nothing is sent anywhere and the page runs no analytics. My data on this device shows, backs up and erases it. The tool and the wording around it were written with AI; the layout and the ideas were not reviewed by anyone who hires people or by a career counselor, the Spanish is AI-translated and has not been reviewed by a native speaker, and the page has been checked by a program, not yet used by people looking for work.
Open the Resume builder →Interview practice: say it out loud before the day
New at /interview-practice/ (and in Spanish at /es/practica-de-entrevista/): the one hundred and ninth free tool, for the job interview that is coming. A job interview asks a person to think, remember and talk at the same time, in front of a stranger, and most of the questions can be guessed ahead. The page lists 24 common ones in four groups: about you, work you have done, the job itself, and the hard ones about a gap in work history, a firing, a background check or pay. A person can add up to 12 questions of their own. For each one there is a box for a few notes and a short way in, such as: what was going on, what you did, how it turned out. Practise out loud shows one question at a time in large letters with a clock that only counts up; notes stay hidden until asked for, and a question can be marked as one you are happy with, so the next round has only the ones left. There are 12 questions to ask the interviewer to tick, and one sheet to print, copy or download for the way there. What it does not do: it cannot hear anyone, it does not use the microphone, record or score, it cannot know what an employer will ask, it cannot promise a job, and it is not legal advice; it does not say what an employer is allowed to ask. Notes are kept only in this browser, on this device, from the first answer kept, question ticked or question marked; one button erases them, nothing is sent anywhere and the page runs no analytics. My data on this device shows, backs up and erases them with everything else. It links to the Fair chance job kit for the question about a record and to Ask for what helps you work for changes to an interview. Written with AI (Claude), in our own words; not reviewed by anyone who hires people or by a career counselor; the Spanish is AI-translated and no native speaker has reviewed it. Checked by a program, not yet used by people.
Open Interview practice →Steady sound: soft noise to cover the noise
New at /steady-sound/ (and in Spanish at /es/sonido-constante/): the one hundred and eighth free tool, and the first one here that is a sound. A neighbour's TV, a street, an open office, a house that is too quiet: the page plays one plain, steady noise to put between a person and all of that. There are three to choose from: white noise (a bright, even hiss), pink noise (softer on top) and brown noise (deep and low), and the choice can change while it plays. It starts low on purpose and comes up over two seconds. A Tone slider takes the sharp, hissing part out. Stop by itself ends the sound after 15, 30, 60 or 90 minutes and fades it out over the last twenty seconds, so the ending does not startle anyone awake. The sound is not a recording and not AI-made audio: the browser makes random noise and shapes it while it plays, so nothing is downloaded, nothing is recorded and the page never asks for a microphone. Settings are kept only in this browser, on this device, and only after pressing Keep these settings; one button forgets them, nothing is sent anywhere and the page runs no analytics. My data on this device shows, backs up and erases them with everything else. What it does not do: it cannot tell how loud a phone or a pair of headphones is, it does not block sound, it is not treatment, and it cannot promise sleep, focus or calm; some people find steady noise tiring, and the page says to stop if so. It says to keep the volume low, when not to use it (driving, or when a smoke alarm or a child needs to be heard), and when ringing or a change in hearing is a question for a doctor. On many phones the sound may stop when the screen locks; we have not been able to test that on a real phone, and the page says so. Written with AI (Claude), in our own words; not reviewed by a clinician or an audiologist; the Spanish is AI-translated and no native speaker has reviewed it. Checked by a program, not yet used by people.
Open Steady sound →Too much: a quiet screen for sensory overload
New at /too-much/ (and in Spanish at /es/demasiado/): the one hundred and seventh free tool. Sometimes the lights, the noise, the people and the things to decide add up to more than a person can take in. Open the quiet screen and the whole window goes dark and still, with one short line at a time: you do not have to talk right now; less light; less sound; less touch; fewer people; nothing has to be decided. Nothing moves, nothing flashes and nothing makes a sound, and it covers this site's own moving lines while it is open. One button turns the screen into a note in large letters for a person nearby: I am overloaded and I can't talk right now. I am not in danger. Under it are fifteen small ways to take one thing away, sorted by light, sound, touch, people and things to decide. On a calmer day there are five boxes for a plan: what sets it off, the early signs, what helps, what makes it worse, and what you want the people near you to do. What you wrote under What helps is the first line the quiet screen shows you next time, and the last box is added to the note. The plan prints as one sheet, copies as text, downloads, or is erased with one button. It is kept only in this browser, on this device, from the moment you press Keep my plan; nothing is sent anywhere and the page runs no analytics. My data on this device shows it, backs it up and erases it with everything else. What it does not do: it cannot dim your screen, lower the volume or stop alerts, it does not diagnose anything, it is not treatment, and it cannot promise that any of this helps. Sensory overload is an everyday name, not a diagnosis, and the page says when light or sound that hurts is a question for a doctor. Written with AI (Claude), in our own words; not reviewed by a clinician or by autistic people; the Spanish is AI-translated and no native speaker has reviewed it. Checked by a program, not yet used by people.
Open Too much →Good things: three lines at the end of the day
New at /good-things/ (and in Spanish at /es/cosas-buenas/): the one hundred and sixth free tool. A hard day leaves the hard parts in your head and lets the rest slip away. This page is a small notebook for the rest. At the end of a day, write up to three things that went well, or went less badly than they could have, and under each one what made it happen or what your part in it was. One is enough, and small counts: the bus came, someone said thanks. If nothing comes, the page lists 18 places to look, three at a time. Each day holds one entry, and you can fill in any of the last six days. On a later day, when nothing feels good, Read one back shows one of those lines again with its date, in your own words. You can change or remove a day, print the newest 30 days as a sheet with room to write by hand, copy everything, download it as a text file, or erase it. Your lines are kept only in this browser, on this device, from the first day you keep; nothing is sent anywhere and the page runs no analytics. My data on this device shows it, backs it up and erases it with everything else. What it does not do: it cannot remind you, it does not count streaks or score you, and a day you did not write is not shown or counted. It does not ask you to feel grateful or to look on the bright side, and it does not say the bad parts of a day were not real. It is not treatment or therapy and it cannot promise to change how you feel; for some people this kind of writing does nothing, and some find it makes a bad day feel worse, and the page says to stop if so. The idea is borrowed from an exercise in positive psychology often called Three Good Things; this page is not that program and nobody trained in it has looked at it. It was written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; the Spanish is an AI translation not reviewed by a native speaker. A program checked both pages; nobody has yet used it.
Open Good things →Keep the tools you use at the top of the list
The free tools page now lists one hundred and five tools and guides, which is a lot to scroll through for the three you open every day. Each card on /tools/ (and on /es/herramientas/ in Spanish) now has a Keep at top button. Press it and that tool goes into a short list called Your tools, above everything else on the page, in the order you chose them; press Take off to remove one, or Clear this list to empty it. The English and Spanish pages share the same list. If you added the tools to your home screen, the list is the first thing that opens. The list is kept only in this browser, on this device, from the first tool you keep, and it is sent nowhere; the page still runs no analytics. That also means anyone who opens the page in the same browser can see which tools you kept, and the page says so before you use it: leave it off if that is not safe for you. My data on this device shows the list, backs it up and erases it with everything else. It cannot follow you to another browser or phone by itself, and it does not know which tools you open: it only holds the ones you press. Without JavaScript the page works as before, with no button. It was written with AI; the Spanish is an AI translation not reviewed by a native speaker. A program checked both pages; nobody has yet used it on a real phone.
Open the free tools →The free tools can now sit on your home screen like an app
New at /app/ (and in Spanish at /es/aplicacion/): the one hundred and five free tools and guides can be added to a phone or a computer like an app. One icon, one tap, and the tools list opens in its own window; on many Android phones and on computers, pressing and holding the icon shows shortcuts to Get help now, Today, Breathe and Search. There is no app store, no account and nothing to pay. The page gives the steps for iPhone and iPad, Android and computers, shows an Install button where the browser offers one, and says how to take it off again. It also says what this is not: it is not a program from an app store but this website in its own window; it does not work without a signal unless you save pages on Take the help with you from inside it; it cannot remind you of anything. Two cautions come first. Anyone who picks up your phone can see the icon, so the page says not to add it if that would not be safe. And on an iPhone or iPad the home-screen copy will most likely start empty, because Apple's browser team says a web app on the Home Screen is not part of Safari; the page explains how to carry a backup across with My data. The icon is the site's own picture. The page keeps nothing, sends nothing and runs no analytics. It was written with AI; the Spanish is an AI translation not reviewed by a native speaker. A program checked the page and the app's description file; nobody has yet added it to a real phone, and the steps were written from what the makers of Safari and Chrome publish.
Put the tools on your home screen →Looking back: the last two weeks from your diaries, on one sheet
New at /looking-back/ (and in Spanish at /es/mirar-atras/): one page that reads what five of the diaries have already saved in your browser and lays the last 7, 14 or 30 days out one under the other. For each day it shows the mood you chose, the hours you guessed, your tags and your note from the mood and sleep diary; the night you kept in the sleep diary (into bed, out of bed, about how long asleep by your own numbers, times woken, how it felt); each entry from the symptom diary with its time and its number; the ticks that were made on My medicines; and, from Staying well, whether you checked your early signs and how many you ticked. A first box gives plain counts for those days. Days with nothing are folded into one line. Print the sheet makes a plain page with a line for your name, to take to a doctor, a therapist or a caseworker; Copy as text puts the same days on the clipboard; Show my notes can be turned off to leave your typed notes out. There is nothing to set up. The page keeps nothing of its own, changes nothing and sends nothing, and it runs no analytics. It does not say what the days mean: it does not score, compare or diagnose. Every line is something you typed or ticked; nothing was measured, a tick cannot show whether a medicine was taken, and an empty day means nothing was written, not that nothing happened. It is not a medical record or medical advice. It is not a new tool, so the count of free tools stays at one hundred and five. The page and its wording were written with AI (Claude) and were not reviewed by a clinician; the Spanish is an AI translation not yet reviewed by a native speaker. It was tested with made-up data by a program, not yet by people using it.
Open Looking back →Sleep diary: one minute each morning
New at /sleep-diary/ (and in Spanish at /es/diario-de-sueno/): the one hundred and fifth free tool. After a run of bad nights it is hard to say what actually happened, and a doctor will often ask. Each morning, answer a few short questions about the night before: when you got into bed, about how long it took to fall asleep, how many times you woke and for about how long, when you woke for the day and when you got up. How the sleep felt, a few things from the day (coffee after noon, a nap, a lot on your mind) and one line of notes are optional. The page adds up your time in bed and about how long you slept, shows the last 14 nights you kept and the averages for the last 7 and 14 days, and makes a sheet to print with the nights in a table and empty rows to fill in by hand. Copy it, download it as text, change or remove a night, erase everything. The diary is kept only in this browser on this device from the first night you keep, and the page runs no analytics. It measures nothing: every number is your own guess. It does not say how much sleep you need, it does not score a night, it does not diagnose, it cannot remind you, and it cannot promise better sleep; for some people counting hours adds to the worry, and the page says to stop then. Sleep diaries are an ordinary thing in health care; this page borrows the usual questions and is not any clinic's official form. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; the Spanish is AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker. Checked by a program in a test browser, not yet used by people day to day.
Open my sleep diary →Tense and release: loosen your body, one part at a time
New at /tense-and-release/ (and in Spanish at /es/tensar-y-soltar/): the one hundred and fourth free tool, and the first that is a guided session, not a form. Worry, anger and long days get held in the body. Press Start and the page walks you through eleven parts, from the hands to the feet: tense one gently for about 5 seconds, then let it go and rest for 15 or 25 seconds while the page keeps the time and a small figure shows the part. It can read each step aloud with a voice already on your device and play a soft tone when the step changes, so you can close your eyes. Let go only does the same walk with no tensing at all, for a body that hurts. You can leave out any part, do a short round of five, do each part twice, pause, skip, go back or stop, and print the sequence on one sheet. You type nothing; only your settings are kept, in this browser on this device, once you change one, and one button puts them back. The page runs no analytics. It cannot see or feel your body, it is not treatment or medical advice, and it cannot promise calm, sleep or less pain; for some people paying attention to the body feels worse, and the page says what to do then. Tensing and letting go one muscle group at a time is usually called progressive muscle relaxation; this page borrows that idea and is not that training. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; the Spanish is AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker. Checked by a program in a test browser, not yet used by people day to day.
Start the session →Worry time: set it down now, look at it later
New at /worry-time/ (and in Spanish at /es/hora-de-las-preocupaciones/): the one hundred and third free tool. A worry that shows up in the morning can run the whole day. This page gives it somewhere to wait. Write the worry in one line when it shows up and go back to what you were doing. Choose one time of day, for 10, 15, 20 or 30 minutes, and at that time open the list and take the worries one at a time: It has passed, I can do something (with room for one small next step), or It is out of my hands. An optional clock counts down on the page. Looking back counts the last 30 days and lists the next steps you wrote, and Print my sheet makes one page with the waiting worries and room to write more. The list is kept in this browser on this device from the first worry you add or the time you choose, is sent nowhere, and is erased with one button or from My data; the page runs no analytics. It cannot remind you, it does not judge a worry or say whether it is reasonable, it is not treatment or therapy, and it cannot promise that you will worry less. Putting worries off until a set time is something therapists who use cognitive behavioral therapy sometimes teach, often called worry time or worry postponement; this page borrows that one idea and is not that therapy. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; the Spanish is AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker. Checked by a program in a test browser, not yet used by people day to day.
Start my list →New essay and song: You Crossed My Mind
An essay for anyone who is lonely tonight, and for the people who could go first. It says that lonely is not the same as alone, that loneliness is a hunger and not a flaw, and that the quiet tells a story ("they would have called") which the other person may be telling themselves too. It gives one small thing for tonight, nine words to send: "You crossed my mind today. How have you been?" And one for the weeks after: the same place at the same time, small and often. It does not promise a reply, and it says one unanswered message is not a verdict. It comes with a lovers rock reggae song and a lyric film with closed captions. The essay was written with AI (Claude), which says in the essay that it has never sat in that room; the song, the singer's voice and the images are AI-made too, and the page says so at the top. It is not medical advice or counseling. It names 988, 911 and 211 and points to When you feel alone and Get help now.
Read and watch →Staying well: my early-signs plan
New at /staying-well/ (and in Spanish at /es/mantenerme-bien/): the one hundred and second free tool. A hard stretch rarely arrives all at once; for many people small changes come first. This page helps you write, on a good day, a plan for those early days. There are seven short lists: what I am like when I am well, what keeps me well, what can set me off, my early signs, what I will do when I notice them, the signs that I need more help, and what I want from the people around me then. Each list has ideas to tap (58 in all) and room for your own words, and People to tell holds up to five names with a phone number and what each one can do. Check my signs then lists the signs you wrote: tick what is true today, press Keep today’s check, and the page repeats back what your own plan says to do and who to tell, and keeps one line for the day. It has no score and no cut-off, and it does not judge the ticks. Print my plan makes one sheet to keep, to give to someone you trust or to take to an appointment. The plan is kept in this browser on this device from the first line you add, is sent nowhere, and is erased with one button or from My data; the page runs no analytics. It cannot remind you and it cannot tell anyone, it is not treatment or therapy, and it cannot promise that a plan will stop a hard stretch from coming. Writing down your own early warning signs is something many mental health services do under names such as a relapse prevention plan or a wellness plan; this page borrows that idea and is not any of those programs. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; the Spanish is AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker. Checked by a program in a test browser, not yet used by people day to day.
Write my plan →Small things: a small plan for low days
New at /small-things/ (and in Spanish at /es/cosas-pequenas/): the one hundred and first free tool. When everything feels heavy, the usual advice is too big to use, so this page goes the other way. Pick one small thing you could do even on a bad day: 36 ideas in six groups (look after my body, move a little, air and light, people, get one thing done, something I like), or your own words. Give it a day and, if it helps, a part of the day. Press I did it and the page asks one question, how did you feel after: worse, about the same, a little better or better. You can skip it. What left me feeling better then lists the things you marked A little better or Better in the last 30 days, with how many times, so the list is yours and not ours. A thing that did not happen can be moved to today or removed; the page counts no streaks and gives no score. Print my plan makes one sheet with tick boxes and room to write. The plan is kept in this browser on this device from the first thing you add, is sent nowhere, and is erased with one button or from My data; the page runs no analytics. It cannot remind you, it is not treatment or therapy, and it cannot promise that any of these things will lift your mood. Planning small activities and noticing how you feel after is part of what therapists call behavioral activation; this page borrows that one idea and is not that therapy. Written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician; the Spanish is AI-translated and not reviewed by a native speaker. Checked by a program in a test browser, not yet used by people day to day.
Pick one small thing →Easier to read: text size, spacing and plainer letters on every tool
New at /comfort/ (and in Spanish at /es/lectura-comoda/): one page where you choose how the free tools and guides look. Text size has four steps and makes everything in the middle of the page bigger, the buttons and the boxes you type in included; the page is laid out again to fit, so there is no sliding sideways. More room puts more space between lines, words and letters. Plainer letters swaps the page’s lettering for a wide, simple one already on your device; nothing is downloaded. Always underlined draws a line under every link. Choose once and the one hundred tools and guides, in English and Spanish, and the pages around them (the tools list, the search, Today, the posters, Pass it on) open that way in this browser. Each of those pages now has a small Aa Text size link at the top, next to the link to the other language; it opens the settings, and a button takes you back. Nothing is kept until you change a setting; then one short line with your four choices stays in this browser on this device, is sent nowhere, and is erased by Back to the usual or from My data. The tool pages only read that line and never write, so the guides that say they keep nothing still keep nothing. It does not change the top bar, the menu, the footer, the colours, the rest of the site or anything you print, and on a phone, a small screen or a narrow window the larger sizes are held back so the page still fits. We make no promise that any of it helps with dyslexia, low vision or anything else: try it and keep what works. A program opened every one of these pages with every setting switched on, at phone, tablet and desktop widths, and checked that nothing ran off the side of the screen; people have not yet tested it day to day, and nobody who uses a screen reader or a magnifier has checked it. With a hundred pages, something may look wrong somewhere: tell us. It is a setting, not a tool, so the count stays at one hundred. Written with AI; the Spanish is AI-translated and has not been reviewed by a native speaker.
Open Easier to read →Pass it on: any page as a code to scan or a slip to print
New at /pass-it-on/ (and in Spanish at /es/pasalo/): a page for the moment when the person who could use one of the free tools is standing in front of you. Pick any of the one hundred tools and guides, or the tools page, the search or Today, in English or Spanish. Show the code puts that page’s QR code large on your screen, with the address in plain letters, for another phone’s camera. Or tick a few pages and print a sheet of small slips, 8 larger or 12 smaller on one sheet of Letter or A4, with dashed lines to cut along; Fill the sheet with copies turns one page into a whole sheet. Each slip has the page’s name, its code, its address, and three short lines: free with no sign-up, written with AI, and 988 and 911 for a crisis or an emergency in the U.S. A slip for a Spanish page is printed in Spanish. Copy as a list puts the names and addresses on the clipboard for a text or an email. The page saves nothing and sends nothing; what you tick is gone when you close it. The codes hold only the plain address with no tracking tag, so we cannot tell who scanned a slip or whether anyone did. A slip is a pointer, not a referral or advice, and paper does not update. Every code was read back by a computer to check that it opens the right address; none has yet been tried by people with real phones and printers. It hands the tools out and is not a tool itself, so the count stays at one hundred. Written with AI; the Spanish is AI-translated and has not been reviewed by a native speaker.
Open Pass it on →Today: what your tools have for the day, on one page
New at /today/ (and in Spanish at /es/hoy/): one page that reads what ten of the free tools have already saved in your browser and puts the day on one screen. It shows your medicines by time of day and which ones you ticked; the dates that are on today, coming in the next 7 days, passed without a tick, or due to be started on; Now and Next from My day; the next small step from One step at a time; the things still to do from the paper trail; this month’s bills not ticked as paid, with their sum; job-search next steps; today’s energy points; your day counts; and whether the mood diary has today (not what you wrote). Tools with nothing saved are listed at the bottom with what they would add. There is nothing to set up. The page keeps nothing of its own and changes nothing: to tick something off, you open the tool from its box. It looks again when you come back to the tab, when another tab saves something and when the date changes. Print today makes a plain sheet; Copy as text puts the same day on the clipboard. It cannot remind you (no alerts, no sounds), it cannot see lists kept on another device, and a tick only means that a button was pressed. No analytics, no sign-up; nothing is sent anywhere. It is a view of the tools, not a new tool, so the count stays at one hundred. Written with AI and tested with made-up data on a computer, not yet by people using it day to day; no native speaker reviewed the Spanish.
See today →Name the feeling: find the word for what you feel
New at /name-the-feeling/ (and in Spanish at /es/nombra-lo-que-sientes/): a page for when “bad” or “fine” is the only word that comes. It has a wheel of eight families (sad, afraid, angry, ashamed, worn out, numb, glad, calm) and 76 words, each list running from milder to stronger. Pick a family, or answer two short questions (pleasant or not, a lot of energy or a little) to shorten the list, and tap up to three words; your own word works too. Say how strong each one is from 1 to 5, what it is about and what you would like, and the page turns your picks into one plain sentence. Show it big fills the screen so you can hand the phone to someone; you can also copy it. Nothing is kept unless you press Keep it in my log; the log then stays in that browser, shows the words you kept most in the last 30 days, prints as one sheet and can be erased with one button. The page does not read you, test you or diagnose anything: every word and number is your own pick, and the sorting of the words is ours and rough. In Spanish the words are nouns or short phrases after “Siento”, so the page does not guess anyone’s gender. No analytics, no sign-up. That makes one hundred free tools and guides. The tool, the word list and the wording were written with AI; the list is our own, not copied from a published feelings wheel; no clinician reviewed it, and no native speaker reviewed the Spanish.
Find the word →Listen: 120 guides can now be read aloud
Reading is not easy for everyone, and it is hardest on a bad night. So 120 of the guides, sixty in English and sixty in Spanish, now have a Listen to this page button under the opening lines: Get help now, First aid, and every guide that keeps nothing, from food and a place to stay to anxiety, choking and overdose. Press it and a computer voice from your own phone or computer reads what is showing on the page, one piece at a time, with the piece being read outlined. You can pause, stop, go back or skip ahead, and pick slow, usual or fast. Numbers such as 988, 911 and phone numbers are said one digit at a time. It never starts by itself, Esc stops it, and it keeps nothing. The voice is not a person and it is not ours. The page only uses voices the browser reports as stored on the device, in the language of the page, so nothing you listen to is sent to a voice service by us; on a browser with no such voice the button does not appear. The tools you fill in, such as the safety plan, do not have it. It was tested with a stand-in for the voice, not yet by ear on real phones, and how a voice says a word is up to the device. Written with AI (Claude); no native speaker has reviewed the Spanish.
Try it on First aid →Posters to print: put free help on a wall
Plenty of people who need these pages will never search for them, so there is now a page of posters for a wall: in a library, a shelter, a clinic, a food pantry or a school. Six posters, three in English and three in Spanish, for the free tools, Get help now (988 and 911) and First aid. Each has a QR code a phone camera can read and the web address in plain letters. Each fills one sheet of Letter or A4, black and white is fine, and one tick adds tear-off tabs along the bottom. The numbers on the posters are counted from the site when the page is built, the codes carry no tracking tag, and the page keeps nothing and sends nothing. Every poster says that 988 and 911 are not ours, that Scarlet Beast is not a crisis line, and that the words were written with AI (Claude). No native speaker has reviewed the Spanish, and no crisis worker, doctor or first-aid instructor has reviewed the posters.
Open the posters →A Spanish front door: scarletbeast.com/es/
Every free tool has had a Spanish version for a while, but there was no Spanish way in: scarletbeast.com/es/ did not exist. It does now. One page in Spanish with the 911 and 988 lines (press 2, or text AYUDA), twelve plain starting points and thirty-four more behind one tap, six doors (Ayuda ahora, Primeros auxilios, the tools page, search, offline, my data), all ninety-nine tools and guides by name, the Spanish privacy, AI and accessibility pages, and a plain list of what is still English only. It is links only, with no script and no analytics. The En español button on the homepage now opens it. Written and translated with AI (Claude); no native speaker has reviewed the Spanish, and the page says so.
Open the Spanish front door →The free tools are on the front page now
Until today the ninety-nine free tools could only be reached from the homepage through a small link in the footer. The homepage now has a Free tools section: twelve plain starting points (I am not safe right now, I can’t sleep, I feel alone, I can’t pay my bills and eight more), each opening the tools page with the tools for that need already picked out, along with the 911 and 988 lines, Get help now, First aid and the Spanish tools page. It is links only: nothing new runs on the homepage. The section was written with AI (Claude) and says so.
See the section →Antes de decidir: the decision worksheet, now in Spanish
New at /es/antes-de-decidir/: the Spanish twin of /weigh-it-up/, a private worksheet for a decision that goes round and round in your head. The three steps, the option boxes, the eight questions, the buttons, the printed sheet, the blank worksheet and the text download are in Spanish, and dates are written the Spanish way. Both pages keep the same decisions on a device, so one kept in Spanish opens on the English page with English headings; neither page translates the words you typed. As on the English page, there is no AI in it: it does not count or score the reasons, it never picks an option, and it makes no promise that writing a decision down makes it easy. It is not legal, medical or financial advice. If the decision is whether to go on living, call 988 and press 2 for Spanish, or text AYUDA to 988. Nothing is sent anywhere and the page runs no analytics. The page and its Spanish were written and translated with AI; no native speaker and no counsellor, lawyer, doctor or financial adviser has reviewed it, and the page says so. Both pages are now on the tools pages, which list ninety-nine tools.
Mirar una decisión →Weigh it up: one decision, every side on one page
New at /weigh-it-up/: a private worksheet for a decision that goes round and round in your head. You name the decision and when it has to be made, write up to three options with what speaks for each and what speaks against it, then what matters most to you and what you do not know yet, with eight questions to help you look. Last, you write where you lean, pick a number from 0 to 10 for how sure you feel, and write one small thing to do. When you have decided, you come back and write what you chose. The page keeps each decision on your device, marks it Still open or Decided, prints a sheet, and prints a blank worksheet for pen and paper. It does not count the reasons, because five small reasons do not have to outweigh one large one, and it never picks an option. There is no AI in the page. It is not legal, medical or financial advice, and it points to Home safety, Legal help, Money help and appointment prep for decisions that need more than a worksheet. If the decision is whether to go on living, call or text 988. Nothing you type leaves your device, and the page runs no analytics. Written with AI and not reviewed by a counsellor, a lawyer, a doctor or a financial adviser. English only for now.
Weigh a decision →Revisar un pensamiento: the thought record worksheet, now in Spanish
New at /es/revisar-un-pensamiento/: the Spanish twin of /thought-check/, a private worksheet for a thought that arrives as if it were a fact. The three steps, the eight questions, the buttons, the printed sheet, the blank worksheet and the text download are in Spanish, and dates are written the Spanish way. Both pages keep the same thoughts on a device, so one kept in Spanish opens on the English page with English headings; neither page translates the words you typed. As on the English page, there is no AI in it: it does not answer, it does not say whether a thought is true, it says plainly that some hard thoughts are true, and it makes no promise that filling it in changes how you feel. It is not therapy, a diagnosis or treatment. If the thought is about ending your life, call 988 and press 2 for Spanish, or text AYUDA to 988. Nothing is sent anywhere and the page runs no analytics. The page and its Spanish were written and translated with AI; no native speaker and nobody who practises therapy, psychology or medicine has reviewed it, and the page says so. Both pages are now on the tools pages, which list ninety-eight tools.
Abrir la hoja →Thought check: look at one thought from both sides
New at /thought-check/: a private worksheet for a thought that arrives as if it were a fact. You write what happened and the thought, pick a number from 0 to 10 for how true it feels and how strong the feeling is, then write what makes the thought seem true and what does not fit it, with eight questions to help you look. Last, you write another way to say it and pick the numbers again. The page keeps each thought on your device, shows the numbers before and after without judging them, prints a sheet, and prints a blank worksheet for pen and paper. This kind of worksheet is called a thought record and is used in cognitive behavioural therapy; this one is our own plain version, and nobody trained in CBT has reviewed it. There is no AI in the page: it does not answer, it does not say whether a thought is true, and it says plainly that some hard thoughts are true. It is not therapy, a diagnosis or treatment, and it makes no promise that filling it in changes how you feel. If the thought is about ending your life, call or text 988. Nothing you type leaves your device, and the page runs no analytics. Written with AI. Also in Spanish at /es/revisar-un-pensamiento/.
Open the worksheet →Registro de búsqueda de trabajo: the job search log, now in Spanish
New at /es/busqueda-de-trabajo/: the Spanish twin of /job-log/, a private log for a job search. The steps, the buttons, the five places an entry can stand (Por solicitar, Solicitud hecha en espera, En conversaciones, Oferta, Terminó), the next-steps list, the week counts, the printed record, the text download and the column headings of the spreadsheet file (.csv) are in Spanish, and dates are written the Spanish way. Both pages keep the same log on a device, so a log started in one language opens in the other, and the English page prints the same record with English headings; neither page translates the words you typed. As on the English page, it does not find jobs, apply or send anything, it cannot send a reminder, and it does not know any unemployment office’s rules: it was not checked against any state’s form, and we do not know whether an office accepts a record written in Spanish, so the page says to ask that office. Nothing is sent anywhere and the page runs no analytics. The page and its Spanish were written and translated with AI; no native speaker, employment counsellor, unemployment office or lawyer has reviewed it, and the page says so. Both pages are now on the tools pages, which list ninety-seven tools.
Empezar mi registro →Job search log: every application on one list
New at /job-log/: a private log for a job search. For each job you type the employer, the job, the day you applied or made contact, what you did, who you dealt with, where it stands and the next step. The page sorts the entries into To apply, Applied and waiting, In talks, Offer and Over, lists your next steps with the nearest day first, and counts the entries in this week and the week before, with the week starting on Sunday or Monday as you choose. It prints a record week by week, with a line to write your name by hand, and saves the same record as a spreadsheet file (.csv) or as text. The page does not find jobs, apply or send anything, and it cannot send a reminder. If you claim unemployment benefits, an office may ask for a record of your search; the page does not know any state’s rules and was not checked against any state’s form, so ask that office what it wants. Nothing you type leaves your device, and the page runs no analytics. Written with AI and not reviewed by an employment counsellor, an unemployment office or a lawyer. A Spanish twin, /es/busqueda-de-trabajo/, followed the same day.
Start my log →Fechas importantes: Dates to keep, now in Spanish
New at /es/fechas-importantes/: the Spanish twin of /dates-to-keep/, one private list for a court date, a form to send back, a benefits renewal or an appointment. The steps, the buttons, the groups, the days-left wording, the printed sheet, the text download and the calendar file (.ics) with its alert text are in Spanish, and dates and times are written the Spanish way. Both pages keep the same list on a device, so a list started in one language opens in the other; neither page translates the words you typed. As on the English page, it cannot send a reminder, it does not work out a deadline from “dentro de 30 días” on a letter, it does not check a date against anyone’s records, it cannot promise that a calendar app keeps the alerts in the file, and it is not legal advice. Nothing is sent anywhere and the page runs no analytics. The page and its Spanish were written and translated with AI; no native speaker, lawyer or caseworker has reviewed it, and the page says so. Both pages are now on the tools pages, which list ninety-six tools.
Anotar mis fechas →Dates to keep: every deadline and appointment on one list
New at /dates-to-keep/: one private list for the dates that matter, such as a court date, a form to send back, a benefits renewal or an appointment. For each one you type what it is, the day, a time if there is one, where, what to bring, and how many days ahead to start getting ready. The page sorts them with the nearest first, counts the calendar days left, marks the ones it is time to start on, and keeps anything whose day has passed in its own group. “Add to my calendar” downloads a small calendar file (.ics) for one date, or one file with all of them, so the calendar on your phone can hold the date and show an alert; some calendar apps replace the alerts in the file with their own, so the page asks you to open the event and look. It prints as one sheet, and copies or downloads as text. The page itself cannot send a reminder, it does not work out a deadline from “within 30 days” on a letter, it does not check a date against anyone’s records, and it is not legal advice. Nothing is sent anywhere and the page runs no analytics. It was written with AI and no lawyer or caseworker has reviewed it; the page says so. A Spanish twin, /es/fechas-importantes/, followed the same day.
List my dates →
Leer a mi manera: Read it my way, now in Spanish
New at /es/leer-a-mi-manera/: the Spanish twin of /read-it/, a private reader for the letter that is hard to get through. Paste the words, then make the print bigger, open up the lines and the letters, pick the colours and the line length, and read the whole text or one sentence at a time. The steps, the buttons, the made-up sample letter, the notes, the printed sheet and the download are in Spanish, and the patterns that look for dates and lengths of time are written for Spanish text (“31 de octubre de 2026”, “dentro de 10 días hábiles”), with Spanish abbreviations such as “Sr.” and “Ud.” kept inside their sentence. Read aloud lists Spanish voices first where the browser reports one stored on the device; a device may have none, and a voice in another language reads Spanish with its own pronunciation. Both pages keep the same look settings on a device, and the same text and notes if you ticked the box to keep them. There is no AI in the page: it does not explain, shorten, simplify or translate, it cannot tell a deadline from any other date, it does not list a month and year with no day, and it is not legal advice. Nothing is sent anywhere and the page runs no analytics. It was written and translated with AI; no native speaker, reading specialist, speech and language therapist or lawyer has reviewed it, and the page says so. The tools pages now list ninety-five tools in both languages, and the reader is on them.
Abrir el lector →Read it my way: a reader for letters and long text
New at /read-it/: a private page for the letter that is hard to get through. Paste the words, then make the print bigger, open up the lines and the letters, pick the colours and the line length, and read the whole text or one sentence at a time. Where your browser reports a voice stored on the device, the page can read aloud with it; it leaves out voices that work by sending text to a remote service, and where there is no on-device voice it says so and stays silent. It lists everything in the text that looks like a date, a number of days, a money amount or a phone number, found by pattern matching, and it has four boxes for your own notes (who it is from, what they want, by when, what you do not understand) that print on one sheet, with the text in large print if you want it. There is no AI in the page: it does not explain, shorten, simplify or translate anything, it cannot tell a deadline from any other date, and it is not legal advice. The text and notes are forgotten when you close the page unless you tick the box to keep them on your device; nothing is sent anywhere and the page runs no analytics. It was written with AI and not reviewed by a reading specialist, a speech and language therapist or a lawyer, and it makes no claim that any setting helps with any condition. English only for now.
Open the reader →Presupuesto de energía: Energy budget, now in Spanish
New at /es/presupuesto-de-energia/: the Spanish twin of /energy-budget/, a private page for days when there is less of you than the day wants. Give today a number of points and each thing you mean to do a number too; the page adds them up and shows what is left, or how far over the plan is. The steps, the idea buttons, the sums, “Hoy no” (Not today), closing the day, the printed sheet, the dates and the downloads are in Spanish. Both pages keep the same plan on a device, so the English page shows the same things with English buttons and sums; the names you typed stay as you typed them, because the page does not translate. Nothing you type leaves your device and the page runs no analytics. It only adds up numbers you give it: it does not measure anything, cannot tell you why you are tired, is not treatment and gives no medical advice. It was written and translated with AI; no native speaker, clinician or occupational therapist has reviewed it, and the page says so. The tools pages now list ninety-four tools in both languages, and Energy budget is on them.
Planear hoy →Energy budget: plan a day around the energy you have
New at /energy-budget/: a private page for days when there is less of you than the day wants. Give today a number of points, and give each thing you mean to do a number too: the shower, the appointment, the phone call, seeing people. The page adds them up and shows what is left, or how far over the plan is, and lists the things you marked “could wait”. Mark a thing done, move it to “Not today”, and close the day with one tap for how it went (too much, about right, had some left); the page keeps the day’s totals so you can see over a week whether your number was about right. It prints one sheet, and can copy the plan or download it as .txt or .csv. Nothing you type leaves your device and the page runs no analytics. It only adds up numbers you give it: it does not measure anything, cannot tell you why you are tired, is not treatment and gives no medical advice. It was written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician or an occupational therapist, and the page says so. English only for now.
Plan today →Guion de llamada: Call script, now in Spanish
New at /es/guion-de-llamada/: the Spanish twin of /call-script/, a private page for the phone call you keep putting off. Write who you are calling, the sentence that says what you want, what to have in front of you and what to ask, and the page lays it out as a script to read from. The steps, the idea buttons, the greeting, the eight fixed lines for a hard moment (they address the other person as usted), the message to leave if nobody answers, the printed page, the dates and the downloads are in Spanish. Both pages keep the same calls on a device, so if the call is going to be in English the English page shows the same script with the fixed lines and the voicemail message in English; what you typed stays as you typed it, because the page does not translate. The Spanish page also gives one question to ask in English, “Do you have someone who speaks Spanish?”, and says it does not know what the answer will be. Nothing you type leaves your device and the page runs no analytics. It does not make, record or listen to the call, it does not know what the office will say or what you are owed, and it is not legal, medical or financial advice. It was written and translated with AI; no native speaker, clinician, speech therapist or lawyer has reviewed it, and the page says so. The tools pages now list ninety-three tools in both languages, and Call script is on them.
Planear una llamada →Call script: know what you will say before you dial
New at /call-script/: a private page for the phone call you keep putting off. Write who you are calling, the sentence that says what you want, what to have in front of you and what to ask. The page lays that out as a script to read from: hello, your name, your own sentence word for word; then your lists; then eight fixed lines for the moment a call gets hard (slow down, spell that, who am I speaking with, a reference number, put it in writing, I will call back); then a short message to leave if nobody answers. After the call you can write down what happened, with the day. It prints one page for each call with room to write the answers by hand, and can copy the scripts or download them as .txt or .csv. Nothing you type leaves your device and the page runs no analytics. It does not make, record or listen to the call, it does not know what the office will say or what you are owed, and it is not legal, medical or financial advice. The planning boxes refuse a line shaped like a Social Security, card or account number; the page says it cannot spot a password. It was written with AI and not reviewed by a clinician, a speech therapist or a lawyer, and the page says so. Also in Spanish at /es/guion-de-llamada/.
Plan a call →Contador de días: Day count, now in Spanish
New at /es/contador-de-dias/: the Spanish twin of /day-count/, a private counter for the days since a first day you pick. Days without a drink, a bet, a cigarette or hurting yourself; days since you left, or since the surgery. The steps, the idea buttons, the numbers said in weeks and months, the next round number, the printed sheet, the dates and the downloads are in Spanish. If you slip (the page says “tropiezo”), a new run starts the day after and the run before it is kept, with the longest run and the days in all. Both pages keep the same counts on a device, so a count started in Spanish opens on the English page with English headings; what you typed stays as you typed it, because the page does not translate. Nothing you type leaves your device and the page runs no analytics. It only does date arithmetic on what you type: it is not treatment, it cannot remind you, and it proves nothing to anyone. Anyone who has been drinking heavily every day is pointed to /es/alcohol-o-drogas/ before stopping suddenly. It was written and translated with AI; no native speaker, doctor or other clinician has reviewed it, it is not medical advice, and the page says so. The tools pages now list ninety-two tools in both languages, and Day count is on them.
Empezar un conteo →Day count: the days since, and a slip does not wipe them
New at /day-count/: a private counter for the days since a first day you pick. Days without a drink, a bet, a cigarette or hurting yourself; days since you left, or since the surgery. Say what you are counting and the first day, and the page shows the whole days to today, the same span in weeks or months, and the next round number with its date. If you slip, a new run starts the day after and the run before it is kept: the page shows the longest run and the days in all, and a mistaken press can be undone. It prints one sheet and can copy it or download it as .txt or .csv. Nothing you type leaves your device and the page runs no analytics. It only does date arithmetic on what you type: it is not treatment, it cannot remind you, and it proves nothing to anyone. The round numbers are ones the page picks, not the milestones of any program. Anyone who has been drinking heavily every day is pointed to /drinking-or-drugs/ before stopping suddenly. It was written with AI and not reviewed by a doctor or any clinician, it is not medical advice, and the page says so. Also in Spanish at /es/contador-de-dias/.
Start a count →Dónde están las cosas: Where things are, now in Spanish
New at /es/donde-estan-las-cosas/: the Spanish twin of /where-things-are/, one sheet that tells a person you trust where things are, for a hospital stay, a trip, or a day you cannot speak for yourself. Write one line for each thing: what it is, and where it is kept or who has it. The steps, the eight kinds, the idea buttons, the printed sheet, the dates and the downloads are in Spanish. Both pages keep the same sheet on a device, so a sheet written in Spanish opens on the English page with English headings; what you typed stays as you typed it, because the page does not translate. Nothing you type leaves your device and the page runs no analytics. The sheet says where a thing is, never the secret itself: a line that looks like a Social Security, card or account number is not saved. That check only knows the shape of a number; it cannot spot a password, and the page says so. It is not a will or any legal paper and gives nobody permission to act for you. It was written and translated with AI; no native speaker, lawyer or financial professional has reviewed it, it is not legal or financial advice, and the page says so. The tools pages now list ninety-one tools in both languages, and Where things are is on them.
Empezar mi hoja →Where things are: a sheet for the person who would need to find them
New at /where-things-are/: one sheet that tells a person you trust where things are, for a hospital stay, a trip, or a day you cannot speak for yourself. Write one line for each thing: what it is, and where it is kept or who has it. Lines are sorted by kind (people to call, papers and ID, money and bills, health, home, car and pets, phone and online, wishes), each with the date it was last checked, and a “Still right” button to bring that date up to today. It prints one sheet and can copy it or download it as .txt or .csv. Nothing you type leaves your device and the page runs no analytics. The sheet says where a thing is, never the secret itself: a line that looks like a Social Security, card or account number is not saved. That check only knows the shape of a number; it cannot spot a password, and the page says so. It is not a will or any legal paper and gives nobody permission to act for you. It was written with AI and was not reviewed by a lawyer or a financial professional; it is not legal or financial advice, and the page says so. Also in Spanish at /es/donde-estan-las-cosas/.
Start my sheet →Cuentas del mes: Bills this month, now in Spanish
New at /es/cuentas-del-mes/: the Spanish twin of /bills/, one page for one month of money. Write a line for each thing that comes in and each bill or cost, with the amount and the day of the month. The page adds it up, shows what is left after everything (or how much the month is short by), lists what is still to pay in day order, and lets you tick bills as paid and money as received. The steps, the printed sheet, the month names and the downloads are in Spanish. Both pages keep the same sheet on a device, so a sheet written in Spanish opens on the English page with English headings; what you typed stays as you typed it, because the page does not translate. On both pages an amount typed with a comma for the cents (85,50) is now read the same as 85.50; an amount that could mean two things is refused, never guessed. Nothing you type leaves your device and the page runs no analytics. It is not connected to any bank, it pays nothing, it cannot remind you, and it knows no due date or fee you do not type in. It was written and translated with AI; no native speaker and no financial professional has reviewed it, it is not financial advice, and the page says so. The tools pages now list ninety tools in both languages, and Bills this month is on them.
Empezar mi mes →Bills this month: what comes in, what is due, what is left
New at /bills/: one page for one month of money. Write a line for each thing that comes in and each bill or cost, with the amount and the day of the month. The page adds it up, shows what is left after everything (or how much the month is short by), lists what is still to pay in day order, and lets you tick bills as paid and money as received. Each month has its own sheet; opening a new month offers to bring over the lines you marked “every month”, unticked. It prints one sheet for the month and can copy it or download it as .txt or .csv. Nothing you type leaves your device and the page runs no analytics. It is not connected to any bank, it pays nothing, it cannot remind you, and it knows no due date or fee you do not type in. The only thing it does is add up the amounts you typed. It was written with AI and was not reviewed by a financial professional; it is not financial advice, and the page says so. Also in Spanish at /es/cuentas-del-mes/.
Start my month →Registro de llamadas, cartas y visitas: the paper trail, now in Spanish
New at /es/registro-de-llamadas/: the Spanish twin of /paper-trail/, for anyone dealing with a benefits office, a landlord, an insurer, a hospital bill or a court. Write one short entry each time: what it is about, whether you called, they called, a letter came or you went in person, the day and time, who you dealt with, the reference number, what was said, what they said happens next, and what you have to do and by what day. The “Por hacer” list shows what is still waiting and marks a date you typed once it has passed. The printed record, the dates, the clock times and the downloads are in Spanish. Both pages keep the same record on a device, so a record written in Spanish opens on the English page with English headings; what you typed stays as you typed it, because the page does not translate. Nothing you type leaves your device and the page runs no analytics. It cannot remind you, it does not know any deadline you do not type in, it does not record calls, and it is not an official record. It was written and translated with AI; no native speaker and no lawyer has reviewed it, it is not legal advice, and the page says so. The tools pages now list eighty-nine tools in both languages.
Empezar mi registro →Paper trail: write down every call, letter and visit
“Who did you speak to? When? What did they tell you?” is hard to answer from memory when you are dealing with a benefits office, a landlord, an insurer, a hospital bill or a court. The new paper trail lets you write one short entry each time: what it is about, whether you called, they called, a letter came or you went in person, the day and time, who you dealt with, the reference number, what was said, what they said happens next, and what you have to do and by what day. Step 2 shows everything newest first, one matter at a time if you like, with a “Still to do” list you can tick off; it marks a date you typed once that date has passed. Step 3 prints the whole record oldest first with your case numbers at the top, or copies it, or downloads it as text or as a spreadsheet file. Nothing you type leaves your device and the page runs no analytics. It cannot remind you, it does not know any deadline you do not type in, it does not record calls, and it is not an official record. It was written with AI, it is not legal advice and it was not reviewed by a lawyer. Also in Spanish, at /es/registro-de-llamadas/.
Start a paper trail →Diario de síntomas: the symptom diary, now in Spanish
New at /es/diario-de-sintomas/: the Spanish twin of /symptom-diary/. Write down what you notice when it happens, with the day, the time, your own number from 0 to 10 (or “Sin número”), how long it lasted, what was going on around it and what you did. Look back over the last 7, 30 or 90 days, see your numbers for one thing as dots, and print one sheet for the appointment with your questions at the bottom; the sheet, the dates and the clock times are in Spanish, and the downloads are named in Spanish. Both pages keep the same diary on a device, so a diary written in Spanish opens on the English page with English headings, which can help when the appointment is in English; what you typed stays as you typed it, because the page does not translate. Like the English page, it cannot tell you what a symptom means, looks for no patterns and cannot remind you. Nothing you type leaves your device and the page runs no analytics. The Spanish was translated by AI and has not been reviewed by a native speaker, a doctor or a nurse, and the page says so. Both diaries are now listed on the tools pages, which makes eighty-eight.
Empezar mi diario →Symptom diary: write it down, show your doctor
“How often does it happen? How bad is it?” is hard to answer from memory in a short appointment. The new symptom diary lets you write down what you notice when it happens, with the day, the time, your own number from 0 to 10, how long it lasted, what was going on around it and what you did. Step 2 shows your entries for the last 7, 30 or 90 days and draws your numbers for one symptom as dots. Step 3 prints one sheet for the appointment with your questions at the bottom, or copies it, or downloads it as text or as a spreadsheet file. Nothing you type leaves your device and the page runs no analytics. It cannot tell you what a symptom means, it does not look for patterns, and it cannot remind you to write. It was written with AI and was not reviewed by a doctor or a nurse. English only for now.
Start a symptom diary →We checked all 230 pages for accessibility again, fixed what it found, and put the statement and the AI policy in Spanish
The first accessibility check, on September 29, covered the 47 pages the site had then. The sitemap has since grown to 230, so on October 3, 2026 we ran the same automated checker (axe-core 4.13) on every one of them at desktop and phone width. 223 pages had nothing to report. The other 7 had 42 problems: a faint "From the song" line under quoted lyrics in five essays, and two phone numbers set too close together on the New York homeless resources guide in English and Spanish. All were fixed the same day. The accessibility statement (v1.3) now reports this check, and lists more of what is still not done: the free tools were not checked past their first screen, nothing has been tested by a person who uses a screen reader every day, and the header and footer on Spanish pages are still in English. The statement and the AI policy also now exist in Spanish, at /es/accesibilidad/ and /es/politica-de-ia/, and 89 Spanish pages link to the Spanish AI policy instead of the English one. Both translations were made with AI and have not been reviewed by a native speaker; where they differ, the English versions govern.
Read the October check →The privacy policy is now in Spanish, and it names every page that runs no analytics
More than eighty pages on this site are in Spanish, but the privacy policy they pointed to was only in English. There is now a full Spanish version at /es/privacidad/, with the same switch that turns Google Analytics off for the whole site, and every Spanish page now links to it. Both versions were also corrected (v1.3): the policy used to say that only the PAD builder and the Get help now pages load no analytics, when in fact the search page, the free tools page and every tool on it but one load none (176 pages when we counted on October 3, 2026). It also now says what the search page does with what you type: nothing leaves your browser. The Spanish text was translated with AI and has not been reviewed by a native speaker; where the two differ, the English version governs.
Read it in Spanish →My data on this device: see it, back it up, move it, erase it
The free tools keep what you write in your own browser, not on our servers. That is private, but it also meant your safety plan, medicine list or mood diary could not follow you to a new phone. The new page at /my-data/ (in Spanish at /es/mis-datos/) shows everything the tools have saved in this browser, tool by tool, with its size and the exact saved text. One button downloads it all as a single backup file, including photos from the hope box and My day; type a password and the file is encrypted in your browser before it is downloaded (PBKDF2 with SHA-256, 600,000 rounds, then AES-256-GCM). On another device, choose the file, look at what is in it, and confirm to bring it in. You can erase one tool’s data or everything. Nothing is sent anywhere and the page runs no analytics. It cannot recover a forgotten password, cannot merge two versions, and cannot erase files you downloaded or printed. The privacy page now lists what the tools keep on your device (v1.2). Written with AI; not reviewed by a security or privacy professional, and the Spanish was not reviewed by a native speaker.
See my data →Mis medicamentos: the medicine list and daily check, now in Spanish
New at /es/mis-medicamentos/: the Spanish twin of /my-medicines/. Write down what you take and when (Mañana, Mediodía, Noche, Antes de dormir, or only when needed), tick each medicine as you take it, and the page keeps the time so you can see later whether you already did. The last seven days, the printed list and the week chart to tick with a pen are all in Spanish, with Spanish dates and clock times. Both pages keep the same list on a device, so a list made in Spanish opens on the English page with English headings, which can help when the appointment is in English; what you typed stays as you typed it, because the page does not translate. Nothing you type is sent anywhere, and the page runs no analytics. As on the English page, it says plainly that it cannot remind you, knows nothing about any medicine and gives no advice about missed or double doses; for those it points to a pharmacist, and to Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 if it might be too much. The English page now links to it, and both are listed on the tools pages (eighty-six tools). The Spanish was written and translated with AI (Claude) and has not been reviewed by a native speaker, a pharmacist, a nurse or a doctor; the page says so.
Hacer mi lista →My medicines: a list and a daily check
“Did I already take it?” The new page at /my-medicines/ keeps a list of what you take and when (morning, midday, evening, bedtime, or only when needed). Tick each medicine as you take it and the page writes down the time, so later you can see whether you already did; a new day starts at midnight, and the last seven days are there to look back on. It prints two sheets: the list, with allergies, pharmacy and doctor, for your wallet and every appointment, and a week chart to tick with a pen. If you made an emergency card on the same device, one button brings its medicines in. What it cannot do is said on the page: it cannot remind you (it does not ring or notify), it knows nothing about any medicine, and it gives no advice about missed or double doses; for those it points to a pharmacist and to Poison Help, 1-800-222-1222. Nothing you type leaves your device, and one button erases it. Written with AI; not reviewed by a pharmacist, a nurse or a doctor. English only for now.
Make my medicine list →My day: add your own photos to a picture schedule
The picture schedule at /my-day/ (and its Spanish twin, /es/mi-dia/) can now use your own photos next to the sixty-one ready-made pictures: the real toothbrush, the real bus stop, the real front door. Tap the picture button on a step, then Add a photo. The photo is never uploaded: your browser makes a smaller copy (640 pixels on its longest side), keeps only that copy on this device, and the copy does not carry the hidden details a camera saves in a photo file, such as where it was taken. Photos show on the Now and Next cards, in the big view, on the printed list and on the cut-out cards. They do not move to another device and are not in the text you copy or download. Anyone who uses the same browser on the device can see them, so think twice before adding a photo of a person. There is room for 60; Delete a photo removes one and Erase everything removes them all. Written with AI; not reviewed by a therapist or a teacher.
Add a photo to a schedule →Mi día: the picture schedule, now in Spanish
New at /es/mi-dia/: the Spanish twin of /my-day/. Build a routine out of pictures and a few words, then show just two things, what is happening now (Ahora) and what comes next (Después). All four steps are in Spanish: the eight ready-made routines, the names of the sixty-one pictures, the big full-screen view, the printed list and the cut-out cards with an Ahora / Después / Terminado board. Type a step in Spanish, with or without accents, and the page suggests a picture. Reading aloud asks your device for a Spanish voice; it stays off unless you turn it on, and if the device has no Spanish voice it may read with another voice or not at all. Both pages share the same schedules on a device, because pictures are stored as the picture itself and your words stay as you typed them. Nothing you type is sent anywhere, and the page runs no analytics. The English page now links to it, and both are listed on the tools pages (eighty-five tools). The Spanish was written and translated with AI (Claude) and has not been reviewed by a native speaker, a therapist or a teacher; the page says so. It is a planning tool, not therapy.
Hacer un horario →My day: a picture schedule that shows only now and next
New at /my-day/: build a routine out of pictures and a few words, then show just two things, what is happening now and what comes next. Press Finished and the next thing moves up. There are eight ready-made routines (morning, getting ready for school, after school, bedtime, leaving the house, an appointment, a day at home, a shower), sixty-one pictures, optional times, a big full-screen view for handing over a phone or tablet, and an option to read "now" and "next" aloud. Print the schedule as a list with tick boxes, or as cards to cut out with a Now / Next / Finished board. It is for children and adults: autistic people, people with a learning disability, dementia or a brain injury, small children, and anyone who finds a day easier when they can see it. Nothing you type is sent anywhere: it is kept in your browser on your device, one button erases it, and the page runs no analytics. The pictures are your device's emoji, so they look a little different from one device to the next; you cannot add your own photos yet. It is a planning tool, not therapy, and it was not reviewed by a therapist or a teacher. English only for now. Written with AI (Claude).
Make a schedule →New essay and song: Set It Down
An essay for people who look after a parent, a partner, a child or a friend. Care work has no shift change, and the person doing it is often asked how the other person is and rarely how they are. It says that tiredness, resentment and grief for someone who is still here do not make you bad at loving someone, and that it is not a failure of love to let another pair of hands hold the load for an afternoon. It does not say rest is easy to get, and it does not promise what help exists where you live. It gives the word the offices use, respite, and the Eldercare Locator number, 1-800-677-1116, and it tells friends to make a real offer with a day in it. It comes with a bossa nova lullaby and a lyric film with closed captions. The essay was written with AI (Claude), and the song, the singer's voice and the images are AI-made too; the page says so at the top. Scarlet Beast is not a care provider and this is not medical advice. It names 988 and 911 and points to the caregiving guide, When you can't sleep and Get help now.
Read and watch →Mi tarjeta de emergencia: the emergency card in Spanish, and it can print in English for the person who reads it
New at /es/tarjeta-de-emergencia/: the Spanish twin of /emergency-card/. Answer in Spanish and get a wallet card and a one-page sheet for home: who to call, your allergies and medicines, your health conditions, the things you use, and fourteen ready-made lines about how to help you, such as "Puede que no pueda hablar. Déjenme escribir o usar mi teléfono." One choice at the end prints the card in Spanish or in English: the headings and the lines you ticked come out in English, for a reader who has no Spanish, and what you typed in your own words stays as you typed it. The lines never guess the writer's gender. Both pages share one card on your device, so what you fill in on one shows up on the other; nothing is sent anywhere and the page runs no analytics. The note about Android phones quotes Google's Spanish help page; Apple's Medical ID page is linked by title only, because Apple's site terms do not allow automated tools to read it, and both pages now say so. The emergency card is also on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ now, which list eighty-four tools. Written and translated with AI (Claude); the Spanish has not been reviewed by a native speaker.
Hacer mi tarjeta →My emergency card: a wallet card and a one-page sheet that speak for you when you can't
New at /emergency-card/: answer a few questions and get a card for your wallet and a one-page sheet for home. Who to call, your allergies, your medicines, your health conditions, the things you use (glasses, hearing aids, a pacemaker), and short lines about how to help you, such as "I may not be able to speak. Let me write or use my phone." There are fourteen ready-made lines, written with autistic people, Deaf and blind people and people with memory conditions in mind, and room for your own. Every box is optional. Nothing you type is sent anywhere: it is kept in your browser on your device, one button erases it, and the page runs no analytics. The page says plainly that anyone who finds the card can read it, that we cannot promise a helper will look for it, and that it is not a legal document or medical advice. Also in Spanish at /es/tarjeta-de-emergencia/. Written with AI (Claude).
Make my card →Search this site: type what is going on, and find the page for it, in English or Spanish
New at /search/ (and /es/buscar/ in Spanish): one box that looks through 218 pages, every free tool and guide in both languages, the essays and the rest of the site. Type it in your own words, such as can't sleep, eviction, choking or lost my ID, and the pages that match come up as you type, with the tool or guide for it first, the sections that match, and a link to the same page in the other language. The search runs in your browser against one file, a list of the pages in our sitemap. What you type is not sent to us or to anyone else and is not saved; it is kept after the # in the address, which browsers do not send to servers, so a search can be linked. The page runs no analytics. It matches words, not meanings, and it says the date its list was built. If what you type sounds like a crisis, the 988 and 911 box lights up. The tools, the guides and the other main pages have a Search link in their footer. Written with AI (Claude).
Search the site →Cuando el bebé ya viene y no puedes llegar al hospital: the emergency childbirth page, now in Spanish, and on the first-aid finder and /tools/
New at /es/parto-de-emergencia/: the Spanish twin of /emergency-childbirth/, for someone in labor who isn't going to make it to the hospital, and for whoever is beside them. Same 8 starting points and 9 sections: whether the baby is coming right now and whether to stay or go; the minutes you have; as the baby is born; a cord around the neck, stuck shoulders or a baby coming bottom first; the baby's first minutes; the cord and the placenta; bleeding and the hours after; how to tell labor, and labor that is too early; and what to say when you call. The words-to-say builder opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter, and the page prints a card. It says plainly that every emergency-birth step comes from English pages, in our translation: the two documents of the American College of Nurse-Midwives, the pages from Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and UT Southwestern Medical Center, The Conversation, and the federal Office on Women's Health are each marked "en inglés", because we found no Spanish page on emergency birth that we could use. What was read in Spanish, on 2026-10-03, covers the signs of labor, preterm labor and warning signs: March of Dimes (Contracciones y signos del parto), the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, MedlinePlus en español and the CDC's urgent maternal warning signs. March of Dimes' Spanish page on the stages of labor is linked but not quoted, because its Spanish has errors that look like machine translation, and the page says so. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and Cleveland Clinic are not used in either language, because their terms forbid using their sites with generative AI. Nobody's gender is guessed and no person is named. No quiz, no score, no counts, no prices, no product and no medicine. It saves nothing and loads no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not medical advice, not midwifery and not first aid training. Also: a baby coming before you can get to the hospital is now the twenty-third card on the first-aid finder in both languages (the lines are shortened from the pages' Right now boxes, no new facts), both pages are listed on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (eighty-three tools), the Spanish page has a card on /es/ayuda/ and can be saved by /es/sin-conexion/, and the English page links to it.
Abrir la página en español →When the baby is coming and you can't get to the hospital: calling 911, the birth, the baby's first minutes, and the cord
New at /emergency-childbirth/: a page for someone in labor who isn't going to make it to the hospital, and for whoever is beside them. It opens with what to do right now: call 911 and put the phone on speaker; unlock the door; get down low on something soft, not on the toilet; push gently and guide the baby out without pulling; put the baby straight onto the mother's bare chest, dried and covered; rub the back of a baby who isn't crying; leave the cord and don't pull on it; and be seen at a hospital afterwards. Pick what's going on from eight situations and the page opens the sections to start with. Nine sections: whether the baby is coming right now and whether to stay or go; the minutes you have; as the baby is born; a cord around the neck, stuck shoulders or a baby coming bottom first; the baby's first minutes; the cord and the afterbirth; bleeding and the hours after; how to tell labor, and labor that is too early; and a builder for the words to say to 911 or to a doctor, midwife or hospital. It prints a card for the hospital bag or the car. The facts were read on October 3, 2026 in two documents of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (on its own site), and on pages from Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, The Conversation, March of Dimes, the federal Office on Women's Health, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, MedlinePlus and the CDC. Where they differ, the page reports each: which position to give birth in, when to push, whether to cut the cord and where to tie it, and how the afterbirth comes. Two sources were deliberately not used, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and Cleveland Clinic, because their terms forbid using their sites with generative AI; the page says so. It also says what it could not read, including any page on CPR for a newborn, which it does not teach. No quiz, no score, no counts, no prices, no named person, no medicine. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not medical advice, not midwifery and not first aid training. Also in Spanish at /es/parto-de-emergencia/.
Open the page →Cuando un diente se cae por un golpe o se rompe: the tooth injury page, now in Spanish, and on the first-aid finder and /tools/
New at /es/diente-caido-o-roto/: the Spanish twin of /knocked-out-tooth/, for anyone holding a knocked-out tooth right now, and anyone with a chipped, cracked or loosened tooth. Same 8 starting points and 9 sections: which injury it is and whether it is more than a tooth; a permanent tooth knocked out (hold it by the crown, keep it wet, go now); a baby tooth, which is not put back; a chipped, cracked or broken tooth; a tooth that is loose or pushed out of place; a bitten tongue or lip, bleeding and the jaw; where to be seen when the dentist is closed and where to look for low-cost dental care; mouthguards and habits; and what to say when you call. The words-to-say builder opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter, and the page prints a card. It uses the Spanish pages of Nemours KidsHealth, the American Academy of Pediatrics' symptom checker on HealthyChildren.org, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Medicare.gov and Insure Kids Now, read on 2026-10-03. Every line from the American Dental Association, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the International Association of Dental Traumatology, England's National Health Service and Medicaid.gov is marked "en inglés", in our translation, and the page says plainly that most of the first aid steps come from English pages. It reports where the Spanish pages differ from the English ones: KidsHealth's Spanish page says a tooth put back within 15 minutes has a chance of being saved where the English says the best chance, and it reads as keeping the child's tooth between the adult's own lip and gum; the symptom checker's Spanish page calls a chipped tooth a broken tooth; the dental institute's Spanish page says some dental schools have clinics where the English says they often do. The American Association of Endodontists is not used in either language, because its site reserves its rights for text and data mining and AI training, and the page says so. No quiz, no score, no counts, no prices, no named person, no product and no medicine to take. It saves nothing and loads no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not medical or dental advice or first aid training. Also: tooth injuries are now the twenty-second card on the first-aid finder in both languages (the lines are shortened from the pages' Right now boxes, no new facts), both pages are listed on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (eighty-two tools), /es/ayuda/ has a card, and /es/sin-conexion/ saves the page.
Abrir la página en español →When a tooth is knocked out or broken: the first minutes, what to carry it in, a baby tooth, and where to go
New at /knocked-out-tooth/: a page for anyone holding a tooth in their hand right now, and anyone with a chipped, cracked or loosened tooth after a fall, a game or a blow. It opens with what to do right now: pick a permanent tooth up by the crown, not the root; don't scrub it or let it dry; keep it wet in milk, or in saliva in a container, not tap water; and get to a dentist right away, or an emergency room if the office is closed. Pick what's going on from eight situations and the page opens the sections to start with. Nine sections: which injury it is and whether it is more than a tooth; a permanent tooth knocked out; a baby tooth, which is not put back; a chipped, cracked or broken tooth; a tooth that is loose or pushed out of place; a bitten tongue or lip, bleeding and the jaw; where to be seen when the dentist is closed and where to look for low-cost dental care; mouthguards and habits; and what to say when you call. It builds the words for a dentist's front desk, an emergency room or a clinic, and prints a card for the first aid kit or the sports bag. Facts were read on 2026-10-03 from the American Dental Association, the American College of Emergency Physicians, Nemours KidsHealth, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatrics' symptom checker, the International Association of Dental Traumatology, England's National Health Service (first aid steps only), the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Medicaid.gov, Medicare.gov and MedlinePlus. One source was left out on purpose: the American Association of Endodontists' site reserves its rights for text and data mining, AI training and similar technologies, so nothing is taken from it; the page says so and links to it. Where sources differ, the page reports each instead of choosing: six of the pages say to try putting a knocked-out tooth back in its socket and the emergency physicians' page says not to; they also differ on what to rinse a dirty tooth with, how long a tooth can be out, whether a dentist might put a baby tooth back, how urgent a broken tooth is, and how long to press on bleeding before going to an emergency room. It says what it could not read (braces, dentures, crowns or implants after an injury, tetanus shots, a dental abscess, what an emergency room can do for a tooth). No quiz, no score, no counts, no prices, no named person, no product and no medicine to take. It saves nothing and loads no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not medical or dental advice or first aid training. Also linked from /help/ and the first-aid finder's note, and saved by /offline/.
Open the page →Cuando se lastima un ojo: the eye injury page, now in Spanish, and on the first-aid finder and /tools/
New at /es/lesion-en-el-ojo/: the Spanish twin of /eye-injury/, for anyone with a chemical, a speck, a blow or a cut to an eye, and anyone seeing flashes or new floaters after an injury. Same 8 starting points and 9 sections: what to look for and the signs of an eye emergency; a chemical in the eye (rinse first); sand, dust or a speck; a blow and a black eye; a cut, or something stuck in the eye (don't rinse, don't pull it out, cover it); a scratched eye and contact lenses; the flashes, floaters or shadow that can show up afterwards; eye protection for sports, home, work and fireworks; and what to say when you call. The words builder opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter, and there is a card to print. It uses the Spanish pages of Nemours KidsHealth, the National Eye Institute, MedlinePlus and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, read on 2026-10-03. We found no Spanish page from Prevent Blindness, the American College of Emergency Physicians, Poison Control, the pediatric eye doctors' association, NIOSH or OSHA, or for the National Eye Institute's first aid page for children, so those lines are our translation and marked "en inglés" each time. That means nearly all the first aid steps on the page come from English pages, and the page says so plainly. It also reports where a Spanish page says something different from its English version (KidsHealth on what scratches an eye and where to go; the Commission on fireworks that did not go off), and that the sources use different words for floaters. As on the English page, the American Academy of Ophthalmology is not used, in either language, because its site says its content may not be put into an AI program without permission; the page says so and links one of its Spanish pages without opening it. We did not call any number and do not know how Spanish is asked for on the Poison Control line. AI-written and AI-translated, not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not medical advice or first aid training. It saves nothing and loads no analytics. Also in this change: eye injuries get a card on the first-aid finder in both languages (twenty-one cards now, each line shortened from the page's own Right now box) and a row on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (eighty-one), the eye-injury note on the finder is gone, a card on /es/ayuda/, and /es/sin-conexion/ saves the page.
Abrir la página en español →When an eye is hurt: what to rinse, what never to rinse, a blow, a cut, and the signs afterwards
New at /eye-injury/: a page for anyone with a chemical, a speck, a blow or a cut to an eye, and anyone seeing flashes or new floaters after an injury. It opens with what to do right now: a chemical means rinsing with water at once, for at least 15 minutes; a cut or something stuck in the eye means the opposite: don't rinse, don't pull it out, don't press, cover it with the bottom of a paper cup and go. Pick what's going on from eight situations and the page opens the sections to start with. Nine sections: what to look for and the signs of an eye emergency; a chemical in the eye; sand, dust or a speck; a blow to the eye and a black eye; a cut, or something stuck in the eye; a scratched eye and contact lenses; the flashes, floaters or shadow that can show up afterwards; eye protection for sports, home, work and fireworks; and what to say when you call. It builds the words for 911, Poison Control, an eye doctor's office or an employer, and prints a card for the first aid kit. Facts were read on 2026-10-03 from Prevent Blindness, the American College of Emergency Physicians, Nemours KidsHealth, the National Eye Institute, MedlinePlus, Poison Control, the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. One source was left out on purpose: the American Academy of Ophthalmology's site says its content may not be put into an AI program without permission, so nothing is taken from it; the page says so and links to it. Where sources differ, the page reports each: whether to take out a contact lens before rinsing, how long to rinse, what to cover a cut eye with, and fireworks. It says what it could not read (a particular chemical, pepper spray, superglue, laser pointers, eye drops sold without a prescription, a broken bone around the eye). No quiz, no score, no counts, no named person. It saves nothing and loads no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not medical advice or first aid training. Also linked from /help/ and the first-aid finder's note, and saved by /offline/.
Open the page →Cuando alguien recibe una descarga eléctrica: the electric shock page, now in Spanish, and on the first-aid finder and /tools/
New at /es/descarga-electrica/: the Spanish twin of /electric-shock/, for anyone watching someone get a shock right now, anyone who got one and feels fine, and anyone looking at a downed wire, a flooded basement or a storm coming in. Same 8 starting points and 9 sections: someone is being shocked, or just was; after a shock and why to see a doctor; children, cords, outlets and burns in the mouth; downed power lines and cars; water, floods and generators; someone struck by lightning (they are safe to touch); staying safe in a thunderstorm; outlets, cords and electricity at work; and what to say when you call. The words builder opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter, and there is a card to print. It uses the Spanish pages of MedlinePlus, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Ready.gov, the National Fire Protection Association, an OSHA construction guide and the National Weather Service's lightning myths page, read on 2026-10-03. We found no Spanish page from the American College of Emergency Physicians, for OSHA's two fact sheets, or for the other Weather Service pages, so those lines are our translation and marked "en inglés" each time. The page says where a Spanish page differs from the English one. The biggest: the CDC's Spanish lightning pages were last reviewed in 2014 and say to crouch if caught outside and to start mouth-to-mouth at once, while its current English page has no crouching line and says to give rescue breaths if you are trained; the Weather Service's English myths page says crouching does not make you safer. The page reports each and marks which is current. Smaller ones: the Pediatrics page in Spanish says a dry stick "or wrapped in a newspaper" where the English says a rolled-up newspaper, and a sentence about wet generators on Ready.gov's Spanish page ends in a word that cannot be understood. As in English: no quiz, no score, no counts or odds, no named person. The English page now links to it. Both pages are also now a twentieth card on the first-aid finder (/first-aid/ and /es/primeros-auxilios/; the card's lines are shortened from each page's Right now box and add no new facts; type shock, outlet, power line or lightning, or descarga, enchufe, cable or rayo, in the filter box) and a row on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/, which list eighty free tools. The note under the first-aid cards no longer lists electric shock. It saves nothing and loads no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker, and the page says so. General information, not medical advice, not first aid training and not electrical advice.
Abrir la página en español →When someone gets an electric shock: helping safely, power lines, water, lightning, children and outlets
New at /electric-shock/: a page for anyone watching someone get a shock right now, anyone who got one and feels fine, and anyone looking at a downed wire, a flooded basement or a storm coming in. It opens with what to do right now: don't touch them, call 911, turn off the power, and if you can't, move the wire or cord with something dry that is not metal. Pick what's going on from eight situations and the page opens the sections to start with. Nine sections: someone is being shocked, or just was; after a shock and why to be seen even if the mark is small; children, cords, outlets and burns in the mouth; downed power lines, and what to do if a line falls on your car; water, floods, generators and electricity; someone struck by lightning (they are safe to touch); staying safe in a thunderstorm; outlets, cords and electricity at work; and what to say when you call. It builds the words for 911, a doctor, the power company, a landlord or an employer, and prints a card. The facts come from pages of the American College of Emergency Physicians, MedlinePlus, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the National Weather Service, Ready.gov and the National Fire Protection Association, read on October 3, 2026. Where they differ, the page reports each: what to move a live wire with, whether to lay the person down, and who to call about a downed line. The American Red Cross and Mayo Clinic sites refused our request, as did two electrical safety organizations, and are not used. The page says what it could not read: nothing on a shock in a pool or at a dock, in pregnancy or with an implanted device, and no figure for how far to stay from a line on the ground. It gives no counts and no odds, has no quiz and no score, saves nothing, and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not medical advice, not first aid training and not electrical advice. It is on /help/ and saved by /offline/. Later the same day it got a Spanish twin, a first-aid card and a row on /tools/.
Open the page →First aid finder: a nineteenth card, for a bone that might be broken
The first-aid finder at /first-aid/ (and /es/primeros-auxilios/ in Spanish) now has nineteen cards. The new one is for an arm, leg or joint that looks bent or out of place, a bone showing, or someone who can't get up after a fall. It gives the first thing to do (don't move them, don't lift them, leave it the way you found it, call 911) and opens /broken-bones/ (or /es/huesos-rotos/). Like every card there, it adds no new facts: its lines are shortened from the Right now box of the page it opens, where the sources are named. Type broken, sprain, ankle, fall or cast (hueso, esguince, tobillo, caída, yeso) in the filter box to find it. The note under the cards that said broken bones had a page but no card is gone; the note still says what we have no page for yet (eye injuries, a knocked-out tooth, childbirth), and that the new electric shock page has no card yet. Both broken-bones pages are also now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/, which list seventy-nine free tools. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not medical advice or first aid training.
Open the finder →Cuando un hueso puede estar roto: the broken bones page, now in Spanish
New at /es/huesos-rotos/: the Spanish twin of /broken-bones/, for anyone with someone hurt in front of them right now, anyone looking at a swollen ankle or wrist and wondering, and anyone living with a cast. Same 8 starting points and 9 sections: is this a 911 injury; until help comes, and how to splint; a bone through the skin; a joint out of place; sprains and strains; children; a fall, a hip and older people; casts and splints; and what to say when you call. The words builder opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter, and there is a card to print. Five of the sources have their own Spanish pages (Nemours KidsHealth, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons on OrthoInfo, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, the National Institute on Aging, and MedlinePlus), read on 2026-10-03, and the page uses those pages' words. We found no Spanish page from the American College of Emergency Physicians, and the Spanish address of the American Academy of Pediatrics page on the pulled elbow shows English text, so their lines are our translation and marked "en inglés" each time. The page says where a Spanish page differs from the English one (rolled newspapers where the English says folded; "a couple of days" where the English says a few), and it repeats the Orthopaedic Surgeons' own notice that their Spanish pages may be machine-translated and unreviewed. As in English: no quiz, no score, no counts, no named person, no medicine named and no dose. The English page now links to it. It saves nothing and loads no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker, and the page says so. General information, not medical advice and not first aid training.
Abrir la página en español →When a bone might be broken: broken bones, sprains, dislocations, falls and casts
New at /broken-bones/: a page for anyone with someone hurt in front of them right now, anyone looking at a swollen ankle or wrist and wondering, and anyone living with a cast. It opens with what to do right now: for a bone showing or a head, neck or back injury, don't move them and call 911; if it looks bent, leave it the way you found it; cover a wound with a clean, dry cloth. Pick what's going on from eight situations and the page opens the sections to start with. Nine sections: is this a 911 injury; until help comes, and how to splint; a bone through the skin; a joint out of place, including the pulled elbow of young children; sprains and strains (rest, ice, wrap, raise, and the signs that mean being seen); children and growth plates; a fall, a hip and older people; casts and splints and their warning signs; and what to say when you call. It builds the words for 911, the emergency room, the doctor's office, a coach or an employer, and prints a card. The facts come from pages of the American College of Emergency Physicians, Nemours KidsHealth, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, the National Institute on Aging, the American Academy of Pediatrics and MedlinePlus, read on October 3, 2026. Where they differ, the page reports each: whether to put a limb back in line, ice for small children, and how long to ice a sprain. The American Red Cross and Mayo Clinic sites refused our request and are not used. The page says what it could not read: nothing for the public on moving someone with a neck or back injury, and no first aid course material. It names no medicine and gives no dose, gives no counts, has no quiz and no score, saves nothing, and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not medical advice and not first aid training. English only for now.
Open the page →First aid finder: an eighteenth card, for someone in trouble in the water
The first-aid finder at /first-aid/ (and /es/primeros-auxilios/ in Spanish) now has eighteen cards. The new one is for someone struggling in the water, or out of the water, not responding and not breathing normally. It gives the first thing to do and opens /drowning/ (or /es/ahogamiento/). Like every card there, it adds no new facts: its lines are shortened from the Right now box of the page it opens. Type water, pool, rip current or drowning (agua, piscina, corriente de resaca) in the filter box to find it. The note under the cards that said drowning had a page but no card is gone; the note still says what we have no page for yet (broken bones and sprains, electric shock, eye injuries, a knocked-out tooth, childbirth). Both drowning pages are also now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/, which list seventy-eight free tools. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not medical advice.
Open the finder →Cuando alguien está en apuros en el agua: the drowning page, now in Spanish
New at /es/ahogamiento/: the Spanish twin of /drowning/, for anyone watching someone struggle in the water right now, anyone with a person just pulled out, and anyone who wants to be ready before a day at the pool, the beach, the lake or the bath. Same 9 starting points and 10 sections: in the water; out and not breathing (CPR after drowning, with rescue breaths); after a rescue; a missing child near water; rip currents; cold water; floodwater and cars; babies and children; life jackets, alcohol and seizures; and what to say when you call. The words builder opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter, and there is a card to print. Six of the sources have their own Spanish pages (the American Heart Association's Spanish announcement of the 2024 update, six pages of the American Academy of Pediatrics on HealthyChildren.org, MedlinePlus, Ready.gov, Pool Safely's Piscina Segura, and the National Drowning Prevention Alliance), read on 2026-10-03, and the page uses those pages' words. We found no Spanish pages for the drowning pages of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or for the National Weather Service's rip current, cold water and flood pages, and none from the United States Lifesaving Association, so their lines are our translation and marked "en inglés" each time. Where a Spanish page says something different from its English one, the page says so: the pediatricians' Spanish toddler page gives a Water Watcher's turn as "por ejemplo, 15 minutos" where the English says 15 to 20 minutes, and does not carry the English line about not bathing alone before age 6; the heart association's Spanish announcement does not carry the line about starting with two breaths and then 30 compressions; and Piscina Segura says there are free or low-cost swimming lessons at the YMCA, USA Swimming or Parks and Recreation, a line the English page did not have. Like the English page: no quiz, no score, no counts, no named person, nothing saved, no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude) and not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not medical advice and not CPR training. It is on /es/ayuda/, linked from /es/primeros-auxilios/, and saved by the Spanish offline page; it is not on /tools/ yet.
Abrir la página en español →When someone is in trouble in the water: drowning, CPR, rip currents, cold water, children and pools
New at /drowning/: a page for anyone watching someone struggle in the water right now, anyone with a person just pulled out, and anyone who wants to be ready before a day at the pool, the beach, the lake or the bath. It opens with what to do right now: shout for a lifeguard, call 911, throw something that floats, and don't go in without something that floats; and if the person is out and not breathing normally, start CPR, with rescue breaths if you can. Pick what's going on from nine situations and the page opens the sections to start with. Ten sections: someone in trouble in the water; out of the water and not breathing; after a rescue; a child missing near water; rip currents, beaches and open water; cold water; floodwater and cars; babies and children (baths, pools, fences, watching, lessons); life jackets, alcohol, seizures and other risks; and what to say when you call. It builds the words for 911, the hospital, a landlord or pool owner, a swimming program or a sitter, and prints a card. The facts come from pages of the American Heart Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Weather Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the United States Lifesaving Association, the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, Safe Kids Worldwide, Pool Safely, the U.S. Coast Guard's boating safety site, the National Park Service, Ready.gov and MedlinePlus, read on October 3, 2026. Where they differ, the page reports each: breaths or hands only, floating in a rip current, how long a Water Watcher's turn is, life jackets in pools, and how much water moves a car. The American Red Cross and Mayo Clinic sites refused our request and are not used. The page says what it could not read: no list of what to watch for in the hours afterwards, nothing on ice, and no CPR steps for a baby under one. It gives no counts of drownings, has no quiz and no score, saves nothing, and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not medical advice and not CPR or rescue training. English only for now.
Open the page →First aid: what do you see? One page that finds the right page, in English and Spanish
New at /first-aid/ and /es/primeros-auxilios/: a finder for the emergency pages. Seventeen cards, each named for what you can see in front of you: choking, someone collapsed and not responding, chest pain, the signs of a stroke, a seizure, heavy bleeding, a burn, a possible poisoning, an overdose, a severe allergic reaction, an asthma attack, low blood sugar, heat, cold, carbon monoxide, a fire, and a hit to the head. Each card gives the first thing to do and opens the full page. Type a word (choking, bee sting, chest pain, pills) and the cards narrow as you type; the words never leave your device. It works with JavaScript off, and it prints in black and white with the web address under each card. The page adds no new facts: every line on a card is shortened from the Right now box of the page it opens, where the sources are named. It also says what we have no page for yet (drowning, broken bones, electric shock, eye injuries, childbirth). It is on /help/, /tools/ and /offline/. Saves nothing, no analytics. AI-written and AI-translated, not reviewed by a native speaker, not medical advice.
Open the page →Cuando hay un incendio en casa: the house fire page, now in Spanish
New at /es/incendio-en-casa/: the Spanish twin of /house-fire/, for anyone with a fire or a sounding smoke alarm right now, anyone who has just had a fire, and anyone who wants to be ready before one. Same 10 starting points and 11 sections: getting out; if you can't get out; clothes on fire, burns and smoke; a pan fire, an oven fire and extinguishers; after the fire; smoke alarms; an escape plan and a drill; apartments, high-rises and renting; children, older people, disability, and people who are deaf or hard of hearing; stopping a fire before it starts; and what to say when you call. The words builder opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter, and there is a card to print with a line for your meeting place. Six of the sources have their own Spanish pages (the National Fire Protection Association, Ready.gov, the American Academy of Pediatrics on HealthyChildren.org, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, MedlinePlus, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Disaster Distress Helpline page), read on 2026-10-03, and the page uses those pages' words. We found no Spanish web pages from the U.S. Fire Administration (its Spanish handouts are PDF files we did not read), so its lines are our translation and marked "en inglés" each time. Where a Spanish page says something different from its English one, the page says so: Ready.gov's Spanish page says to feel "la cerradura y la puerta" where the English says the doorknob and door, and to replace hot light switches where the English says to have them professionally replaced; the pediatricians' Spanish page leaves out what the English one says for when you can't get out; the fire protection association's Spanish extinguisher page uses the letters JAAB where the English uses PASS, and two of its pages say alarms in "todas las habitaciones" where the English say every sleeping room; and the product safety commission's Spanish page says to change batteries at least once a year where the English says once every year. Like the English page: no quiz, no score, no counts of fires or deaths, no named person, nothing saved, no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude) and not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not professional advice. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (seventy-six tools), on /es/ayuda/, and saved by the offline pages.
Abrir la página en español →When there's a fire at home: getting out, smoke alarms, an escape plan, a pan fire, and after the fire
New at /house-fire/: a page for anyone with a fire or a sounding smoke alarm right now, anyone who has just had a fire, and anyone who wants to be ready before one. It opens with what to do right now: get out, close doors behind you, go low under smoke, feel a closed door before you open it, call 911 from outside, and don't go back in. Pick what's going on from ten situations and the page opens the sections to start with. Eleven sections: getting out; if you can't get out; clothes on fire, burns and smoke; a pan fire, an oven fire, and extinguishers; after the fire; smoke alarms (where, which, testing, chirping); an escape plan and a drill; apartments, high-rises and renting; children, older people, disability, and people who are deaf or hard of hearing; stopping a fire before it starts; and what to say when you call. It builds the words for a fire department's non-emergency line, a landlord, an insurer or a doctor, and prints a card with a line for your meeting place. The facts come from pages of the National Fire Protection Association, the U.S. Fire Administration, Ready.gov, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, MedlinePlus and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, read on October 3, 2026. Where they differ, the page reports each: how to test a door, where smoke alarms go, how often to change batteries, where to keep an extinguisher and who should use one, and whether people in apartment buildings leave or stay behind a closed door. The American Red Cross site refused our request and is not used, and we did not read the tip sheets and booklets that are PDF files. The page gives no counts of fires or deaths, has no quiz and no score, saves nothing, and has no analytics. The National Fire Protection Association's Fire Prevention Week is October 4-10, 2026. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not professional advice. English only for now.
Open the page →Cuando puede ser monóxido de carbono: the carbon monoxide page, now in Spanish
New at /es/monoxido-de-carbono/: the Spanish twin of /carbon-monoxide/, for anyone whose carbon monoxide alarm is sounding, anyone at home with a headache and a sick stomach who wonders why, and anyone who wants to be ready before the heat comes on or the power goes out. Same 10 starting points and 11 sections: the alarm is sounding, the signs, if someone has passed out, before you go back in, alarms (where, which, testing), furnaces, stoves, fireplaces and heaters, power outages and generators, cars, garages, snow, boats and tents, who gets sick sooner, what to do if you can't afford an alarm or a repair or you rent, and what to say when you call. The words builder opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter, and there is a card to print. Seven of the sources have their own Spanish pages (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Fire Protection Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics on HealthyChildren.org, MedlinePlus and Ready.gov), read on 2026-10-03, and the page uses those pages' words; Poison Control, the Environmental Protection Agency's two pages on detectors, the CDC fact sheet index and the Department of Energy page are English only, so those lines are our translation and marked "en inglés" each time. Where a Spanish page says something different from its English one, the page says so: the product safety commission's Spanish questions-and-answers page puts the alarm in the hallway near the bedrooms and wherever people sleep, where the English says every level and outside sleeping areas, and says "irregular breathing" where the English says shortness of breath; the fire protection association's Spanish page says to call the fire department's "emergency number" to ask ahead of time which number to call, where the English says the non-emergency number; the pediatricians' Spanish page says to install a detector on a boat where the English says to consider it, and leaves campers out of its line on grills. No quiz, no score, no figures, no gas levels, no named person. Saves nothing, no tracking. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker, and it says so. General information, not medical advice. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (seventy-five tools), and on /es/ayuda/.
Abrir la página en español →When it might be carbon monoxide: the alarm, the signs, generators, furnaces, cars, and free alarms
New at /carbon-monoxide/: a page for anyone whose carbon monoxide alarm is sounding, anyone at home with a headache and a sick stomach who wonders why, and anyone who wants to be ready before the heat comes on or the power goes out. It opens with what to do right now: don't look for the source, get everyone outside to fresh air, then call 911 or the fire department, count heads, and stay out until the responders say you can go back in (the Consumer Product Safety Commission's steps). Pick what's going on from ten situations and the page opens the sections to start with. Eleven sections: the alarm is sounding; the signs, and why they're easy to miss; if someone has passed out; before you go back in, and afterwards; alarms (where, which, testing); furnaces, stoves, fireplaces and heaters; power outages and generators; cars, garages, snow, boats and tents; who gets sick sooner; if you can't afford an alarm or a repair, or you rent; and what to say when you call, built from what you tick, for a fire department, a doctor, a heating technician or a landlord. It prints a card for the fridge or the furnace. Where sources differ, the page reports each: where to wait and who to call when the alarm sounds, where to put alarms and how high, how often to test them and change batteries, how far away a generator goes, and running a car in a detached garage. It says what we did not read: no state's law on alarms in rented homes, no page on bringing an unconscious person out, none on sleeping in a running car. Facts read 2026-10-02 on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Fire Protection Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Poison Control, MedlinePlus, Ready.gov and the Department of Energy; several other pages were missing or refused our request and are not used. No quiz, no score, no figures, no named person. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude), not medical advice.
Open the page →
Cuando alguien se atraganta: the choking page, now in Spanish
New at /es/atragantamiento/: the Spanish twin of /choking/, for anyone beside someone who is choking and for anyone who wants to be ready before it happens. Same 10 starting points and 11 sections: an adult or a child over one, a baby under one, coughing hard but breathing, when they stop responding, pregnancy or someone you can't reach around, choking when you're alone, after a scare, food, toys and small things for young children, older people and trouble swallowing, learning how (with every place the sources differ in one list), and the words to tell a doctor or whoever looks after a child. The words builder opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter, and there is a card to print. Where a source has its own Spanish page (the American Academy of Pediatrics on HealthyChildren.org, Nemours KidsHealth, MedlinePlus, the 988 Lifeline and Crisis Text Line) the page uses that page's words; the American College of Emergency Physicians, the National Safety Council, the CDC choking-hazards page, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Safe Kids Worldwide and the American Heart Association page are English only, so those lines are our translation and marked "en inglés" each time. Where the Spanish pages say something different from the English ones, the page says so: the pediatricians' Spanish page gives an age (under 5) where the English says young children, leaves out the line about watching closely while a child coughs and the note on button batteries and internal burns, and uses one phrase for both a baby's chest thrusts and CPR compressions; the MedlinePlus Spanish page on swallowing leaves out the sentence on speech-language pathologists. No quiz, no score, no figures, no named person. Saves nothing, no tracking. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker, and it says so. General information, not medical advice and not first aid training. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (seventy-four tools), and on /es/ayuda/.
Abrir la página en español →When someone is choking: thrusts, back blows, babies, CPR, and keeping small children safe
New at /choking/: a page for anyone beside someone who is choking, and for anyone who wants to be ready before it happens. It opens with what to do right now: if they can cough, speak or breathe, let them cough (in the words of the American College of Emergency Physicians, do not interfere); if they can't, call 911 and act. Pick what's going on from ten situations and the page opens the sections to start with. Eleven sections: an adult or a child over one (is it choking, abdominal thrusts, and the 2025 American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines, which for children alternate 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts); a baby under one (back blows and chest thrusts, never abdominal thrusts); coughing hard but breathing; when they stop responding (CPR); pregnancy, or someone you can't reach around (chest thrusts); choking when you're alone (call 911 even if you can't speak); after a scare, and the signs that mean the emergency room; food, toys and small things for young children, including the toilet-paper-tube test; older people and trouble swallowing; learning how, with every place the sources differ in one list; and the words to tell a doctor or whoever looks after a child, built from what you tick. A card prints from the page. Where the sources differ the page reports each one: back blows for a child, how many thrusts, two fingers for a baby's chest thrusts, what to do if you've never been trained, fingers in the mouth, and the age for risky foods. Facts read 2026-10-02 on the American College of Emergency Physicians, the National Safety Council, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Nemours KidsHealth, the CDC, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Safe Kids Worldwide and MedlinePlus; the American Red Cross and Mayo Clinic pages refused our request and are not used. No quiz, no score, no figures, no named person. It is not first aid training, and says so. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude), not medical advice.
Open the page →Cuando hace un calor peligroso: the heat page, now in Spanish
New at /es/calor-peligroso/: the Spanish twin of /extreme-heat/, for people in the United States in heat that can hurt (in a home with no air conditioning, outside or living in a car, or working in it), and for whoever checks on them. Same 10 starting points and 12 sections: heat stroke and what to do while 911 comes, heat exhaustion, cramps, fainting and rash, cooling down without air conditioning, water, outside or in a car, children, pets and cars, checking on someone, older people, babies, pregnancy and illness, the power and the bill, heat alerts, and working in the heat. The words-to-say builder opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter, and there is a card to print. Where a source has its own Spanish page (the CDC's heat pages, MedlinePlus, the National Institute on Aging, Ready.gov, NIOSH, USAGov, the energy-help site, 211, the 988 Lifeline and Crisis Text Line) the page uses that page's words; the National Weather Service and OSHA are English only, so those lines are our translation and marked "en inglés" each time. Where the Spanish pages say something different from the English ones (Ready.gov's Spanish page says to give nothing to drink in heat stroke; cold vs cool water for showers; the National Institute on Aging's older Spanish text), the page says so. No quiz, no score, no figures, no medicine named. Saves nothing, no tracking. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker, and it says so. General information, not medical or legal advice.
Abrir la página en español →When it’s dangerously hot: heat stroke, cooling down without air conditioning, hot cars, and help with the power bill
New at /extreme-heat/: a page for people in the United States in heat that can hurt (in a home with no air conditioning, outside or living in a car, or working in it), for whoever checks on them, and for anyone who can't pay to keep cool. It opens with what to do right now: if someone very hot is confused, slurring or passed out, call 911 and cool them while you wait. In the words of the National Weather Service, heat stroke is a severe medical emergency and delay can be fatal, and in the words of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, when in doubt, cool the person and call 911, and never leave them alone. Pick what's going on from ten situations and the page opens the sections to start with. Twelve sections: heat stroke; heat exhaustion, cramps, fainting and rash; cooling down without air conditioning; water; outside, or living in a car; children, pets and cars; checking on someone, with the CDC's four questions to ask twice a day; older people, babies, pregnancy and illness; the power and the bill, with the energy assistance program that can help with cooling as well as heating; heat alerts; working in the heat, including how new workers should build up their time in the heat and how to file a safety complaint; and what to say when you call or write, built from what you tick, to copy or print. A card prints from the page. Where the sources say different things the page reports each one: cold water and ice or cool cloths for heat stroke, whether to give a drink, when a fan stops helping, where to go for heat exhaustion, how hot heat stroke is, and what counts as extreme heat. Facts read 2026-10-02 on the CDC, MedlinePlus, the National Institute on Aging, the National Weather Service, Ready.gov, OSHA, NIOSH and the Administration for Children and Families. No quiz, no score, no figures, no medicine named, no named person. It is not first aid training, and says so. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude), not medical or legal advice. In Spanish too: /es/calor-peligroso/.
Open the page →Cuando alguien sangra: the bleeding page, now in Spanish
New at /es/sangrado/: the Spanish twin of /bleeding/, for people in the United States when someone is bleeding, and for whoever is beside them. Same 10 starting points and 11 sections: is this a 911 bleed, press hard, packing and tourniquets (described, not taught), cuts and scrapes, nosebleeds, mouth, teeth and fingertips, bites and scratches, bleeding you can't see, the days after, before the next one, and the words to say when you call, which now open by asking for Spanish or an interpreter. A card prints from the page. It uses the Spanish pages of the American Academy of Pediatrics (nosebleeds, a cut lip or tongue, a knocked-out tooth, fingertips), the CDC (rabies, bats, tetanus), MedlinePlus (topic summaries) and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, read on October 2, 2026. The Defense Department's Stop the Bleed program, the American College of Surgeons, the American Academy of Dermatology and the CDC's page on dogs have no Spanish pages we could find; their lines are in our translation and marked as English. The page says where the Spanish pages differ from the English ones: the AAP's Spanish lip page is a different, shorter page with no ten minutes of pressure and no list of when to call 911; the CDC's Spanish rabies page does not say to wash a wound for 15 minutes; and MedlinePlus lists one more sign of bleeding in Spanish. Also: the English page said the CDC's page on dogs offered a Spanish version; it does not, and that line is fixed. /self-harm/ and its Spanish twin now link to both pages. No quiz, no score, no figures, no medicine named, no dose. Saves nothing, no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not medical advice, and not first aid training.
Abrir la página en español →When someone is bleeding: when to call 911, press hard, and what Stop the Bleed teaches
New at /bleeding/: a page for people in the United States when someone is bleeding (a knife that slipped, a broken glass, a fall, a crash, a dog bite, a nosebleed that won't stop, a child's split lip, blood where there shouldn't be any), and for whoever is beside them. It opens with what to do right now: call 911 and put the phone on speaker, then, in the words of the U.S. Department of Defense's STOP THE BLEED® program, use your hands to press hard on the wound. Pick what's going on from ten situations and the page opens the sections to start with. Eleven sections: is this a 911 bleed; press hard; packing and tourniquets (what the program says about them, and that they are learned with your hands in a class, which the page does not try to replace); cuts and scrapes; nosebleeds; mouth, teeth and fingertips; bites and scratches, with the CDC on rabies and bats; bleeding you can't see; the days after, with the CDC on tetanus; before the next one, on finding a class and what a real kit is; and what to say when you call, built from what you tick, to copy or print. A card prints from the page. Where the sources say different things the page reports each one: how long to press (one to two minutes, or ten without checking), antibiotic cream on a cut or a bite, tetanus shots after five or ten years, and how long a class takes and what it costs. MedlinePlus's medical encyclopedia is licensed text whose notice forbids copying it and using it with AI, so the page links to MedlinePlus but takes no wording from it, and marks the few common first steps it could not source elsewhere as our own. It names no medicine and gives no dose, has no quiz and no score, and gives no figures. Facts were read on October 2, 2026 on pages of the Defense Department's Stop the Bleed program, the American College of Surgeons, the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Dermatology, MedlinePlus and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not medical advice, and not first aid training. Now also in Spanish, at /es/sangrado/.
Open the page →Cuando alguien se quema: the burns page, now in Spanish
New at /es/quemaduras/: the Spanish twin of /burns/, for people in the United States when someone has been burned or scalded, and for whoever is beside them. Same 10 starting points and 12 sections: is this a 911 burn, cool it and cover it, what not to put on it, clothes or a room on fire, chemical burns, electricity and lightning, smoke, sunburn, children and scalds, the days after, before the next one, and a words-to-say builder that opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter, plus a printable kitchen card. Where a source has its own Spanish page (MedlinePlus, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Ready.gov, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the CDC, the Phoenix Society) the page uses that page's words; the American Burn Association, the American Academy of Dermatology, the U.S. Fire Administration, the National Weather Service, Poison Control and Childhelp are English only, so those lines are our translation and marked "en inglés" each time. The page reports where the Spanish source pages differ from the English ones: MedlinePlus says to sprinkle water on a person on fire where the English says pour, and gives no water temperature for rinsing a chemical; Ready.gov's Spanish page says to stay where you are where the English says to say where you are; the Academy's Spanish FAQ words its electrical-burn line differently, and its Spanish tips page lacks the line on hot slides and pavement. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (seventy-one tools). No quiz, no score, no figures, no pain medicine named, no dose. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not medical advice, and not first aid training.
Abrir la página en español →When someone is burned: when to call 911, cool water, and what not to put on it
New at /burns/: a page for people in the United States when someone has been burned or scalded (a hand on the stove, a spilled cup of coffee, a child in a hot bath, a cleaner on the skin, a shock from a cord, clothes that caught fire, a day too long in the sun), and for whoever is beside them. It opens with what to do right now: stop, drop and roll for clothes on fire (Ready.gov); 911 if the burn is about the size of a palm or larger, if the skin is white, blackened or numb, if it was caused by chemicals or electricity, if the person breathed in smoke, or if you aren't sure how serious it is (MedlinePlus's list, which adds: if you are not sure, treat it as a major burn); cool running water, not ice, for a smaller burn; no butter, oil or ice, and don't break blisters (the American Burn Association). Pick what's going on from ten situations and the page opens the three sections to start with. Twelve sections: is this a 911 burn; cool it, cover it; what not to put on it; clothes or a room on fire; chemical burns; electricity and lightning; smoke, and a burned airway; sunburn; children and scalds; the days after; before the next one; and what to say when you call, built from what you tick, to copy or print. A card for the kitchen prints from the page. Where the sources say different things the page reports each one and chooses none: how many minutes to cool a burn (from three to five up to thirty), whether to put a cream or ointment on a small burn, how long to rinse off a chemical, petroleum jelly on sunburn, and the sunscreen number. It names no pain medicine and gives no dose, has no quiz and no score, and gives no figures. Facts were read on October 2, 2026 on pages of MedlinePlus, the American Burn Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Dermatology, Ready.gov, the U.S. Fire Administration, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Weather Service, Poison Control, the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors and Childhelp; the page lists what it did not read and which pages could not be found. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not medical advice, and not first aid training. Also in Spanish at /es/quemaduras/.
Open the page →Cuando puede ser un envenenamiento: the poisoning page, now in Spanish
New at /es/envenenamiento/: the Spanish twin of /poisoning/, for people in the United States when someone swallowed, breathed in or was splashed with something that may harm them, and for whoever is beside them. Same 10 starting points and 12 sections: who to call first (911 if the person collapses, has a seizure, has trouble breathing or can't be awakened; otherwise Poison Help, 1-800-222-1222), swallowed, eye and skin, breathed in, button batteries, a medicine mistake, children, cleaners, pesticides and pets, a snake bite, food poisoning, if it wasn't an accident, and a words-to-say builder that opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter, plus a printable fridge card. Where a source has its own Spanish page (MedlinePlus, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, NIOSH, the EPA, the FDA, Up and Away, the 988 Lifeline) the page uses that page's words; Poison Control, America's Poison Centers, three CDC pages and the ASPCA are English only, so those lines are our translation and marked "en inglés" each time. One thing the Spanish reading turned up: the Academy's Spanish page says to call Poison Help and wait on the line for help in Spanish ("espere en la línea para recibir ayuda en español"). That is the only statement about Spanish on the line that we read; the government's Poison Help site refused our request again, and we did not call. The page also reports six places where the Spanish source pages differ from the English ones. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (seventy tools). No quiz, no score, no figures, no medicine named except ipecac, no dose. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not medical advice.
Abrir la página en español →When it might be a poisoning: who to call, the first steps, button batteries, and medicine mistakes
New at /poisoning/: a page for people in the United States when someone swallowed, breathed in or was splashed with something that may harm them (a child who got into the pills or the cleaner, a double dose, two products mixed, a button battery, a snake bite, bad food), and for whoever is beside them. It opens with what to do right now: 911 if the person collapses, has a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened (the list Poison Control and America's Poison Centers both give); otherwise Poison Help, 1-800-222-1222, which America's Poison Centers says gives expert advice 24/7/365 at no cost; do not make the person vomit; rinse an eye or skin with water; get to fresh air; and a hospital emergency department immediately for a swallowed button battery (the American Academy of Pediatrics). Pick what's going on (someone collapsed or can't be woken; someone swallowed something; something in an eye or on the skin; fumes or two cleaners mixed; a button battery; a wrong medicine or a double dose; my child got into something and I'm not sure what; a snake bit someone; something I ate; it wasn't an accident) and it marks three of twelve sections to try first: who to call, swallowed, eye and skin, breathed in, button batteries (with the National Battery Ingestion Hotline, 1-800-498-8666), a medicine mistake, children and what they get into, cleaners, pesticides and pets, a snake bite, food poisoning, if it wasn't an accident, and a builder that puts the words in the order a poison center asks: what it was, how much, when, who. It prints a card for the fridge. It explains that poison.org and PoisonHelp.org are two different organizations with two online tools and one phone number. It reports where the pages differ: Poison Control says a small amount of water or milk after a burning or caustic product if the person is awake and can swallow, and the Academy's line for a child does not mention it; 15 to 20 minutes of eye rinsing versus 15; and the details of honey after a button battery. No quiz, no score, no figures, no medicine named except syrup of ipecac (because the sources say not to use it), and no dose. Facts read on October 2, 2026 on pages of Poison Control (the National Capital Poison Center), America's Poison Centers, MedlinePlus, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the CDC, NIOSH, the FDA, the EPA, Up and Away, the National Pesticide Information Center, the ASPCA and the 988 Lifeline. The government's Poison Help site, FoodSafety.gov and the DEA's take-back page refused our request, so the page does not say how the line handles other languages or calls from people who are deaf or hard of hearing; it lists what else it did not read, and says we called no line and tested neither online tool. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Also in Spanish at /es/envenenamiento/. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not medical advice, and not first aid training.
Open the page →Cuando hace un frío peligroso: the cold weather page, now in Spanish
New at /es/frio-peligroso/: the Spanish twin of /cold-weather/, for people in the United States who are cold and can't get warm (sleeping outside or in a car, in a home where the heat is off, or working in it), for the neighbor or stranger who notices, and for anyone who can't pay the heating bill. It opens with what to do right now, in the words of the sources' own Spanish pages: the National Institute on Aging says hypothermia is a medical emergency, "llame al 911 de inmediato" (the page turns usted into tú); the Consumer Product Safety Commission says, for carbon monoxide, "salga inmediatamente a tomar aire fresco y luego llame al 911"; and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say never to use generators, grills or camp stoves inside the home. All 10 reasons and 12 sections are there, with the CDC's list of signs and its steps for warming a person and for being stranded in a car, MedlinePlus's steps for frostbite, the heating help program and what to do about a shutoff notice from USAGov en Español, the words-to-say builder (which opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter) and a card to print. The Spanish pages of the sources do not always say what the English ones say, and the page reports each difference it found: the American Academy of Pediatrics' Spanish page is a different, shorter text from its English one; MedlinePlus words two frostbite lines differently in the two languages; the National Institute on Aging's Spanish page leaves out a phone number its English page gives; and Ready.gov's Spanish page uses two different words for the same storm alert. It also reports that the heating help line's hours are given differently by the program's own site and by the Administration for Children and Families. The National Weather Service, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the U.S. Fire Administration, the Department of Energy, the Find Shelter tool and Poison Control are English only, so those lines are our own translation, and the page marks every one. Four phrases from the CDC and Ready.gov were reworded because they carry grammatical gender, and the page says which. It says what could not be confirmed (which phone lines, 211s, shelters and offices work in Spanish) and that nothing was called. No quiz, no score, no figures, no medicine named. It is not first aid training, and says so. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker, and not medical or legal advice. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/, and the Spanish one is on /es/ayuda/.
Abrir la página en español →When it's dangerously cold: hypothermia, frostbite, carbon monoxide, a night outside, and help with heat
New at /cold-weather/: a page for people in the United States who are cold and can't get warm (sleeping outside or in a car, in a home where the heat is off, or working in it), for the neighbor or stranger who notices, and for anyone who can't pay the heating bill. It opens with what to do right now: someone very cold who is confused, slurring or hard to wake is 911 (the National Institute on Aging: hypothermia is a medical emergency; move the person to a warmer place and wrap them in dry blankets, towels, or coats); a headache or dizziness where a heater, stove or generator is running means get outside to fresh air, then call 911 (the Consumer Product Safety Commission); never heat a home with the oven, a grill or a generator indoors (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention); and 211 for a warm place tonight. Pick what's going on (someone is very cold and confused; I can't get warm; numb, white or waxy fingers or toes; a headache with a heater running; I'm sleeping outside or in a car tonight; the heat is off; I can't pay for heat; a baby or an older person; I work in the cold; I have nowhere to go and I don't want to go on) and it marks three of twelve sections to try first: hypothermia, frostbite and cold wet feet, carbon monoxide, sleeping outside or in a car, helping someone else, no heat or no power, heaters and fire, paying for heat and shutoffs (the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, 1-866-674-6327), babies, children and older people, warnings and wind chill, working in the cold, and a builder that puts together the words to say to 211, a shelter, the energy office, the utility, a landlord or an employer. It prints a card with the signs, the steps and the numbers. It reports five places where the official pages differ, the plainest being frostbite: MedlinePlus, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the National Weather Service, Ready.gov and the American Academy of Pediatrics say to warm the area in warm, not hot, water, while the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's page for workers says not to re-warm it before medical help. The part about sleeping outside has more of our own suggestions than usual, each marked "Ours", because the official pages say little about it. No quiz, no score, no figures for deaths or fires, no medicine named. Facts read on October 2, 2026 on pages of the CDC, MedlinePlus, the National Institute on Aging, the National Weather Service, Ready.gov, OSHA, NIOSH, the U.S. Fire Administration, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Administration for Children and Families, EnergyHelp.us, USAGov, the Department of Energy, HUD, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Poison Control and 211.org; the page lists what it did not read (any first aid manual, any state's shutoff rules, any city's cold weather shelter rules) and says we called no line and no shelter. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not medical or legal advice, and not first aid training.
Open the page →Cuando puede ser una reacción alérgica grave: the anaphylaxis page, now in Spanish
New at /es/reaccion-alergica/: the Spanish twin of /allergic-reaction/, for people in the United States who have a serious allergy to a food, a sting, a medicine or latex, for the people beside them, and for anyone who may one day be standing next to a person whose throat is closing. It opens with what to do right now, in the words of MedlinePlus en español: "Si alguien está teniendo una reacción alérgica grave, llame al 911. Si un autoinyector está disponible, aplicar a la persona la inyección de inmediato" (the page turns usted into tú); do not wait to see if the symptoms go away, and go to the hospital even if you feel better (the Spanish page of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology). All 10 reasons and 12 sections are there, with the MedlinePlus list of signs organ by organ, the Food and Drug Administration's nine major food allergens and its label rules from its two Spanish pages, the American Academy of Pediatrics' steps for after epinephrine is given to a child from its Spanish page, the words-to-say builder (which opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter, and has a line for a restaurant or a host) and a bilingual wallet card, "Tengo una alergia grave / I have a severe allergy", that tells a stranger where the epinephrine is and what to do. The Spanish pages of the sources do not always say what the English ones say, and the page reports each difference it found: the allergy academy's Spanish page is a different text from its English one and says symptoms can come back "a las pocas horas"; MedlinePlus says anaphylaxis "puede resultar fatal" in Spanish and can be life-threatening in English, and its stings page says "reacciones alérgicas" where the English one says severe allergic reactions; the pediatricians' page says "sensación de desesperación" where the English one says a feeling of doom; and the Food and Drug Administration's two Spanish pages name two of the nine allergens with different words. Food Allergy Research & Education, the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and Kids with Food Allergies, the CDC's schools page, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Job Accommodation Network are English only, so the three steps and the list of severe symptoms are our own translation, and the page marks every such line. The foundation does have its anaphylaxis action plan in Spanish; the page read the first page of one and says what it says. It says what could not be confirmed (which phone lines, clinics, pharmacies, schools and restaurants work in Spanish) and that nothing was called. No quiz, no score, no figures; epinephrine is the only medicine named, with no brand and no dose. It is not first aid training, and says so. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker, and not medical or legal advice. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/, and the Spanish one is on /es/ayuda/.
Abrir la página en español →When it might be a severe allergic reaction: the signs of anaphylaxis, what to do, and living with a serious allergy
New at /allergic-reaction/: a page for people in the United States who have a serious allergy to a food, a sting, a medicine or latex, for the people beside them, and for anyone who may one day be standing next to a person whose throat is closing. It opens with what to do right now: if the person has epinephrine, use it, and call 911 (MedlinePlus: if an auto-injector is available, give the person the injection right away); do not take an antihistamine or wait to see (the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology); and go to the emergency room even if it gets better (Food Allergy Research & Education). Pick what's going on (I think I'm having a severe reaction; someone near me is; hives or an itchy mouth and I don't know if it's serious; I just had a reaction; I'm afraid to use my epinephrine; I have to avoid a food; it was a sting, a medicine or latex; my child has a serious allergy; I can't afford epinephrine; I'm frightened all the time) and it points to three of twelve sections: the signs and what to do, helping someone else, after the epinephrine and the second wave, what anaphylaxis is, epinephrine and a written plan, food and labels (the Food and Drug Administration's nine major allergens), stings, medicines, latex and vaccines, babies, children and school, paying for epinephrine, work, finding help, and a builder for the words to say to a doctor, a pharmacy, a school, a restaurant or an employer. It prints an 'I have a severe allergy' wallet card. Where the sources differ, the page reports both: on whether emergency care follows every use of epinephrine, on how long after a reaction a second wave can come, and on whether there are eight major food allergens or nine. No quiz, no score, no figures for how common allergies are; it names epinephrine and no brand of it, no other medicine and no dose. It says what it did not read (no clinical guideline, drug or device label, first aid manual, law or state school rule), that it did not use the MedlinePlus encyclopedia page whose licence forbids reworking it, that it found less than it wanted on paying for epinephrine, and that it is not first aid training. Facts read on October 2, 2026 on pages of MedlinePlus, the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Food Allergy Research & Education, the two allergy societies, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Kids with Food Allergies, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Job Accommodation Network. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not medical or legal advice.
Open the page →Cuando cuesta respirar: the asthma page, now in Spanish
New at /es/asma/: the Spanish twin of /asthma/, for people in the United States who have asthma, for the people beside them, and for anyone who may one day be standing next to a person having an asthma attack. It opens with what to do right now, in the words of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's own Spanish page: use the reliever inhaler as soon as symptoms start, and call 9-1-1 "si los medicamentos no alivian tus síntomas durante un ataque de asma o si todavía te resulta muy difícil respirar". All 10 reasons and 12 sections are there, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's green, yellow and red zones from its Spanish page, the words-to-say builder (which opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter) and a bilingual wallet card, "Tengo asma / I have asthma", that tells a stranger where the inhaler is and when to call 911. The Spanish pages of the sources do not always say what the English ones say, and the page reports each difference it found: the Institute's Spanish symptoms page prints "opresión en el pecho" where the English one says wheezing; the CDC's Spanish emergency page prints the emergency prescription program's phone number with digits missing; the MedlinePlus encyclopedia says lips "morados o grises" in Spanish and blue or gray in English; a line about adjusting medicines in pregnancy is in English only; and AirNow says "inferiores a 100" in Spanish and at or below 100 in English. It uses the Spanish pages of the CDC (four), the Institute (seven), MedlinePlus (three) and AirNow. The American Lung Association's First Aid for Asthma poster and pages, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, the Job Accommodation Network and the CDC's respiratory infections page are English only; they are given in our own translation and marked. It says what could not be confirmed (which phone lines, clinics, pharmacies and schools work in Spanish; the American Lung Association's Spanish resource page says its HelpLine has Spanish-speaking counselors) and that nothing was called. No quiz, no score, no figures; it names no asthma medicine and gives no dose or number of puffs. It is not first aid training, and says so. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker, and not medical or legal advice. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/, and the Spanish one is on /es/ayuda/. Update, October 9, 2026: the danger signs this entry and the page credited to the MedlinePlus encyclopedia were taken from a page whose publisher does not allow that reuse. They have been replaced with the two danger signs on the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Asthma Action Plan form; see the entry of October 9.
Abrir la página en español →When it's hard to breathe: what to do in an asthma attack, when to call 911, and living with asthma
New at /asthma/: a page for people in the United States who have asthma, for the people beside them, and for anyone who may one day be standing next to a person having an asthma attack. It opens with what to do right now: use the reliever inhaler, the way the person's asthma action plan says; call 911 if it is not helping or breathing is still very hard (the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's wording); and if it is someone else, help them sit upright, get their inhaler and stay with them (the American Lung Association's First Aid for Asthma poster, whose five steps the page gives in full). Pick what's going on (I'm having an attack; someone near me can't breathe; it's getting worse or my inhaler isn't lasting; I've just been told; I think I might have asthma; something at home or in the air sets it off; my child has asthma; I can't afford my inhaler; my work makes it worse; I'm frightened all the time) and it points to three of twelve sections: the attack, helping someone else, the action plan (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's green, yellow and red zones), what asthma is, the medicines and the inhaler, triggers at home, air, smoke, colds and disasters, children and school, paying for inhalers, work, finding help, and a builder for the words to say to a doctor, a pharmacy, a school or an employer. It prints an 'I have asthma' wallet card. Where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute word the red-zone step differently, the page reports both. No quiz, no score, no figures for how common asthma is; it names no asthma medicine and gives no dose or number of puffs. It says what it did not read (no clinical guideline, drug label, first aid manual, law or state school rule) and that it is not first aid training. Facts read on October 2, 2026 on pages of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, MedlinePlus, AirNow, the American Lung Association, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and the Job Accommodation Network. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not medical or legal advice. Update, October 9, 2026: the danger signs this entry and the page credited to the MedlinePlus encyclopedia were taken from a page whose publisher does not allow that reuse. They have been replaced with the two danger signs on the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Asthma Action Plan form; see the entry of October 9.
Open the page →Cuando el azúcar en la sangre baja o sube demasiado: the diabetes page, now in Spanish
New at /es/diabetes/: the Spanish twin of /diabetes/, for people in the United States who have diabetes, for the people beside them, and for anyone who may one day be standing next to a person whose blood sugar has dropped. It opens with what to do right now, in the words of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's own Spanish pages: if the person is awake and can swallow, give sugar (consume 15 gramos de carbohidratos, y luego espera 15 minutos); if they cannot swallow, are very confused or have passed out, use their glucagon if you know how and call 911. All 10 reasons and 12 sections are there, with the words-to-say builder (which opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter) and a bilingual wallet card, "Tengo diabetes / I have diabetes", that tells a stranger what to do. The CDC's Spanish pages do not always say what its English pages say, and the page reports each difference it found: the Spanish ketoacidosis page gives 240 mg/dL for testing ketones where the English one gives 250; the Spanish go-to-the-emergency-room list carries a condition ("si no puede comunicarse con su médico") that the English one does not; the list of symptoms of diabetes differs; and the two versions point to different places to find an education program. It uses the Spanish pages of the CDC (seventeen of them), the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the National Institute on Aging, MedlinePlus, Medicare.gov and CuidadoDeSalud.gov. The American Diabetes Association's Spanish pages read as machine translation, so the association is reported from its English pages in our own translation, and the page says so; the other English-only sources are marked too. It says what could not be confirmed (which phone lines, clinics, pharmacies and education programs work in Spanish) and that nothing was called. No quiz, no score, no figures for how common anything is; apart from insulin and glucagon it names no medicine, and it gives no dose. It is not first aid training, and says so. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker, and not medical or legal advice. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/, and the Spanish one is on /es/ayuda/.
Abrir la página en español →When blood sugar goes too low or too high: what to do in a low, when to call 911, and living with diabetes
New at /diabetes/: a page for people in the United States who have diabetes, for the people beside them, and for anyone who may one day be standing next to a person whose blood sugar has dropped. It opens with what to do right now: if the person is awake and can swallow, give sugar (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 15-15 rule: 15 grams of carbs, such as half a cup of juice or regular soda, then wait 15 minutes and check again); if they cannot swallow, are very confused or have passed out, use their glucagon if you know how and call 911. Pick what's going on (blood sugar is low right now; someone is confused, can't swallow or has passed out; blood sugar is very high or I'm sick; I've just been told I have diabetes; I think I might have it; I'm worn out by all of it; I can't afford my insulin, medicine or supplies; I'm looking after someone or my child has it; work, school or driving; and one more) and open what helps: low blood sugar; when the person can't treat it themselves; high blood sugar, sick days and ketoacidosis; what diabetes is and the signs of it; day to day; a program that teaches it (diabetes self-management education and support); burnout, distress and mood; paying for insulin, medicine and supplies; for the person beside them; work, school, driving and your rights; finding help; and what to say. It builds the words to say from what you tick, and prints an "I have diabetes" wallet card that tells a stranger what to do in a low. Where two pages of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention give different numbers, it reports both. No quiz, no score, no figures for how common anything is; apart from insulin and glucagon it names no medicine, and it gives no dose. It is not first aid training, and says so. Facts were read on October 2, 2026 on pages of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the National Institute on Aging, MedlinePlus, Medicare.gov, the American Diabetes Association and the Job Accommodation Network; the page says what it did not read. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; general information, not medical or legal advice.
Open the page →Cuando puede ser un ataque al corazón: the heart attack and cardiac arrest page, now in Spanish
New at /es/ataque-al-corazon/: the Spanish twin of /heart-attack/, for people in the United States who have had a heart attack, for the people beside them, and for anyone who may one day be standing next to a person having a heart attack or a cardiac arrest. It opens with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's major symptoms (dolor o molestia en el pecho; debilidad, aturdimiento o desmayo; dolor en la mandíbula, el cuello o la espalda; dolor en los brazos u hombros; falta de aire) and what to do: llama al 911 aunque tengas dudas, y no conduzcas al hospital. All 10 reasons and 12 sections are there, including what to do if the person collapses (the signs of a cardiac arrest, and the overview of CPR from MedlinePlus en español), the words-to-say builder (which opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter) and a bilingual wallet card, "Tuve un ataque al corazón / I had a heart attack". Where a source has a Spanish page, the page uses its wording: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's heart attack and cardiac arrest pages, MedlinePlus en español, the National Institute on Aging, the CDC's page on preventing heart disease, and four American Heart Association pages. The CDC's heart attack, cardiac arrest, cardiac rehabilitation and mental health pages are in English only, so the symptom list is our own translation, and the page says so; the other English-only sources are marked too. It says what could not be confirmed (which phone lines, hospitals, rehabilitation programs and CPR classes work in Spanish) and that nothing was called. No quiz, no score, no figures, no medicine names or doses. It is not first aid or CPR training, and says so. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker, and not medical or legal advice. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/, and the Spanish one is on /es/ayuda/.
Abrir la página en español →When it might be a heart attack: the signs, calling 911, what to do if someone collapses, and recovery
New at /heart-attack/: a page for people in the United States who have had a heart attack, for the people beside them, and for anyone who may one day be standing next to a person having one. It opens with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's major symptoms (chest pain or discomfort; feeling weak, light-headed or faint; pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck or back; pain or discomfort in one or both arms or shoulders; shortness of breath) and what to do: call 911 even if you are not sure, and do not drive. Pick what's going on (someone may be having a heart attack right now; something feels wrong and I'm not sure it's my heart; someone has collapsed and isn't responding; I've just had a heart attack; I'm home and afraid to do anything; I'm low or anxious; I'm afraid of another one; I'm looking after someone; work, driving or money; and one more) and open what helps: the signs; when it doesn't look the way you expect (women, older adults, silent heart attacks, angina); if the person collapses, with the signs of a cardiac arrest and MedlinePlus's overview of CPR and using an AED; what a heart attack is; at the hospital; recovery and cardiac rehabilitation, including what to do if nobody offered it; fear, mood and the weeks after; lowering the chance of another; for the person beside them; work, driving and money; finding help; and what to say. It builds the words to say from what you tick, and prints a wallet card with your medicines, the warning signs, and what to do if you collapse. No quiz, no score, no figures, no medicine names or doses. It is not first aid or CPR training, and says so. Facts were read on October 2, 2026 on pages of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institute on Aging, MedlinePlus, the American Heart Association and the Job Accommodation Network; the page says what it did not read. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; general information, not medical or legal advice. Also in Spanish at /es/ataque-al-corazon/.
Open the page →Cuando puede ser un derrame cerebral: the stroke and aphasia page, now in Spanish
New at /es/derrame-cerebral/: the Spanish twin of /stroke/, for people in the United States who have had a stroke or signs that came and went, for the people beside them, and for anyone who may one day be standing next to a person having a stroke. It opens with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's signs in the words of its own Spanish page (entumecimiento o debilidad repentinos de un lado del cuerpo, dificultad para hablar o para entender, dificultad para ver, dificultad para caminar o pérdida del equilibrio, dolor de cabeza fuerte sin causa conocida) and what to do: llama al 911, toma nota de la hora, no conduzcas hacia el hospital. All 10 reasons and 12 sections are there, with the R.Á.P.I.D.O. test, the words-to-say builder (which opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter) and a bilingual wallet card, "Tuve un derrame cerebral / I had a stroke", for aphasia. This time most of the sources have Spanish pages, and the page uses their wording: all five CDC stroke pages, MedlinePlus en español, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders' aphasia page, and the American Stroke Association, whose warmline page says to press 2 for Spanish and that the representative answers in English and brings in an interpreter. English-only sources are marked as such (two National Institutes of Health stroke pages, the National Aphasia Association, the Job Accommodation Network). The page says where it differs from its sources: it follows the American Stroke Association's questions for the R.Á.P.I.D.O. test rather than CDC's Spanish list, and says why; it reports the two different treatment windows, as the English page does; and it leaves out the medicine name that CDC's page gives. Same choices as the English page: no quiz, no score, no figures for how common strokes are, no medicine names or doses. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not medical or legal advice. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (sixty-four tools).
Abrir la página en español →New essay and song: Never Out of Tune
An essay about children who are told they are lazy, bad or difficult, and the adults they become, who spend their strength on passing. A melody in the wrong key for the band sounds like a mistake; move the band and it is the song. It says plainly that the hard parts are real and that evaluation, support, treatment and accommodations can help, and it speaks to the person who was moved into the hallway and to the teacher, manager, parent or friend. It comes with a bright indie pop-rock song and a lyric film with closed captions. The essay was written with AI (Claude), and the song, the singer's voice and the images are AI-made too; the page says so at the top. Scarlet Beast is not a clinic and this is not medical advice. It names 988 and 911 and points to Join Now, Get help now and the guides for ADHD, autism, learning disabilities and tics.
Read and watch →When it might be a stroke: the signs, calling 911, recovery, and a wallet card for aphasia
New at /stroke/: a page for people in the United States who have had a stroke or signs that came and went, for the people beside them, and for anyone who may one day be standing next to a person having a stroke. It opens with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's signs (sudden numbness or weakness on one side, trouble speaking or understanding, trouble seeing, trouble walking or loss of balance, a severe headache with no known cause) and what to do: call 911, note the time, do not drive. Pick what's going on (someone may be having a stroke right now; the signs came and went; I've just had a stroke; I'm home and it's harder than I thought; the words won't come; I'm low, tearful or worn out; I'm afraid of another one; I'm looking after someone; work, driving or money; and one more) and open what helps: the signs and the B.E. F.A.S.T. test; signs that went away; what a stroke is; at the hospital; recovery and rehabilitation; aphasia, with how to talk with someone who has it; mood, tears and tiredness; lowering the chance of another stroke; for the person beside them; work, driving and money; finding help; and what to say. It builds the words to say from what you tick, and prints a wallet card that says "I had a stroke. I have aphasia" and what helps. The page reports that two federal pages give different lengths for the treatment window, and that both say the same thing to do: call 911 right away. No quiz, no score, no figures, no medicine names or doses. Facts were read on October 2, 2026 on pages of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, three National Institutes of Health institutes, MedlinePlus, the American Stroke Association, the National Aphasia Association and the Job Accommodation Network; the page says what it did not read. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; general information, not medical or legal advice.
Open the page →Cuando alguien tiene una convulsión: the seizures and epilepsy page, now in Spanish
New at /es/convulsiones/: the Spanish twin of /seizures/, for people in the United States who have seizures or epilepsy, for someone who has just had a first seizure, for parents, and for anyone who may one day be standing next to a person having a seizure. It opens with what to do (quédate con la persona, mide cuánto dura, no la sujetes, no le pongas nada en la boca) and when to call 911. All ten starting points and twelve sections are there, with the words-to-say builder (which opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter) and a first-aid wallet card that says "Tengo convulsiones · I have seizures", with a few lines in English for a helper who reads no Spanish. The Spanish helpline number, 1-866-748-8008, comes first on this page. It uses the wording of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke's Spanish page and of MedlinePlus en español, read on October 2, 2026, and links a Spanish NIH MedlinePlus Magazine article on helping someone during a seizure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's epilepsy pages have no Spanish version we could find, so its first aid steps and 911 list are our own translation and the page says so; every English-only source is marked. It says what could not be confirmed (which lines, offices and groups answer in Spanish) and what it did not read (the rest of the Epilepsy Foundation's Spanish section, which its site would not open for us). Same choices as the English page: no quiz, no score, no figures, no medicine names or doses. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude), not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not medical, educational or legal advice.
Abrir la página en español →When someone has a seizure: a page on seizures and epilepsy, with first aid you can print
New at /seizures/: a page for people in the United States who have seizures or epilepsy, for someone who has just had a first seizure, for parents, and for anyone who may one day be standing next to a person having a seizure. It opens with what to do: stay with them, move what could hurt them, turn them gently on their side, time it, do not hold them down and do not put anything in their mouth, and call 911 if it lasts longer than 5 minutes or for the other reasons on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's list. Pick what's going on (someone is having a seizure right now; I had one for the first time; I've just been told I have epilepsy; I take my medicine and I'm still having seizures; it's my child; blank spells nobody can explain; work or driving; I'm scared of dying in a seizure; and two more) and open what helps: seizure first aid; what a seizure and epilepsy are, and things that are not true; what a seizure can look like, which is often not falling and shaking; after a first seizure; diagnosis and treatment; day to day; long seizures and SUDEP, said plainly; mood, loneliness and shame; children and school; work and driving; finding help; and the words to say when you call or write. It prints a wallet card that says "I have seizures" with the first aid steps and blanks for what yours look like. The facts come from pages read on October 2, 2026: nine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pages, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, MedlinePlus, the Epilepsy Foundation's helpline page (a private organisation) and the Job Accommodation Network. One thing we found: the two sources give different hours for the Epilepsy & Seizures Helpline, and the page reports both. It says what it did not read (the first aid training, state driving laws, guidelines, drug labels, the research). No quiz, no score, no figures for how common anything is, no medicine names or doses. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not medical, educational or legal advice. Also in Spanish at /es/convulsiones/.
Open the page →Después de un golpe en la cabeza: the concussion and brain injury page, now in Spanish
New at /es/lesion-cerebral/: the Spanish twin of /brain-injury/, for people in the United States who have had a concussion or another brain injury, last night or twenty years ago, for parents of a child who hit their head, and for the people who love someone with a brain injury. It opens with the danger signs that mean call 911. Pick what's going on (me acabo de golpear la cabeza; no me siento bien desde un golpe en la cabeza; pasó hace años y nadie lo revisó nunca; alguien me hizo daño; and six more) and open what helps: all twelve sections, the words-to-say builder (which opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter) and a wallet card that says "Tengo una lesión cerebral · I have a brain injury", with two lines in English for a reader who has no Spanish. It uses the wording of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke's Spanish page and of MedlinePlus en español, read on October 2, 2026, and points to the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center's list of fact sheets in Spanish. It marks what exists only in English (every Centers for Disease Control and Prevention page it uses, the Department of Veterans Affairs page, the Brain Injury Association of America, the Job Accommodation Network), says where the Spanish and English sources differ, and says what could not be confirmed (whether the phone lines answer in Spanish; which state affiliates, health centers and groups work in Spanish). No quiz and no score; no medicine names or doses. Saves nothing, no analytics. Written and translated with AI, not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not medical, educational or legal advice.
Abrir la página en español →After a hit to the head: a page on concussion and brain injury
New at /brain-injury/: a page for people in the United States who have had a concussion or another traumatic brain injury, last night or twenty years ago, for parents of a child who hit their head, and for the people who love someone with a brain injury. It opens with the danger signs that mean call 911. Pick what's going on (I just hit my head; I haven't felt right since; it's been weeks or months and it isn't gone; it's my child; it happened years ago and nobody ever looked at it; someone hurt me; and four more) and open what helps: the danger signs and who answers at any hour; what a brain injury and a concussion are ("mild" does not mean small); what it can feel like; the first days and weeks; when it isn't getting better; a moderate or severe injury; a child or teenager, school and the six steps back to sports; protecting your head from here; work; the old injury nobody looked at, for people who were hit inside, on the street, at home or in the service; finding help; and the words to say when you call or write. It prints a wallet card that says "I have a brain injury" with tick boxes for what helps. The facts come from pages read on October 2, 2026: twelve Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pages, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, MedlinePlus, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Administration for Community Living, the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center, the Brain Injury Association of America (a private organisation) and the Job Accommodation Network. The page says what it did not read (the clinical guidelines, the laws, the research). No quiz, no screening and no score; no medicine names or doses; no named person quoted. Saves nothing, no analytics. Written with AI; general information, not medical, educational or legal advice.
Open the page →Cuando tu cuerpo se mueve o hace sonidos que no elegiste: the tics and Tourette syndrome page, now in Spanish
New at /es/tics/: the Spanish twin of /tics/, for children, teenagers and adults in the United States who have tics, for people just told they have Tourette syndrome or another tic disorder, for parents, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (mi cuerpo se mueve o hace sonidos que no elegí; es mi hijo o hija quien tiene tics; los tics empezaron de repente; la gente se me queda mirando; and six more) and open what helps: all twelve sections, the words-to-say builder (which opens by asking for Spanish or an interpreter) and a wallet card that says "Tengo tics · I have tics", with two lines in English for a reader who has no Spanish. It uses the wording of four Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pages in Spanish, read on October 2, 2026, with MedlinePlus en español, the Tourette Association of America's Spanish section and Parent to Parent USA's Spanish resources page. It marks what exists only in English (the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke page, three CDC pages, the Job Accommodation Network, most Tourette Association pages) and says what could not be confirmed (whether the two phone lines answer in Spanish; which providers, therapists and groups work in Spanish). No quiz and no score; no figure for how common tics are; no medicine names or doses. Saves nothing, no analytics. Written and translated with AI, not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not medical, educational or legal advice.
Abrir la página en español →When your body moves or makes sounds you didn’t choose: a page on tics and Tourette syndrome
New at /tics/: a page for children, teenagers and adults in the United States who have tics, for people just told they have Tourette syndrome or another tic disorder, for parents, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (my body moves or makes sounds I didn't choose; it's my child who has tics; the tics came on suddenly; people stare, or think I'm doing it on purpose; and six more) and open what helps: who answers at any hour; what tics and Tourette syndrome are; what tics can be like; what it is not (not on purpose, and not mostly swearing); getting a diagnosis; what helps, including behavioral therapy; what often comes with it; school and bullying; work; being out in public and meeting police; families and finding other people; and the words to say when you call or write. It prints a wallet card that says "I have tics" with tick boxes for what helps. The facts come from pages read on October 2, 2026: the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, seven Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pages, the Tourette Association of America (a private organisation), the Job Accommodation Network and Parent to Parent USA. The page says what it did not read (the laws themselves, the diagnostic manual, the practice guidelines, the research). No quiz, no screening and no score; no figure for how common tics are; no medicine names or doses; no named person quoted. Saves nothing, no analytics. Written with AI; general information, not medical, educational or legal advice.
Open the page →Cuando leer, escribir o las matemáticas siempre te han costado más: the learning disabilities page, now in Spanish
New at /es/discapacidades-del-aprendizaje/: the Spanish twin of /learning-disabilities/, for teenagers and adults in the United States for whom reading, writing, spelling or math has always taken more effort, for people just told they have a learning disability, dyslexia, dysgraphia or dyscalculia, and for parents of a child who is struggling. Pick what's going on (leer, escribir o las matemáticas siempre me han costado más; ya soy una persona adulta, y nadie lo revisó nunca; es a mi hijo o hija a quien le cuesta; la escuela dijo que no; and six more) and open what helps: all twelve sections, the words to say when you call or write (which begin by asking for Spanish or an interpreter), and a wallet card with "Hablo español / I speak Spanish" and tick boxes for what helps. It uses the wording of the sources' own Spanish pages, read on October 2, 2026: the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development's Spanish pages on learning disabilities, MedlinePlus en español, and the Center for Parent Information and Resources' Spanish fact sheet. It gives the English words people will hear at a school or clinic beside the Spanish ones. It says where the Spanish and English pages differ: the Center's English sheet has a section on what to do if the school declines to evaluate and the Spanish sheet does not (those steps are given in our translation), and the Spanish sheet prints figures from a 2007 report, which the page leaves out. It marks what exists only in English (the Learning Disabilities Association of America, the Job Accommodation Network's page, ADA.gov's guidance on testing accommodations, the National Library Service's enrollment page, though its application exists in Spanish, the GED's accommodations page, and the National Literacy Directory) and what we could not confirm (whether three phone lines answer in Spanish, and which evaluators, parent centers or classes work in Spanish). No quiz, no screening and no score; no figure for how common it is; no product named. Saves nothing, no analytics. Written and translated with AI, not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not medical, educational or legal advice. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (sixty tools).
Abrir la página en español →When reading, writing or math has always been harder: a page on learning disabilities
New at /learning-disabilities/: a page for teenagers and adults in the United States for whom reading, writing, spelling or math has always taken more effort than it seems to take other people, for people just told they have a learning disability, dyslexia, dysgraphia or dyscalculia, and for parents of a child who is struggling. Pick what's going on (it has always been harder for me, I'm an adult and nobody ever checked, it's my child, the school said no, I have a big test coming, I want to read better or finish school, I feel stupid and have hidden this for years, and three more) and open what helps: what a learning disability is and is not (the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development says it is not an indication of a person's intelligence), what it can look like, finding out as an adult, where adults can look for an evaluation and what the Learning Disabilities Association of America says it costs, the free school evaluation and the steps after a no, what helps, the Library of Congress's free talking-book service (it lists dyslexia among the common reasons people qualify) and a directory of adult classes, what ADA.gov says about extra time on the GED and other exams, work, and what years of this do to a person. It builds the words to say when you call or write, and prints a wallet card that says what helps you. No quiz, no screening and no score; no figure for how common it is; no product or programme named. Facts were read on October 2, 2026 on the pages of the Institute, MedlinePlus, the Center for Parent Information and Resources, the Learning Disabilities Association of America, the Job Accommodation Network, ADA.gov, the National Library Service, the GED and the National Literacy Directory; several of those pages are years old and the page says so. The U.S. Department of Education's pages refused our requests, so the special education law is described as those sources describe it, and the page says that too. Saves nothing, no analytics. Written with AI; general information, not medical, educational or legal advice. Now also in Spanish, at /es/discapacidades-del-aprendizaje/.
Open the page →Cuando lo que sientes llega fuerte y de golpe: the borderline personality disorder page, now in Spanish
New at /es/trastorno-limite/: the Spanish twin of /bpd/, for teenagers and adults in the United States whose emotions are intense and change quickly, who are terrified of being left, or who were just told they have borderline personality disorder, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (lo que siento es demasiado grande y cambia rápido, me acaban de decir que tengo trastorno límite de la personalidad, me aterra que alguien me vaya a dejar, el diagnóstico me da vergüenza o me dijeron que no se puede hacer nada, and six more) and open what helps: all twelve sections, the words to say when you call (which begin by asking for Spanish or an interpreter), and a wallet card with "Hablo español / I speak Spanish" on it. It uses the wording of the sources' own Spanish pages, read on October 2, 2026: the National Institute of Mental Health's Spanish brochure Trastorno límite de la personalidad and its Spanish tips for talking with a health care provider, MedlinePlus's Spanish encyclopedia page, and FindTreatment.gov in Spanish. The page gives the name people will hear in a clinic (borderline personality disorder, or BPD) beside the Spanish ones. It says where the Spanish and English brochures differ: the Spanish calls psychotherapy "the first treatment" where the English says "the primary treatment", and says medicines are not "the main treatment" where the English says they are not a first-line treatment. It marks what exists only in English (the Institute's topic page and its page on psychotherapies, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's page, the National Alliance on Mental Illness's page on the disorder, the BPD Alliance, Emotions Matter, the Job Accommodation Network) and what could not be confirmed (whether the Family Connections course or Emotions Matter's peer groups run in Spanish, whether the Job Accommodation Network answers in Spanish, and which therapists work in Spanish). Same choices as the English page: no quiz, no score, no prevalence figures, no medicine names or doses, and no description of how anyone hurts themselves (the examples the Spanish sources give are left out too). Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (fifty-nine tools). It saves nothing and has no analytics. AI-written and AI-translated, not reviewed by a native speaker, and not medical or legal advice. Update, October 9, 2026: the lines this page took from MedlinePlus’s encyclopedia article were replaced or taken out, because that text may not be reused; see the correction dated that day.
Abrir la página en español →When your feelings hit hard and fast: a page on borderline personality disorder
New at /bpd/: a page for teenagers and adults in the United States whose emotions are intense and change quickly, who are terrified of being left, who feel empty or unsure who they are, or who were just told they have borderline personality disorder, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (my feelings are too big and they change fast, I was just told I have borderline personality disorder, I'm terrified that someone is going to leave me, I hurt myself or do things I regret when I'm upset, I'm ashamed of the diagnosis or was told nothing can be done, it's someone I love, and four more) and open what helps: who answers at any hour (including by text, with no speaking), what the disorder is and is not, what it can look like, getting a diagnosis and why it gets mixed up with other conditions, the therapies the National Institute of Mental Health names and what to ask a therapist, medicines (briefly, because the Institute says their benefits are unclear and they are not a first-line treatment), what to do when a feeling is too big, hurting yourself and thoughts of suicide, free online peer groups led by people who have the disorder, work, families (including a free course), and the words to say when you call, built from what you tick, to copy or print. There is a wallet card to print, with room for what helps you. The facts come from pages read on October 2, 2026: the National Institute of Mental Health's topic page and brochure and two of its other pages, MedlinePlus, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the BPD Alliance, Emotions Matter and the Job Accommodation Network. Where the sources disagree (for example, on whether the disorder is more common in women) the page says so. It has no quiz and no score, on purpose: a list is not an evaluation. It gives no figure for how common the disorder is, names no medicine and gives no dose, and does not describe how anyone hurts themselves. It says what it did not read: statistics, the diagnostic manual, the research behind any therapy, costs and insurance, and the disability law itself. Lines marked "Ours" are our own suggestions, and they are not therapy. It saves nothing and has no analytics. AI-written, not medical or legal advice. Update, October 9, 2026: the lines this page took from MedlinePlus’s encyclopedia article were replaced or taken out, because that text may not be reused; see the correction dated that day.
Open the page →Cuando te preguntas si es autismo: the autism page, now in Spanish
New at /es/autismo/: the Spanish twin of /autism/, for teenagers and adults in the United States who wonder whether they are autistic, for people who were just diagnosed, for parents worried about how a young child is developing, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (soy una persona adulta y me pregunto si soy autista, me acaban de dar el diagnóstico, todo es demasiado ruidoso, quiero una evaluación y no sé por dónde empezar, me preocupa el desarrollo de mi hijo o hija, and five more) and open what helps: all twelve sections, the words to say when you call or to send in writing (which begin by asking for Spanish or an interpreter), and a wallet card with "Hablo español / I speak Spanish" on it. It uses the wording of the sources' own Spanish pages, read on October 2, 2026: the National Institute of Mental Health's Spanish brochure, MedlinePlus in Spanish, five Spanish autism pages of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and their Spanish page for parents who are worried about a child's development, the Spanish page of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the page for the Autistic Self Advocacy Network's book in Spanish, Bienvenidos a la Comunidad Autista (we read the page and the table of contents, not the book). It adds things the English page did not have: the Centers' own list of early intervention contacts by state, in Spanish, and that book. The page says where the Spanish and English versions differ: the Centers' English overview says symptoms may change over time where the Spanish says they could improve; one sentence about older names for autism is on an English page of the Centers but not its Spanish version; and MedlinePlus in Spanish was last updated in 2021, the English in 2025. It marks what exists only in English (the Centers' pages on living with autism and on teenagers and adults, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network's About Autism page, the Autism Society, the Job Accommodation Network, the Parent Center finder, the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center, the AASPIRE toolkit) and what could not be confirmed (whether the Autism Society, Job Accommodation Network or Technical Assistance Center lines answer in Spanish, and which doctors, therapists, schools or support groups work in Spanish). Same choices as the English page: no quiz, no score, no prevalence figures, no medicine names or doses. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (fifty-eight tools). It saves nothing and has no analytics. AI-written and AI-translated, not reviewed by a native speaker, and not medical or legal advice.
Abrir la página en español →When you wonder if it’s autism: a page for adults, parents and families
New at /autism/: a page for teenagers and adults in the United States who wonder whether they are autistic, for people who were just diagnosed, for parents worried about how a young child is developing, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (I'm an adult and I wonder if I'm autistic, I was just diagnosed and don't know what to feel, everything is too loud, too bright, too much, I want an evaluation and don't know where to start, I'm worried about my young child, my child is growing up, work is wearing me out, and three more) and open what helps: who answers at any hour (including by text, with no speaking), what autism is and is not, what it can look like, finding out as an adult, getting evaluated, the free evaluation a state gives a young child without a doctor's referral, supports, therapies and medicines, what to do when it is all too much, work, growing up, families, and the words to say when you call or to send in writing, built from what you tick, to copy or print. There is a wallet card to print, with room for what helps you. The facts come from pages read on October 2, 2026: the National Institute of Mental Health's topic page and brochure, MedlinePlus, eight pages of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (autistic people describing autism in their own words), the Autism Society's helpline pages, the Job Accommodation Network, and the Parent Center finder. The government pages and autistic people do not always talk about autism the same way; the page quotes each in its own voice and says so. It has no quiz and no score, on purpose: a list is not an evaluation. It gives no figure for how common autism is, names no medicine and gives no dose. It says what it did not read: statistics, the research behind any therapy, anything about girls and women, autistic-led groups' positions on particular therapies, the disability and education laws themselves, costs, and benefits. Lines marked "Ours" are our own suggestions. It saves nothing and has no analytics. AI-written, not medical or legal advice.
Open the page →Cuando tu atención no se queda quieta: the ADHD page, now in Spanish
New at /es/tdah/: the Spanish twin of /adhd/, for teenagers and adults in the United States who can't focus, finish things or keep track, or who wonder whether it is ADHD (in Spanish, TDAH), for parents, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (soy una persona adulta y me pregunto si he tenido TDAH desde siempre, me acaban de dar el diagnóstico, quiero que me evalúen y no sé por dónde empezar, me está afectando en el empleo, se trata de mi hijo o hija, and five more) and open what helps: all twelve sections, the words to say when you call (which begin by asking for Spanish or an interpreter), and a wallet card with "Hablo español / I speak Spanish" on it. It uses the wording of the sources' own Spanish pages, read on October 2, 2026: the National Institute of Mental Health's Spanish brochure and adult fact sheet, MedlinePlus in Spanish, five Spanish pages of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and CHADD's Recursos en español page. That page adds things the English page did not have: for Spanish on the National Resource Center on ADHD's line (1-866-200-8098, weekday afternoons) it says to press 2, and it lists free online courses for families in Spanish, which we link and did not take. The page says where the Spanish and English versions differ: the Centers' Spanish page on parent training says eight or more sessions where the English says 8 to 16, and the Institute's Spanish adult sheet words one sentence differently from the English, which we followed. It marks what exists only in English (the Institute's topic and medications pages, the Centers' overview and diagnosis pages, whose Spanish versions did not open, every other CHADD page, the Job Accommodation Network, the Attention Deficit Disorder Association) and what could not be confirmed (that a Spanish speaker answers after pressing 2, which doctors, therapists or support groups work in Spanish). Same choices as the English page: no quiz, no score, no symptom count, no medicine names or doses, no prevalence figures. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (fifty-seven tools). It saves nothing and has no analytics. AI-written and AI-translated, not reviewed by a native speaker, and not medical or legal advice.
Abrir la página en español →When your attention won’t stay put: a page about ADHD
New at /adhd/: a page for teenagers and adults in the United States who can't focus, finish things or keep track, or who wonder whether it is ADHD, for parents, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (I'm an adult and I wonder if I've had ADHD all along, I was just diagnosed and don't know what to feel, I want to get evaluated and don't know where to start, I saw myself in a video online, it's hurting my job, it's my child, it's my partner, and three more) and open what helps: who answers at any hour, what ADHD is and is not, what it can look like, finding out as an adult, getting evaluated, treatment, the medicines, children and teenagers, work, day to day, families, and the words to say when you call, built from what you tick, to copy or print. There is a wallet card to print. The facts come from pages read on October 2, 2026: the National Institute of Mental Health's topic page, brochure and adult fact sheet, MedlinePlus, seven pages of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, several pages of CHADD (a private organisation whose National Resource Center on ADHD the Centers fund, with a phone line on weekday afternoons), the Job Accommodation Network, and the Attention Deficit Disorder Association's support groups page. The page has no quiz, no score and no symptom count, on purpose: a list of traits is not a diagnosis. It names no medicine and gives no dose, and gives no figure for how common ADHD is. Where two sources say different things about nonstimulant medicines, it shows both and says so. It says what it did not read: statistics, the pediatric guideline, any Food and Drug Administration page, pregnancy, shortages, the disability law itself, college, and costs. Lines marked "Ours" are our own suggestions. It saves nothing and has no analytics. AI-written, not medical or legal advice. Now also in Spanish, at /es/tdah/.
Open the page →Cuando alguien a quien quieres murió por suicidio: the suicide loss page, now in Spanish
New at /es/despues-de-un-suicidio/: the Spanish twin of /after-suicide-loss/, for people in the United States who lost someone to suicide, last night or many years ago, and for the people standing beside them. Pick what's going on (acaba de pasar, no dejo de preguntarme por qué, no sé qué decirle a la gente, tengo que decírselo a un niño, nadie a mi alrededor entiende, and five more) and open what helps: all twelve sections, the words to say when you call (which begin by asking for Spanish or an interpreter), and a wallet card with "Hablo español / I speak Spanish" on it. It uses the wording of the sources' own Spanish pages, read on October 2, 2026: nine pages of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Spanish site, MedlinePlus in Spanish, and the Dougy Center's Spanish page. It adds one thing the English page did not have: the Foundation's virtual Survivor Day event held entirely in Spanish, which its page dates November 22, 2026, 2 to 5 p.m. Eastern, by Zoom with registration. It says that the Foundation's Spanish site reads like machine translation in places, and that the English page was followed where the Spanish was unclear. It marks what exists only in English and is our own translation: the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, the Department of Veterans Affairs pages, the Alliance of Hope, Friends for Survival and The Compassionate Friends. It says what could not be confirmed: whether those phone lines answer in Spanish, whether Healing Conversations has Spanish-speaking volunteers, and which support groups or counselors work in Spanish; the Foundation's own list says groups are held in English unless stated otherwise. Like the English page, it never describes how anyone died, gives no numbers about suicide, and has no quiz and no score. It saves nothing and has no analytics. AI-written and AI-translated, not reviewed by a native speaker, and not medical or legal advice. Both pages are now on the tools pages (fifty-six tools).
Abrir la página en español →When someone you love died by suicide
New at /after-suicide-loss/: a page for people in the United States who lost someone to suicide, last night or many years ago, and for the people standing beside them. Pick what's going on (it just happened, I keep asking why and what I missed, I don't know what to tell people, I have to tell a child, nobody around me understands, I'm angry at them or numb, it was a long time ago and it still hurts, they served in the military, someone I care about lost someone this way, I'm thinking about ending my own life) and open what helps: 988, Crisis Text Line, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors and 911; what the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention says to expect in the first days, from the police investigation to getting belongings back; what to tell people, with a few sentences to borrow; what families may feel, in the words of MedlinePlus; the question why, answered only as far as the sources go; telling a child; how to reach people who have been through the same loss (Healing Conversations, support groups, an online forum, and International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day on Saturday, November 21, 2026); counseling; help for military and veteran families, including no-cost bereavement counseling from the Department of Veterans Affairs; getting through the days; and how to support someone. It builds the words to say when you call and prints a wallet card. The page never describes how anyone died, gives no numbers about suicide, has no quiz and no score, and does not claim to know why anyone died. Facts were read on October 2, 2026; the page lists what it read and what it could not read, including two booklets. Saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; general information, not medical or legal advice.
Open When someone you love died by suicide →Cuando los pensamientos no te sueltan: the OCD page, now in Spanish
New at /es/toc/: the Spanish twin of /ocd/, for people in the United States living with unwanted thoughts that keep coming back, or things they feel they have to do over and over, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (me vienen pensamientos que no quiero, los pensamientos son sobre cosas que jamás querría hacer, reviso, lavo, cuento o repito y no puedo parar, es mi hijo o mi hija, es alguien a quien quiero, and five more) and open what helps: all twelve sections, the words to say when you call (which begin by asking for Spanish or an interpreter), and a wallet card with "Hablo español / I speak Spanish" on it. It uses the wording of the sources' own Spanish pages, read on October 2, 2026: the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health's Spanish OCD brochure and the first part of its Spanish PANS and PANDAS page, MedlinePlus in Spanish, and seven Spanish pages of the International OCD Foundation, including its directory, whose language filter lists Spanish. It says where the pages differ, and what exists only in English and is our own translation: the Institute's medications page and several of the Foundation's English pages, which are longer and newer than its Spanish ones. It says what could not be confirmed: which providers in the directory, and which doctors, therapists or support groups, really work in Spanish. No quiz, no score, no brand names or doses, no prevalence figure or percentage, and no do-it-yourself exposure exercises; the page cannot tell anyone what a thought means and says so. It saves nothing and has no analytics. AI-written and AI-translated, not reviewed by a native speaker, and not medical advice. Both pages are now on the tools pages (fifty-five tools) under a new need, "I get thoughts I don't want, or rituals I can't stop".
Abrir la página en español →When the thoughts won't let go
New at /ocd/: a page for people in the United States living with unwanted thoughts that keep coming back, or things they feel they have to do over and over, or wondering whether it is obsessive-compulsive disorder, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (I get thoughts I don't want, the thoughts are about things I would never want to do, I check, wash, count or repeat and can't stop, it is eating hours of my day, I can't tell if this is OCD or just how I am, I've heard about the therapy and it frightens me, I'm taking or thinking about medicine, it's my child or teenager, it's someone I love, I'm thinking about ending my life) and open what helps: 988, Crisis Text Line, the Veterans Crisis Line and 911; what OCD is and is not, in the words of the National Institute of Mental Health and MedlinePlus; the Institute's lists of obsessions and compulsions, with the International OCD Foundation's additions on compulsions nobody can see; a section for thoughts that feel too shameful to say, which the Institute lists among the common obsessions; seeing a doctor; exposure and response prevention and the other treatments; the medicines in general, with the Institute's warning not to stop them without talking to a provider; children and teenagers, including sudden onset; the Foundation's questions to ask a therapist and its directory; day to day; and what the Foundation says about how families respond. It builds the words to say when you call and prints a wallet card. No quiz, no score, no brand names or doses, no prevalence figure, and no do-it-yourself exposure exercises. The page cannot tell anyone what a thought means and says so. Facts were read on October 2, 2026 on National Institute of Mental Health, MedlinePlus and International OCD Foundation pages; the page lists what it read only in part and what it did not read. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; general information, not medical advice.
Open the page →Cuando la memoria empieza a fallar: the memory and dementia page, now in Spanish
New at /es/demencia/: the Spanish twin of /dementia/, for people in the United States who are worried about their own memory, living with dementia, or caring for someone who is. Pick what's going on (se me olvidan las cosas y me da miedo, alguien a quien quiero está cambiando, la confusión llegó de repente, acabamos de recibir un diagnóstico, yo cuido y ya no puedo más, and five more) and open what helps: all twelve sections, the words to say when you call (which begin by asking for Spanish or an interpreter), and a wallet card with "Hablo español / I speak Spanish" on it. It uses the wording of the sources' own Spanish pages, read on October 2, 2026: eight pages of the U.S. National Institute on Aging in Spanish (what dementia is, memory and aging, how Alzheimer's is treated, behavior changes, home safety, caring for yourself, money, and getting help with care) and three Alzheimers.gov pages in Spanish. It says what exists only in English and is our own translation: the Institute's pages on driving, on mild cognitive impairment and on diagnosis, the Alzheimer's Association Helpline page (which says help is available through bilingual staff or interpreters) and the Eldercare Locator site. It says what could not be confirmed: how to ask for Spanish on the Eldercare Locator and the VA caregiver line, and which doctors, services or support groups work in Spanish. No memory test, no score, no brand names or doses. It saves nothing and has no analytics. AI-written and AI-translated, not reviewed by a native speaker, and not medical, legal or financial advice. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (fifty-four tools), with a new need: "I'm worried about memory, mine or someone else's".
Abrir la página en español →When memory starts to slip
New at /dementia/: a page for people in the United States who are worried about their own memory, living with dementia, or caring for someone who is. Pick what's going on (I keep forgetting things and it scares me, someone I love is changing, the confusion came on suddenly, we just got a diagnosis, they get angry, suspicious or restless, they wander or it isn't safe at home, I'm worried about their driving, bills are going unpaid or money is missing, I'm the caregiver and I'm worn out, I'm thinking about ending my life) and open what helps: the Alzheimer's Association's 24/7 Helpline, 988 and 911, the National Institute on Aging's ADEAR Center and the Eldercare Locator; the Institute's side-by-side of normal aging and dementia, and mild cognitive impairment; what dementia is, its types, and the treatable things that can look like it; who diagnoses it and what a doctor may do; the medicines for Alzheimer's as the Institute describes them, including its cautions on sleep aids, anti-anxiety drugs and antipsychotics; Alzheimers.gov's tips for the person living with dementia; changes in behavior and what can set them off; safety at home, wandering and driving; money, scams, and the papers to get in order while the person can still decide; home care, adult day care, respite and hospice, and what the Institute says about who pays; caring for yourself as a caregiver; the words to say when you call, built from what you tick, for yourself or about someone else; and a printable wallet card with a place for a name and a number to call. It has no memory test and gives no score, names no brand or dose, and says what we did not read. Facts were read on the organisations' own pages on October 2, 2026. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; general information, not medical, legal or financial advice.
Open the page →
Cuando la preocupación no se apaga: the anxiety page, now in Spanish
New at /es/ansiedad/: the Spanish twin of /anxiety/, for people in the United States living with anxiety that doesn't go away, or wondering whether it is an anxiety disorder, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (me preocupo todo el tiempo y no puedo apagarlo, me vienen olas repentinas de miedo, me aterra estar entre la gente o que me juzguen, he empezado a evitar lugares o cosas, lo siento en el cuerpo, no sé si esto es estrés o algo más, es mi hijo o mi hija, es alguien a quien quiero, and two more) and open what helps: all twelve sections, the words to say when you call (which begin by asking for Spanish or an interpreter), and the wallet card. It uses the wording of the sources' own Spanish pages, read on October 1, 2026: the National Institute of Mental Health's Spanish brochures on generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and social anxiety disorder (each revised 2025) and its stress fact sheet, and MedlinePlus in Spanish (Ansiedad and Fobias); with Crisis Text Line (text AYUDA to 741741), NAMI's Línea de Ayuda (1-800-950-6264, press 2), FindTreatment.gov, the 988 Lifeline (press 2) and the Spanish resources page of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. It marks what exists only in English (the Institute's anxiety topic page and its medications page) and says where a Spanish page and its English original differ, and what could not be confirmed, such as which doctors or therapists work in Spanish. Like the English page it has no quiz and no score, names no brand and no dose, and carries the Institute's lines that panic attacks are not life-threatening in themselves and that a prescribed medication should not be stopped without a provider's help. Both pages are now on the tools page under a new need, "I can't stop worrying", and are linked from the panic, depression and trauma pages. Saves nothing, no analytics. Written and translated with AI, not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not medical advice.
Open the page →When the worry won't switch off
New at /anxiety/: a page for people in the United States living with anxiety that doesn't go away, or wondering whether it is an anxiety disorder, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (I worry all the time and can't turn it off, I get sudden waves of fear and my heart pounds, I dread being around people or being judged, I've started avoiding places or things, it's in my body, I can't tell if this is stress or something more, I'm taking or thinking about medicine, it's my child or teenager, it's someone I love, I'm thinking about ending my life) and open what helps: 988, Crisis Text Line, the Veterans Crisis Line and 911; what anxiety disorders are and how the National Institute of Mental Health tells stress from anxiety; generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder and phobias, in the words of the Institute and MedlinePlus; panic attacks, which the Institute says are not life-threatening in themselves, and when they become panic disorder; what happens at a doctor's visit; cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy; the medicines in general (antidepressants, benzodiazepines and why the Institute says they may be prescribed only for brief periods, buspirone, beta-blockers, and the rule not to stop a prescribed medication without a provider's help); children and teenagers; where to find help when the phone call is the hard part, and the Anxiety and Depression Association of America's online support communities; the Institute's coping list; what families can do; the words to say when you call, built from what you tick; and a printable wallet card. It has no quiz and gives no score, names no brand or dose, and says what we did not read. Facts were read on the organisations' own pages on October 1, 2026. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; general information, not medical advice.
Open the page →Entre las subidas y las bajadas: the bipolar disorder page, now in Spanish
New at /es/trastorno-bipolar/: the Spanish twin of /bipolar/, for people in the United States living with bipolar disorder, or wondering whether that is what this is, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (mi ánimo va de muy arriba a muy abajo, me deprimo una y otra vez, casi no duermo y no siento cansancio, me acaban de dar el diagnóstico, me siento bien y quiero dejar el medicamento, es mi hijo o mi hija, es alguien a quien quiero, and two more) and open what helps: all twelve sections, the words to say when you call (which begin by asking for Spanish or an interpreter), and the wallet card with room for your own early signs. It uses the wording of the sources' own Spanish pages, read on October 1, 2026: the National Institute of Mental Health's Spanish brochure on bipolar disorder (revised 2025), its Spanish guide for parents of children and teenagers and its Know the Signs page, and MedlinePlus in Spanish; with Crisis Text Line (text AYUDA to 741741), NAMI's Línea de Ayuda (1-800-950-6264, press 2), FindTreatment.gov and the 988 Lifeline (press 2). It marks what exists only in English (the Institute's medications page, NAMI's bipolar page and the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance's site, where a search for "español" found nothing) and says what could not be confirmed, such as support groups or doctors who work in Spanish. Like the English page it has no quiz and no score, names no brand and no dose, and carries the Institute's rule: evita suspender los medicamentos sin que primero hayas hablado con tu médico. Both pages are now on the tools page under a new need, "My moods swing from very high to very low", and are linked from the depression and psychosis pages. Saves nothing, no analytics. Written and translated with AI, not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not medical advice.
Open the page →Between the highs and the lows
New at /bipolar/: a page for people in the United States living with bipolar disorder, or wondering whether that is what this is, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (my moods swing from very high to very low, I keep getting depressed and depression treatment hasn't held, I'm barely sleeping and I'm not tired, I was just diagnosed, I feel fine now and want to stop my medicine, I did things while I was "up" that I regret, it's my child or teenager, it's someone I love, I'm thinking about ending my life) and open what helps: 988, Crisis Text Line, the Veterans Crisis Line and 911; what bipolar disorder is and its three basic types, in the words of the National Institute of Mental Health and MedlinePlus; the symptoms of a manic episode and why hypomania gets missed; the lows and mixed episodes, and why the Institute says antidepressants are not used alone; why a diagnosis can take years and what to bring to the doctor; talk therapies and other treatments; the medicines in general (mood stabilizers, the check-ups that come with them, and the Institute's rule to avoid stopping medication without talking to your provider first); the Institute's guide for parents of children and teenagers; where to find help, and the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance's peer support groups; day-to-day steadiness and knowing your early signs; what families can do; the words to say when you call, built from what you tick; and a printable wallet card with room for your own early signs. It has no quiz and gives no score, names no brand or dose, gives no figure for how common the illness is, and says what we did not read. Facts were read on the organisations' own pages on October 1, 2026. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; general information, not medical advice.
Open the page →Cuando el ánimo no se levanta: the depression page, now in Spanish
New at /es/depresion/: the Spanish twin of /depression/, for people in the United States living with depression, or wondering whether that is what this is, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (llevo semanas con el ánimo bajo, no siento nada y ya nada me gusta, no tengo fuerzas, el medicamento no me funciona o quiero dejarlo, es alguien a quien quiero, and four more) and open what helps: all twelve sections, the words to say when you call (which begin by asking for Spanish or an interpreter), and the wallet card. It uses the wording of the sources' own Spanish pages, read on October 1, 2026: the National Institute of Mental Health's Spanish brochures on depression, teen depression, seasonal affective disorder and perinatal depression, its tips for talking with a provider and its find-help page; MedlinePlus in Spanish on depression and antidepressants; and the National Institute on Aging's Spanish page on depression and older adults; with Crisis Text Line (text AYUDA to 741741), NAMI's Línea de Ayuda (1-800-950-6264, press 2), the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (1-833-852-6262, which the Institute says has Spanish-speaking counselors), FindTreatment.gov and the 988 Lifeline (press 2). Where a Spanish page and its English original say different things, the page says so. It marks what exists only in English (the Institute's pages on psychotherapies, medications, brain stimulation and clinical trials, and NAMI's depression page) and says what could not be confirmed (how Spanish is chosen on the Veterans Crisis Line after pressing 1, whether NAMI's classes and groups are offered in Spanish, which doctors or therapists work in Spanish). Like the English page it has no quiz and gives no score, and names no brand or dose. Both pages are now on the tools page, under a new need: "I've felt low or empty for weeks". It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written and translated with AI, and not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not medical advice.
Open the page →When the heaviness won't lift
New at /depression/: a page for people in the United States living with depression, or wondering whether that is what this is, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (I've felt low for weeks, I feel nothing and nothing is fun anymore, I'm exhausted and can't get going, I'm not sad but irritable and angry, the medicine isn't working or I want to stop, I'm pregnant or just had a baby, I'm a teenager, it's someone I love, I'm thinking about ending my life) and open what helps: 988, Crisis Text Line, the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (1-833-852-6262) and 911; what depression is and its common signs, in the words of the National Institute of Mental Health and MedlinePlus; how it can look in children, teenagers, men and older adults; seasonal depression, pregnancy and after a birth; what a doctor asks and the Institute's five tips for the visit; talk therapy, and what the Institute says about natural products; antidepressants (how long they take, side effects, the warning for people under 25, and MedlinePlus's rule never to stop without your provider's help); what the sources say when treatment isn't working; where to find help and what to do if money is the problem; day-to-day steps; what families can do; the words to say when you call, built from what you tick; and a printable wallet card. It has no quiz and gives no score, names no brand or dose, and says what we did not read. Facts were read on the organisations' own pages on October 1, 2026. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; general information, not medical advice.
Open the page →Cuando el pasado no se queda en el pasado: the trauma and PTSD page, now in Spanish
New at /es/trauma/: the Spanish twin of /trauma/, for people in the United States living with what a frightening event left behind, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (siento que está pasando otra vez, las pesadillas no me dejan dormir, vivo en guardia o con enojo, fue hace años y todavía no termina, es alguien a quien quiero, and four more) and open what helps: all twelve sections, the words to say when you call (which begin by asking for Spanish or an interpreter), and the wallet card. It draws on the sources' own Spanish pages, read on October 1, 2026: the National Center for PTSD's Spanish pages (basics, common reactions, coping, trauma reminders, avoidance, treatment, finding a provider, helping a family member, crisis help), the National Institute of Mental Health's Spanish PTSD brochure, MedlinePlus in Spanish, the Veterans Crisis Line's Spanish site (988 then press 1, or text 838255), Crisis Text Line (text AYUDA to 741741), NAMI's Línea de Ayuda (1-800-950-6264, press 2), FindTreatment.gov and the 988 Lifeline (press 2). The Center's Spanish pages contain translation errors, so the page passes on what they say in its own words, checked against the English pages. It marks what exists only in English (the Institute's Coping With Traumatic Events page, NAMI's PTSD page, the Center's PTSD Coach and self-harm pages, the therapist directories) and says what could not be confirmed (how Spanish is chosen on the Veterans Crisis Line after pressing 1, Spanish on NAMI's family and text services, whether the PTSD Coach app is in Spanish, which therapists work in Spanish). Like the English page, it never asks what happened. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/, which makes fifty tools, and the self-harm pages link to them. It saves nothing and loads no analytics. Written and translated with AI, not reviewed by a native speaker, and not medical advice.
Open the page →When the past won't stay in the past
New at /trauma/: a page for people in the United States living with what a frightening event left behind, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (something terrible just happened, it feels like it's happening again, the nightmares won't let me sleep, I'm always on guard or angry, I feel numb and I avoid everything, it was years ago and it still isn't over, I'm a veteran, it's someone I love, I'm thinking about ending my life) and open what helps: 988, the Veterans Crisis Line (988 then press 1, or text 838255), Crisis Text Line and 911; what is common in the first weeks and when to ask for help; what PTSD is and its four types of symptoms, in the words of the National Center for PTSD, the National Institute of Mental Health and MedlinePlus; the Center's steps for a flashback, a wave of panic and a nightmare; anger, numbness, avoiding, drinking and guilt; what a doctor looks for and questions to ask; the three trauma-focused talk therapies and the medicines the Center names; FindTreatment.gov, the directories of trained therapists the Center lists, VA care for veterans and the NAMI HelpLine; day-to-day coping and the Center's free PTSD Coach app; what families can do, including what the Center says about anger and safety; and the words to say when you call, built from what you tick, to copy or print. There is a printable wallet card. The page never asks what happened to you and describes no event. Facts were read on the organisations' own pages on October 1, 2026; the page says whose words it is passing on, marks our own suggestions as ours, and lists what we did not read. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not medical advice.
Open the page →Cuando te haces daño para aguantar: the self-harm page, now in Spanish
New at /es/autolesiones/: the Spanish twin of /self-harm/, for people in the United States who hurt themselves on purpose, or feel the urge to, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (quiero hacerme daño ahora mismo, acabo de hacerme daño, nadie lo sabe, quiero dejar de hacerlo y no puedo, es alguien a quien quiero, and four more) and open what helps: all twelve sections, the words to say when you call (which begin by asking for Spanish or an interpreter), and the wallet card. It uses the wording of the sources' own Spanish pages, read on October 1, 2026: MedlinePlus in Spanish (Autolesión, and its first aid for cuts and burns), Crisis Text Line's Spanish pages (text AYUDA to 741741), NAMI's Línea de Ayuda (1-800-950-6264, press 2), FindTreatment.gov, Poison Control's Spanish page (1-800-222-1222, with interpreters) and the 988 Lifeline (press 2). It marks what exists only in English (NAMI's self-harm page and its teen and young adult line, SAMHSA's self-harm page, the National Institute of Mental Health's find-help page, Mental Health America, The Trevor Project, Cornell's program) and says what could not be confirmed (Spanish on NAMI's teen, family and text services and at The Trevor Project; which therapists or programs work in Spanish). Like the English page, it lists no methods. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/, which makes forty-nine tools. It saves nothing and loads no analytics. Written and translated with AI, not reviewed by a native speaker, and not medical advice. Update, October 9, 2026: the first aid lines this page took from two MedlinePlus encyclopedia articles were replaced or taken out, because that text may not be reused; see the correction dated that day.
Open the page →When you hurt yourself to cope
New at /self-harm/: a page for people in the United States who hurt themselves on purpose, or feel the urge to, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (I want to hurt myself right now, I just hurt myself, nobody knows, I don't understand why I do it, I want to stop and I can't, I'd stopped and I did it again, I'm a teenager and I'm scared to tell, it's someone I love, I'm thinking about ending my life) and open what helps: 988, Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741), 911 and Poison Control; what self-harm is and isn't, in the words of MedlinePlus, SAMHSA and NAMI; why people do it; getting through an urge (mostly our own suggestions, marked as ours); first aid for a cut or a burn and when to call 911, from MedlinePlus; telling someone, with a section for teenagers; what a doctor or therapist asks, and the questions the National Institute of Mental Health says to ask them; the kinds of therapy NAMI names; FindTreatment.gov, the NAMI HelpLine and its Teen & Young Adult service, and The Trevor Project; Crisis Text Line's four steps toward stopping, and what to do about a slip; and what NAMI and MedlinePlus say families should and shouldn't do. It builds the words to say when you call, to copy or print, and prints a wallet card. On purpose it does not list or describe methods, and the build refuses to publish if the obvious words appear. The page says what it did not read (the research behind the therapies, scars, emergency room practice, what a counselor must tell a parent). It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; general information, not medical advice. English only for now. Update, October 9, 2026: the first aid lines this page took from two MedlinePlus encyclopedia articles were replaced or taken out, because that text may not be reused; see the correction dated that day.
Open the page →Cuando no sabes qué es real: the psychosis page, now in Spanish
New at /es/psicosis/: the Spanish twin of /psychosis/, for people in the United States who are hearing or seeing things other people don't, feel watched or in danger, or feel their thinking coming apart, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (oigo o veo cosas que otras personas no, siento que me vigilan, algo ha cambiado, es la primera vez, es alguien a quien quiero, no quiere recibir ayuda, and three more) and open what helps: all twelve sections, the words to say when you call (which begin by asking for Spanish or an interpreter), and the wallet card. It uses the wording of the sources' own Spanish pages, read on October 1, 2026: the National Institute of Mental Health's Spanish fact sheet on psychosis, its Spanish schizophrenia brochure and its tips for talking with a health care provider; MedlinePlus in Spanish (Psicosis, Alucinaciones, Trastornos psicóticos); NAMI's Línea de Ayuda page (1-800-950-6264, press 2 for Spanish, weekdays; NAMI says it is not a crisis line); FindTreatment.gov in Spanish; and the 988 Lifeline (press 2, or text AYUDA). It marks what exists only in English (SAMHSA's early-psychosis program locator, NAMI's group, class, family-caregiver and crisis pages, the HelpLine's text keyword, Hearing Voices Network USA) and says what we could not confirm: whether the family option or the teen and young adult service answer in Spanish, and which programs or groups work in Spanish. We called no line. The page addresses the reader as tú with nothing gendered about them. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (forty-eight tools, with a new need: "I can't tell what's real"), and /es/ayuda/ has a card. Saves nothing; no analytics. Written and translated with AI, not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not medical or legal advice. Update, October 9, 2026: the lines this page took from two MedlinePlus encyclopedia articles were replaced or taken out, because that text may not be reused; see the correction dated that day.
Open the page →When you can't tell what's real
New at /psychosis/: a page for people in the United States who are hearing or seeing things other people don't, feel watched or in danger, or feel their thinking coming apart, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (I'm hearing or seeing things other people don't, I feel watched or followed, something has changed and I can't explain it, this is the first time and I'm frightened, it started with drugs, alcohol, a medicine or no sleep, it's coming back, it's someone I love, they won't get help, I don't feel safe) and open what helps: 988 and 911 at any hour; what the word psychosis means and the early signs, in the words of the National Institute of Mental Health and MedlinePlus; the many causes, a good number of them medical; getting through a frightening hour (our own suggestions, marked as ours); telling someone; what a doctor asks and tests; coordinated specialty care, which the Institute says is now the standard of care for early psychosis, and what it says about medicines; SAMHSA's Early Serious Mental Illness Treatment Locator and the NAMI HelpLine (1-800-950-6264, weekdays, not a crisis line); NAMI Connection and Hearing Voices Network USA; what families can do, and NAMI's Family Caregiver HelpLine, class and groups; and what NAMI says to tell a 911 dispatcher, what goes in a crisis plan, and our psychiatric advance directive builder. It builds the words to say when you call, to copy or print, and prints a wallet card. The page says what it did not read (state law on treatment against someone's will, insurance, the medicine pages, two program lists). It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; general information, not medical advice. English only for now. Update, October 9, 2026: the lines this page took from two MedlinePlus encyclopedia articles were replaced or taken out, because that text may not be reused; see the correction dated that day.
Open the page →Cuando comer se ha vuelto una lucha: the eating disorders page, now in Spanish
New at /es/trastornos-alimentarios/: the Spanish twin of /eating-disorders/, for people in the United States who are eating less and less, bingeing, purging, or afraid of food, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (cada vez como menos y no puedo parar, como hasta que duele, me provoco el vómito o trato de deshacer lo que comí, no sé si es "tan grave", nadie lo sabe, no puedo pagar un tratamiento, iba mejor y ha vuelto, es alguien a quien quiero, no veo ninguna salida) and open what helps: all twelve sections, the words to say when you call (which begin by asking for Spanish or an interpreter), and the wallet card. It uses the terms of the sources' own Spanish pages, read on October 1, 2026: the National Institute of Mental Health's Spanish brochure on eating disorders and its tips for talking with a health care provider, MedlinePlus in Spanish (the topic and three medical encyclopedia entries), the Spanish pages of the National Eating Disorders Association (its resources page, its screening tool and its page on sharing your concerns), Crisis Text Line's Spanish pages (text AYUDA to 741741), and the 988 Lifeline (call 988 and press 2, or text AYUDA). It marks what exists only in English: the National Alliance for Eating Disorders, ANAD, Project HEAL, Eating Disorders Anonymous, and NEDA's treatment search and help-someone page. It says what it could not confirm: neither helpline's page says whether it answers in Spanish, and we did not find which support groups or providers work in Spanish. Like the English page, it gives no weights, calorie counts or body sizes. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/, which makes forty-seven tools, under a new need: "Eating has become a fight". It saves nothing and runs no analytics. Written and translated with AI, not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not medical advice.
Open the page →When eating has become a fight
New at /eating-disorders/: a page for people in the United States who are eating less and less, bingeing, purging, or afraid of food, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (I'm eating less and less and can't stop, I eat until it hurts, I make myself sick or try to undo what I ate, I'm not sure it's "bad enough", nobody knows, I can't pay for treatment, I was doing better and it's back, it's someone I love, I can't see a way out) and open what helps: 988, and texting ALLIANCE to 741741, at any hour; the two free weekday helplines, the National Alliance for Eating Disorders (866-662-1235, which it says is answered by licensed therapists) and ANAD (1-888-375-7767, answered by trained volunteers); the signs the National Institute of Mental Health and MedlinePlus list; getting through a hard moment; how to tell someone; what a doctor checks and why it matters even if you feel fine; treatment and the levels of care; finding care you can afford, with the questions to ask a provider; free support groups; what families should and shouldn't do; and what to do if it comes back. It builds the words to say when you call, to copy or print, and prints a wallet card. The page gives no weights, calorie counts or body sizes, on purpose. It saves nothing and runs no analytics. Written with AI from pages read on October 1, 2026: the National Institute of Mental Health, MedlinePlus, the National Alliance for Eating Disorders, ANAD, the National Eating Disorders Association, Project HEAL, Eating Disorders Anonymous, Crisis Text Line and the 988 Lifeline. It marks its own suggestions as ours, and says what it did not read: what insurance covers, the rules on treating minors, and eating disorders in pregnancy, with diabetes or in sport. We did not call any line or attend any group. General information, not medical advice. English only for now.
Open the page →Cuando el juego y las apuestas son el problema: the gambling page, now in Spanish
New at /es/juego-y-apuestas/: the Spanish twin of /gambling/, for people in the United States whose gambling is hurting them, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (no puedo parar aunque quiera, sigo intentando recuperar lo perdido, debo dinero por el juego, se lo oculto a la gente que quiero, no sé si es un problema, lo dejé y volví a jugar, alguien a quien quiero está jugando, me preocupa un adolescente o un adulto joven, no veo ninguna salida) and open what helps: all twelve sections, the words to say when you call (which now begin by asking for Spanish or an interpreter), and the wallet card. It uses the terms of the sources' own Spanish pages, read on October 1, 2026: the National Council on Problem Gambling's Spanish help pages (the helpline, the questions and answers, treatment options, how to choose a program, peer support, help by state and the ten-question self-assessment), MedlinePlus in Spanish, the 988 Lifeline (call 988 and press 2, or text AYUDA), BetBlocker's Spanish site, and SMART Recovery's Spanish site. It marks what exists only in English: Gamblers Anonymous, Gam-Anon, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's credit counseling page, the helpline's chat page and texting terms, and the self-test for ages 18 to 24. It says what it could not confirm: the helpline says it uses an interpreting service for more than 240 languages but not how to ask for Spanish, or whether its text and chat answer in Spanish; Gam-Anon's site does not say whether its hotline does (its list of virtual meetings had one in Spanish, Sundays at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, that day). Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/, which makes forty-six tools, under a new need: "Gambling has become a problem". It saves nothing and runs no analytics. Written and translated with AI, not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not medical, legal or financial advice. Update, October 9, 2026: the lines this page took from MedlinePlus’s encyclopedia article were replaced or taken out, because that text may not be reused; see the correction dated that day.
Open the page →When gambling is the problem
New at /gambling/: a page for people in the United States whose gambling is hurting them, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (I can't stop even when I want to, I keep trying to win it back, I owe money because of gambling, I'm hiding it from the people I love, I'm not sure it's a problem, I stopped and then I started again, someone I love is gambling, I'm worried about a teenager or young adult, I can't see a way out) and open what helps: 988; the National Problem Gambling Helpline, 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738), which the National Council on Problem Gambling says answers by call, text and chat at any hour, confidentially and without asking for payment or insurance; the signs MedlinePlus lists; getting through an urge; self-exclusion and blocking; counseling, outpatient and residential treatment and the questions to ask a program; Gamblers Anonymous, SMART Recovery and Debtors Anonymous; the debts and credit counseling; what Gam-Anon suggests to families (and its hotline, 844-475-4213); teens and young adults; and what to do if you gamble again. It builds the words to say when you call, to copy or print, and prints a wallet card. It saves nothing and runs no analytics. Written with AI from pages read on October 1, 2026: MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine), the National Council on Problem Gambling, Gamblers Anonymous, Gam-Anon, SMART Recovery, BetBlocker, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the 988 Lifeline. It marks its own suggestions as ours, and says what it did not read: any state's self-exclusion rules or betting age, what insurers or states pay for, bank gambling blocks, bankruptcy and taxes. It also says plainly that the site's "Bet On You" banner is a software offer, not gambling, and that Scarlet Beast builds a poker-playing AI elsewhere on the site. General information, not medical, legal or financial advice. English only for now. Update, October 9, 2026: the lines this page took from MedlinePlus’s encyclopedia article were replaced or taken out, because that text may not be reused; see the correction dated that day.
Open the page →Ayuda al envejecer: the getting-older page, now in Spanish
New at /es/al-envejecer/: the Spanish twin of /getting-older/, for people in the United States who are getting older and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (quiero seguir viviendo en mi propia casa, me caí o tengo miedo de caerme, no puedo pagar Medicare ni mis medicamentos, me preocupa mi memoria, paso casi todo el tiempo sin compañía, alguien me hace daño o me quita mi dinero, creo que me estafaron, conducir se me hace cada vez más difícil, siento que soy una carga) and open what helps: all 14 sections, the words to say when you call, and the wallet card. It uses the terms of the agencies' own Spanish pages, consulted on October 1, 2026: the National Institute on Aging's Spanish pages on aging at home, falls, medicines, memory, loneliness, driving, elder abuse, depression and advance care planning; Medicare in Spanish, including its 2026 limits and its line "Incluso si no cree que califique, debería presentar una solicitud"; Social Security in Spanish (1-800-772-1213, press 7); the FTC's Spanish article on family-emergency scams and ReporteFraude.ftc.gov; USAGov en Español (option 2); and the 988 Lifeline (press 2, or text AYUDA). Several of the Institute's Spanish pages are older than its English ones, so where the English page says more or something different (eye exams for drivers, how often to review an advance directive), the page shows both. It marks what exists only in English: the Institute's pages on paying for long-term care, the Eldercare Locator's site, the SHIP site, the Elder Fraud Hotline's page and the CDC's falls pages. It says where Spanish on a phone line could not be confirmed (the Eldercare Locator, 1-800-MEDICARE, the SHIP line, BenefitsCheckUp, the ADEAR Center). Nothing gendered about the reader. It saves nothing and runs no analytics. Written and translated with AI, and not reviewed by a native speaker; the page says so. General information, not medical, legal or financial advice. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/, which makes forty-five tools, each in English and Spanish.
Open Ayuda en la escuela →Help as you get older
New at /getting-older/: a page for people in the United States who are getting older and want to stay safe, independent and looked after, and for the people who love them. Pick what's going on (I want to stay in my own home, I fell or I'm afraid of falling, I can't afford Medicare or my medicines, I'm worried about my memory, I'm alone most of the time, someone is hurting me or taking my money, I think I've been scammed, driving is getting harder, I feel low or like a burden) and open what helps: 988; the Eldercare Locator, the one number that finds your Area Agency on Aging, meals, rides and help at home; planning to stay in your own home; what to do in the minutes after a fall and how to make one less likely; keeping a medicine list and asking whether you still need them all; Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help, which Medicare.gov says to apply for even if you don't think you qualify, and the free SHIP counselors who help you do it; where money for care does and doesn't come from; the difference the National Institute on Aging draws between ordinary forgetfulness and signs of dementia; loneliness; the questions to ask yourself about driving; what counts as elder abuse and who to tell; the family-emergency scam and the National Elder Fraud Hotline; and living wills and health care proxies. It builds the words to say when you call, to copy or print, and prints a wallet card with the numbers and a space for your own. It saves nothing and runs no analytics. Written with AI from pages read on October 1, 2026: the National Institute on Aging, the Eldercare Locator and the Administration for Community Living, Medicare.gov, Social Security, the CDC, the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice's National Elder Fraud Hotline, the SHIP national site, BenefitsCheckUp and the 988 Lifeline. It says what it did not read: any state's rules, Medicare's sign-up deadlines and what each part covers, wills and financial powers of attorney, and the National Center on Elder Abuse's own site, which would not open that day. General information, not medical, legal or financial advice. English only for now.
Open the page →Ayuda en la escuela para tu hijo o hija: the school page, now in Spanish
New at /es/ayuda-en-la-escuela/: the Spanish twin of /school-help/, for parents and carers in the United States whose child is struggling at school, or who learns, moves, speaks or behaves differently. Pick what's going on (a mi hijo o hija le cuesta la escuela, tiene menos de 5 años y algo me preocupa, la escuela se negó a hacer la evaluación, tengo pronto una reunión del IEP, la escuela no cumple el IEP, suspenden a mi hijo o hija una y otra vez, acosan a mi hijo o hija, dijeron que no califica, no doy más) and open what helps: all 14 sections, the words for a letter to the school, and the wallet card. It uses the terms of the sources' own Spanish pages where they exist, consulted on October 1, 2026: the Center for Parent Information and Resources' Spanish pages on the steps of special education, evaluation, the IEP, the team and its meetings, resolving disputes, records, transition and babies up to three; USAGov en Español; MedlinePlus in Spanish; the CDC's Spanish page; and the 988 Lifeline (call 988 and press 2, or text AYUDA to 988). Of CPIR's Spanish pages we read the terms, deadlines and figures, not every paragraph, and the page says so. Some things exist only in English, and the page marks each one: the discipline rules and the manifestation review, the 2022 guidance on Section 504, the facilitated meeting, the 45-day early intervention clock, and the Parent Center finder. It passes on what CPIR says in Spanish: that the law says the school must provide an interpreter if you ask, that many Parent Centers have Spanish-speaking staff, and that a letter written in Spanish may take a school longer to answer, so the page links the same words in English. It saves nothing and runs no analytics. Written and translated with AI, and the Spanish was not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not legal, medical or educational advice. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (forty-four tools), under My child is struggling at school / A mi hijo o hija le cuesta la escuela.
Open Ayuda en la escuela →Help at school for your child
New at /school-help/: a page for parents and carers in the United States whose child is struggling at school, or who learns, moves, speaks or behaves differently. Pick what's going on (my child is struggling at school, my child is under 5 and I'm worried, the school said no to an evaluation, I have an IEP meeting coming up, the school isn't following the IEP, my child keeps getting suspended, my child is being bullied, they said my child doesn't qualify, I'm worn out or scared for my child) and open what helps: 988; an order to take it in; early help before age 5 and the CDC's point that you need no referral or diagnosis to ask for a free evaluation; how to ask the school for an evaluation, the written consent and the 60 days; what an IEP must contain; who sits at the IEP meeting and what the school must tell you first; what we could read about 504 plans; the 10-school-day rule on suspensions and the review that follows; bullying, its signs and how to help; the five ways to resolve a disagreement, from an IEP meeting to a due process complaint; your right to see the records; planning from age 16; and the Parent Centers the U.S. Department of Education funds to help families with exactly this. It builds the words for a letter to the school, to copy or print, and prints a wallet card. It saves nothing and runs no analytics. Written with AI from pages read on October 1, 2026: the Center for Parent Information and Resources, USAGov, the CDC, MedlinePlus and the 988 Lifeline. The Department of Education's own sites and StopBullying.gov refused our connection that day, and the page says what that leaves out (who qualifies for a 504 plan, civil rights complaints, what the law requires about bullying), along with every state's own rules. General information, not legal, medical or educational advice. English only for now.
Open the page →Después de una muerte: the page for the practical side of a death, now in Spanish
New at /es/despues-de-una-muerte/: the Spanish twin of /after-a-death/, for anyone in the United States who has to deal with what comes after someone dies, while grieving. Pick what's going on (no puedo con esta noche, alguien acaba de morir, no sé por dónde empezar, no puedo pagar el funeral, recibía el Seguro Social, me llaman cobradores de deudas, prestó servicio militar, a mí me tocan los trámites, murió en otro país) and open what helps: all 13 sections, the words to say when you call, and the wallet card. It was written from the sources' own Spanish pages where they exist, read on October 1, 2026: USAGov en Español on reporting a death, death certificates, Social Security and deaths abroad; Social Security's Spanish pages on what to do when someone dies and on Survivor benefits; the Federal Trade Commission's Spanish pages on the Funeral Rule, types of funerals and the debts of relatives who have died; the National Institute on Aging's Spanish page on what to do when someone dies; the IRS's Tema 356; and the 988 Lifeline. It says how to reach Spanish on the lines where the agency says how: 988 and press 2, Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 and press 7, USAGov en Español at 1-844-872-4681, option 2. The Department of Veterans Affairs' burial pages, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's page on debts, the IRS page on the final return and the State Department's page were read only in English, and the page marks each fact that comes from one. Where we could not confirm that a phone line answers in Spanish, the page says so and gives the words to ask for an interpreter. The FTC's Spanish funeral pages are dated July 2012, and the page says that too. It saves nothing and runs no analytics. Written and translated with AI, and the Spanish was not reviewed by a native speaker; general information, not legal, financial or medical advice. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (forty-three tools), under Someone I love has died / Murió alguien a quien quiero.
Open Después de una muerte →After a death: the practical things
New at /after-a-death/: a page for anyone in the United States who has to deal with what comes after someone dies, while grieving. Pick what's going on (I can't get through tonight, someone has just died, I don't know where to start, I can't afford the funeral, they were getting Social Security, debt collectors are calling me, they were a veteran, I'm the one handling the paperwork, they died in another country) and open what helps: 988; what the National Institute on Aging says about the first hours; an order for the first days; certified copies of the death certificate and where to get them; the Federal Trade Commission's Funeral Rule (prices by phone, a written price list, buying only what you want) and the kinds of funeral that cost less; Social Security (1-800-772-1213), the payment that has to go back, the $255 lump-sum payment and who may get Survivor benefits; USAGov's list of agencies to notify; VA burial allowances and their two-year limit; what the FTC and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau say about a dead relative's debts and what collectors may not do; the IRS on the final tax return; and a death abroad. It builds the words to say when you call, to copy or print, and prints a wallet card. It saves nothing and runs no analytics. Written with AI from the agencies' own pages, read on October 1, 2026; much of what follows a death is set by state law, and the page says what it did not read (wills and probate, prices, benefit amounts, local help with burial costs). General information, not legal, financial or medical advice. Our grief companion is still at /grief/; this page is for the forms. English only for now.
Open the page →Después de una agresión sexual: the page for after sexual assault, now in Spanish
New at /es/despues-de-una-agresion-sexual/: the Spanish twin of /after-sexual-assault/, for anyone in the United States who has been sexually assaulted, last night or years ago, and for the people beside them. Pick what's going on (no estoy a salvo en este momento, acaba de pasar, fue en los últimos días, pasó hace tiempo, no sé si lo que pasó cuenta, estoy decidiendo si denunciar, me preocupa lo que cuesta, fue mi pareja o alguien con quien vivo, le pasó a alguien que quiero, no puedo con esto esta noche) and open what helps: all 14 sections, the words to say when you call, the wallet card, and the Salir rápido button (or Esc twice) that swaps the page for a weather site. It was written from the sources' own Spanish pages where they exist, read on October 1, 2026: the Office on Women's Health's Spanish pages on sexual assault, rape, college campuses and emergency contraception; RAINN's Spanish hotline page, which loaded today; the CDC's Spanish page on PEP, the HIV medicine that must be started within 72 hours; the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's Spanish page on sexual harassment; the National Domestic Violence Hotline's Spanish site; and the 988 Lifeline. RAINN's pages on medical care and reporting, the Office for Victims of Crime, VictimConnect, the Safe Helpline, StrongHearts and Childhelp were read only in English, and the page marks each fact that comes from one. Where we could not confirm that a phone line answers in Spanish, or how Spanish is chosen on it, the page says so and gives the words to ask for an interpreter. It uses the words agresión sexual, and notes that the Office on Women's Health says abuso sexual. It saves nothing and runs no analytics. Written and translated with AI; general information, not medical or legal advice. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (forty-two tools), with a new need to pick there: I was sexually assaulted / Sufrí una agresión sexual.
Open Después de una agresión sexual →After sexual assault
New at /after-sexual-assault/: a page for anyone in the United States who has been sexually assaulted, last night or years ago, and for the people beside them. Pick what's going on (I'm not safe right now, it just happened, it was in the last few days, it happened a while ago, I'm not sure what happened counts, I'm deciding whether to report, I'm worried about what it costs, it was my partner or someone I live with, it happened to someone I care about, I can't carry this tonight) and open what helps: the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800-656-4673) and what RAINN says happens when you contact it; the first hours and days; medical care and who to ask for; the forensic exam, and that agreeing to it does not mean you must report; the medicine with a deadline (the CDC's 72 hours for HIV medicine, three or five days for emergency contraception); reporting to the police if you choose to; cost and state victim compensation; what to do if it was long ago; school and work; lines for people in the military, Native Americans and Alaska Natives, young people, men, and people hurt by a partner; what you may feel; how to help someone else; and keeping it private. It builds the words to say when you call, to copy or print, and prints a wallet card. A Leave quickly button (or Esc twice) swaps the page for a weather site. It saves nothing and runs no analytics. Written with AI from the sources' own pages, read on October 1, 2026: the Office on Women's Health, RAINN, the CDC, the Office for Victims of Crime and the hotlines themselves. Several RAINN pages would not load that day, and the page says what it did not read (how long evidence can be collected, state time limits, compensation rules, Title IX). General information, not medical or legal advice. English only for now.
Open the page →New essay and song: I Still Have a Name
An essay on the habit of not seeing people who live outside, and what it costs them. It makes a small proposal: look up, say good morning, learn a name, and if the answer is no, say the no to someone's face. It asks for respect (no staring, no photos, no good-deed stories) and says plainly that what ends homelessness is a home. It comes with a slow downtempo song and a lyric film with closed captions. The essay was written with AI (Claude), and the song, the singer's voice and the images are AI-made too; the page says so at the top. It names 211, 988 and 911 and points to Get help now and KONG New York.
Read and watch →Cuando te quedaste sin trabajo: the job loss page, now in Spanish
New at /es/sin-trabajo/: the Spanish twin of /lost-your-job/, for anyone in the United States who has lost a job, is about to, or is helping someone who has. Pick what's going on (no veo salida esta noche, acabo de quedarme sin trabajo, necesito que entre dinero, voy a perder mi seguro médico, no me han pagado lo que me deben, viene un despido o un cierre, creo que me despidieron injustamente, necesito encontrar trabajo, me llegó una carta sobre una solicitud que nunca hice) and open what helps: all 13 sections, the words to say when you call, and the wallet card. It was written from the agencies' own Spanish pages where they exist, read on October 1, 2026: USAGov en Español on unemployment benefits, COBRA and scams; CuidadoDeSalud.gov on coverage, COBRA and the 60-day window; the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's Spanish pages on charges and time limits; the IRS's Spanish Topic 418; and the Department of Labor's Spanish pages on unemployment identity fraud and wage complaints. Most of the Department of Labor's pages and CareerOneStop exist only in English, and the page marks each fact that comes from one. It adds one line the English page doesn't have: USAGov en Español (1-844-872-4681, option 2), which says its agents answer in Spanish on weekdays. Where we could not confirm that a phone line answers in Spanish, the page says so and gives the words to ask for an interpreter. It saves nothing and runs no analytics. Written and translated with AI; general information, not legal, financial or medical advice. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (forty-one tools).
Open Cuando te quedaste sin trabajo →When you’ve lost your job
New at /lost-your-job/: a page for anyone in the United States who has lost a job, is about to, or is helping someone who has. Pick what's going on (I can't see a way through tonight, I just lost my job, I need money coming in, I'm losing my health insurance, they haven't paid me what I'm owed, a layoff or closing is coming, I think I was fired unfairly, I need to find work, I got mail about a claim I never filed) and open what helps: 988 and the Department of Labor's toll-free line for job loss questions (1-877-872-5627); what to do in the first few days; how unemployment insurance works and where to file in your state; health coverage and HealthCare.gov's 60-day window; COBRA, what it costs and what to check before dropping it; the last paycheck and severance; the federal layoff-notice law; the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's time limits; free American Job Centers; our pages on bills, food and rent; what the IRS says about tax on unemployment; and unemployment identity fraud. It builds the words to say when you call, to copy or print, and prints a wallet card. It saves nothing and runs no analytics. Written with AI from the agencies' own pages, read on October 1, 2026; every state runs its own unemployment program, and the page says what it did not read (benefit amounts, appeals, state final-pay rules, severance agreements). General information, not legal, financial or medical advice. Also in Spanish at /es/sin-trabajo/.
Open the page →Cuando el alcohol o las drogas se han vuelto un problema: the drinking and drugs page, now in Spanish
New at /es/alcohol-o-drogas/: the Spanish twin of /drinking-or-drugs/, for anyone in the United States who is worried about their own drinking or drug use, or about someone they love. Pick what's going on (estoy muy mal ahora mismo, no sé si es un problema, quiero beber o consumir menos o dejarlo, lo dejé y ahora me siento mal, son pastillas, heroína o fentanilo, no puedo pagar un tratamiento, lo había dejado y volví, es alguien a quien quiero, es el cigarrillo, el vapeo o el juego) and open what helps: all thirteen sections, the words to say when you call (to copy or print) and the printable wallet card. Where a source has a Spanish page, the page was written from it and links it: SAMHSA's Línea Nacional de Ayuda (1-800-662-4357, free, any hour, in Spanish), FindTreatment.gov in Spanish, the alcohol institute's guide and its eleven questions, the drug institute's treatment page, MedlinePlus on withdrawal, CuidadoDeSalud.gov on coverage, and the CDC on naloxone. It gives the 988 Lifeline in Spanish (call 988 and press 2, or text AYUDA to 988), the Spanish quitline 1-855-DÉJELO-YA, and the gambling helpline. What the sources publish only in English is marked as English, and the page says where it could not confirm that a line or a meeting is in Spanish. It saves nothing and runs no analytics. Written and translated with AI, read against the sources' pages on October 1, 2026; general information, not medical, legal or financial advice. Both pages are now on the tools index, which lists forty tools. Update, October 9, 2026: the part on withdrawal no longer uses MedlinePlus; see the correction of that date.
Open Cuando el alcohol o las drogas →When drinking or drugs have become a problem
New at /drinking-or-drugs/: a page for anyone in the United States who is worried about their own drinking or drug use, or about someone they love. Pick what's going on (I'm in a bad place right now, I'm not sure if it's a problem, I want to cut down or stop, I stopped and now I feel sick or shaky, it's pills, heroin or fentanyl, I can't pay for treatment, I stopped before and went back to it, it's someone I love, it's smoking, vaping or gambling) and open what helps: 988 and SAMHSA's National Helpline (1-800-662-4357, free, any hour, English and Spanish); the questions the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism lists; why stopping heavy drinking suddenly can be dangerous and which symptoms mean 911; where to start; the kinds of treatment; the medications for opioid use disorder and what the CDC says about naloxone; questions to ask a program; what the Helpline and HealthCare.gov say about paying; mutual-help groups; what to do if you went back to it; a section for family and friends; and the quitline and the gambling helpline. It builds the words to say when you call, to copy or print, and prints a wallet card. It saves nothing and runs no analytics. Written with AI from the sources' own pages, read on October 1, 2026; the page says what it did not read. General information, not medical, legal or financial advice. Also in Spanish at /es/alcohol-o-drogas/. Update, October 9, 2026: the part on withdrawal no longer uses MedlinePlus; see the correction of that date.
Open the page →Para quienes sirvieron, y quienes los acompañan: the veterans page, now in Spanish
New at /es/veteranos/: the Spanish twin of /veterans/, for anyone in the United States who served, and for the family, caregivers and friends beside them. Pick what's going on (estoy muy mal ahora mismo, no duermo o no me reconozco, necesito un médico y no tengo el cuidado de la salud de VA, tengo una lesión o una enfermedad por mi servicio, VA me dijo que no, no tengo dónde quedarme, mi baja no fue honorable, me hicieron algo mientras servía, soy de la familia) and open what helps: all thirteen sections, the words to say when you call VA (to copy or print) and the printable wallet card. Where VA has a Spanish page, the page was written from it and links it: the Veterans Crisis Line's Spanish site, health care eligibility and how to apply, disability compensation and how to file a claim, the PACT Act, Supplemental Claims, the family caregiver program and survivor compensation. It gives VA's own instructions for a free interpreter: call MyVA411 at 800-698-2411, press 0, and ask for an interpreter who speaks Spanish. What VA publishes only in English is marked as English, and the page says plainly that we could not confirm whether the Veterans Crisis Line and four other lines answer in Spanish. It saves nothing and runs no analytics. Written and translated with AI, read against VA's pages on October 1, 2026; general information, not medical, legal or financial advice, and not part of VA. Both pages are now on the tools index.
Open Para quienes sirvieron →For veterans, and the people beside them
New at /veterans/: a page for anyone in the United States who served, and for the family, caregivers and friends beside them. Pick what's going on (I'm in a bad place right now, I'm not sleeping or not myself, I need a doctor and I'm not in VA health care, I was hurt or got sick because of my service, VA turned me down, I have nowhere to stay, my discharge wasn't honorable, something was done to me while I served, I'm family or a friend) and open what helps: the Veterans Crisis Line (dial 988, then press 1, or text 838255), which needs no VA enrollment; mental health care VA says you can walk in for; how to apply for VA health care and what to have ready; disability compensation and how to hold your date; accredited Veterans Service Organization representatives, whose help with a claim VA says is always free; the three decision review options; the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans; what VA says about discharges that aren't honorable; free care related to military sexual trauma, with no report or proof needed; the DD214; work, school and pension; and help for family, caregivers and survivors. It builds the words to say when you call VA from what you tick, to copy or print, and prints a wallet card with the numbers. Every number, hour and rule was read on VA's own pages on October 1, 2026, and where we could not confirm something (decision review deadlines, copays, dollar limits) the page says so. English only for now. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; general information, not medical, legal or financial advice, and Scarlet Beast is not part of VA or accredited by it.
Open For veterans →Durante el embarazo, o con un bebé en casa: the pregnancy and new-baby page, now in Spanish
New at /es/embarazo-y-bebe/: the Spanish twin of /pregnancy-and-new-baby/, for anyone in the United States who is pregnant or has a baby under one, and for the people beside them. Pick what's going on (algo no anda bien en mi cuerpo, no me siento como siempre, no tengo seguro médico, no me alcanza para comida o pañales, el bebé no para de llorar y ya no puedo más, me preocupa mi trabajo, perdí el embarazo o al bebé, soy la pareja o de la familia, es demasiado) and open what helps: all thirteen sections, the words to say when you call a doctor or clinic (to copy or print) and the card for the fridge. Where a source has a Spanish page, the page was written from it and links it, read on October 1, 2026: the CDC's urgent maternal warning signs in the CDC's own Spanish, the National Institute of Mental Health on perinatal depression, CuidadoDeSalud.gov on Medicaid, CHIP and the 60 days after a birth, USAGov en Español on WIC, the Seguro al Dormir safe-sleep list, the EEOC on the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, the Office on Women's Health helpline, and Postpartum Support International. The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline, 1-833-852-6262, is described in NIMH's Spanish words, which say counselors who speak Spanish are available; the PSI line says press 1 for Spanish. Some sources are English only, and the page says so wherever they appear: the CDC's pages on a crying baby and on depression, the USDA's WIC pages, the Department of Labor's pages on pumping at work and FMLA leave, and the diaper bank directory. We could not confirm Spanish on 211, or how Spanish is chosen on four of the phone lines, and the page says so. The interpreter line in the words-to-say builder gives the sentence in Spanish and in English, so it can be read to an office that answers in English. It speaks to the reader as tú and uses nothing gendered about them: “si esperas un bebé”, “tuviste un embarazo”. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (thirty-eight tools, with a new need: I'm pregnant or have a new baby) and can be saved by /offline/. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written and translated with AI; general information, not medical, legal or financial advice.
Open Durante el embarazo, o con un bebé en casa →Pregnant, or with a new baby: one thing at a time
New at /pregnancy-and-new-baby/: a page for anyone in the United States who is pregnant or has a baby under one, and for the people beside them. Pick what's going on (something feels wrong in my body, I don't feel like myself, I have no insurance, I can't afford food or diapers, the baby won't stop crying and I'm at my limit, I'm worried about my job, I lost the pregnancy or the baby, I'm the partner or family, it's too much) and open what helps: the CDC's urgent maternal warning signs, which apply during pregnancy and for a year after delivery; the difference between the baby blues and depression as the National Institute of Mental Health describes it, and the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline, 1-833-852-6262, call or text at any hour; what HealthCare.gov says about Medicaid, CHIP and the 60 days after a birth; who WIC is for and how to apply; diaper banks and child care; the CDC's advice for when a baby won't stop crying (put the baby somewhere safe and walk away to calm down); the Safe to Sleep list; the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, the right to pump at work and FMLA leave; and what partners, family and friends can do. It builds the words to say when you call a doctor or clinic from what you tick, to copy or print, and prints a card for the fridge. Every fact and phone number was read on the source's own page on October 1, 2026, and the page says where we could not confirm something. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not medical, legal or financial advice. Also in Spanish at /es/embarazo-y-bebe/.
Open Pregnant, or with a new baby →Solicitar beneficios por incapacidad: the SSI and SSDI page, now in Spanish
New at /es/beneficios-por-incapacidad/: the Spanish twin of /disability-benefits/, for anyone in the United States whose health, physical or mental, keeps them from working. Pick what's going on (mi salud no me deja trabajar, he trabajado poco o nunca, ya solicité y sigo esperando, me negaron los beneficios, necesito dinero ya, no tengo dirección o estoy por salir de un hospital, una cárcel o una prisión, recibo beneficios y quiero probar a trabajar, me llegó una carta, es demasiado) and open what helps: all thirteen sections, the words to say when you call Social Security (to copy or print) and the printable card. Where Social Security has a Spanish page, the page was written from it and links it, read on ssa.gov/es on October 1, 2026: its pages on Incapacidad and SSI, applying, checking the status of an application, the four appeals, reviews and overpayments, plus USAGov en Español's page on SSDI and SSI. It uses Social Security's own Spanish words (Incapacidad, Seguridad de Ingreso Suplementario, período probatorio de trabajo, restitución acelerada, sobrepago, exoneración) and its own phone instructions: call 1-800-772-1213 and press 7 for Spanish, and on the automated status line press 5 after the messages. Much of what Social Security publishes on this is English only, and the page says so wherever it appears: its guide to SSI (the document list, your rights when you apply, the hearing rules, the early payments), its pages on homelessness, release from an institution and noncitizens, Compassionate Allowances, Ticket to Work, and its online application and account. For those, the page gives the English name too, so a reader can ask for the thing by the name the person on the phone will use, and says that the Spanish names beside them are our translations and not official ones. One difference from the English page: USAGov en Español does not say you can collect both benefits, so that sentence is attributed to Social Security's Spanish pages, which do. We could not confirm Spanish on 211 or on the Ticket to Work Help Line, and the page says so. It speaks to the reader as tú and uses nothing gendered about them. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (thirty-seven tools, with a new need: my health keeps me from working) and can be saved by /offline/. The dollar figures are Social Security's for 2026 and change each year. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written and translated with AI; general information, not legal, medical or financial advice.
Open Solicitar beneficios por incapacidad →Applying for disability benefits: SSI and SSDI, one step at a time
New at /disability-benefits/: a page for anyone in the United States whose health, physical or mental, keeps them from working. Pick what's going on (my health keeps me from working, I haven't worked much or at all, I applied and I'm waiting, I was denied, I need money now, I have no address or I'm leaving a hospital, jail or prison, I get benefits and want to try working, I got a review or overpayment letter, it's too much) and open what helps: the difference between SSDI and SSI and why you can ask about both; what SSI counts and what it doesn't; what to have ready; how to apply online or at 1-800-772-1213, and the rights Social Security's own guide lists (help with the forms, a free interpreter, someone to represent you); what happens after you apply; the early SSI payments that exist for emergencies; the four levels of appeal and the 60 days each one gives you; free legal aid and Protection and Advocacy agencies; applying without an address or before release; the trial work period and Ticket to Work; review and overpayment letters. It builds the words to say when you call from what you tick, to copy or print, and prints a pocket card. Every fact, deadline and dollar figure was read on ssa.gov or usa.gov on October 1, 2026; the dollar figures are Social Security's for 2026 and change each year. The page saves nothing and has no analytics. It was written with AI (Claude) and is general information, not legal, medical or financial advice. Also in Spanish at /es/beneficios-por-incapacidad/.
Open Applying for disability benefits →Cuando cuidas a alguien: the caregiving page, now in Spanish
New at /es/cuidar-a-alguien/: the Spanish twin of /caregiving/, for anyone in the United States looking after a parent, a partner, a relative or a friend who is older, ill or disabled. Pick what's going on (acabo de empezar a cuidar a alguien, necesito un descanso, no podemos pagar el cuidado, estoy tratando de conservar mi trabajo, tiene pérdida de memoria o demencia, vivo lejos, es una persona veterana, me preocupa que le hagan daño, es demasiado) and open what helps: all thirteen sections, the words to say when you call (to copy or print) and the printable card. Where a source has a Spanish page, the page was written from it and links it, read on October 1, 2026: USAGov en Español, three Spanish pages of the National Institute on Aging, Alzheimers.gov, Medicare.gov, VA's Spanish page on its family caregiver program, the Alzheimer's Association, and the Department of Labor's Spanish employee guide to the Family and Medical Leave Act. It uses the names those pages use: a break is "cuidado de relevo", and the office to ask for is given with its English name too (Area Agency on Aging), because that is what the person on the phone will call it. Where the Spanish source says less than the English one, the page follows the Spanish or says which page a fact comes from: USAGov en Español does not say to ask an insurer for written confirmation, so the Spanish page does not either; VA's 30 days of respite a year and the note that an estate without a will follows state law are marked as coming from the English pages. The hours of VA's Caregiver Support Line (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern) are the ones VA's Spanish page gives. USAGov en Español says the Eldercare Locator answers in Spanish with option 2, while the Institute's Spanish page marks that number as English, and the page says both. We could not confirm Spanish on 211, the SHIP line, VA's Caregiver Support Line or the Labor Department's line, and the page says so. Sources that are English only are marked where they appear. The page speaks to the reader as tú and uses nothing gendered about them. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (thirty-six tools, with a new need: I'm looking after someone) and can be saved by /offline/. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written and translated with AI; general information, not legal, medical or financial advice.
Open Cuando cuidas a alguien →When you're caring for someone: where to start, and who helps
New at /caregiving/: a page for anyone in the United States looking after a parent, a partner, a relative or a friend who is older, ill or disabled. Pick what's going on (I just became a caregiver, I need a break, we can't afford care or I had to cut back work, I'm trying to keep my job, they have memory loss or dementia, I live far away, they're a veteran, I'm worried they're being hurt, neglected or cheated, it's too much) and open what helps: where to start, as the National Institute on Aging lays it out; finding the Area Agency on Aging through the Eldercare Locator (call or text 1-800-677-1116) and what the National Family Caregiver Support Program funds and for whom; getting a break, with the word to ask for (respite) and how it is paid for; what Medicare.gov says Medicare does and does not cover, and the ways USAGov lists for a family member to be paid; the Family and Medical Leave Act as the Department of Labor describes it (12 weeks, who is eligible, and that it is unpaid); the papers to have in order; the Alzheimer's Association Helpline (1-800-272-3900, any hour) and plain tips from Alzheimers.gov; VA's Caregiver Support Line (1-855-260-3274) and its caregiver programs; caring from far away; Adult Protective Services, the long-term care ombudsman and the Justice Department's National Elder Fraud Hotline; the signs of caregiver stress; and 988. It builds the words to say for a call from what you tick, to copy or print, and prints a pocket card. Where we could not confirm something, such as a helpline's hours, how much a program pays or which states have paid family leave, the page says to ask and does not guess. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; general information, not legal, medical or financial advice. Also in Spanish at /es/cuidar-a-alguien/.
Open When you're caring for someone →Después de un desastre: the after-a-disaster page, now in Spanish
New at /es/despues-de-un-desastre/: the Spanish twin of /after-a-disaster/. Pick what's going on (acaba de pasar, no puedo quedarme en mi casa, voy a volver a una casa dañada, necesito solicitar ayuda, FEMA dijo que no o sigo esperando, perdí trabajo o no puedo pagar mis cuentas, perdí mis papeles, alguien ofrece ayudar o reparar por dinero, es demasiado) and open what helps: all fourteen sections, the words to say when you call (to copy or print) and the printable card. It was written from the government's own Spanish pages, read on October 1, 2026: FEMA and DisasterAssistance.gov in Spanish, USAGov en Español, Ready.gov, the CDC, SAMHSA and the FTC, plus the American Red Cross's Spanish pages. The shelter text line is given with the Spanish keyword DisasterAssistance.gov gives (REFUGIO and your ZIP code to 43362), the FEMA Helpline and the IRS disaster line with their Spanish option (press 2) as USAGov en Español states it, and the Disaster Distress Helpline with press 2 as SAMHSA states it. Where the Spanish source says less than the English one, the page follows the Spanish: it does not call the disaster tax extension automatic, because USAGov en Español does not. Two facts appear only on FEMA's English citizenship page (voluntary agencies help regardless of status; consult an immigration expert), and the page says so. It also says which links open in English (the address lookup, FEMA's recovery center locator, the SNAP office list, CareerOneStop, the CFPB guide) and that we could not confirm Spanish on 211 everywhere or on the SBA line. Both pages are now on /tools/ (thirty-five tools, with a new need, "A flood, fire or storm hit my home") and can be saved for offline use. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude); general information, not legal, medical or financial advice.
Abrir Después de un desastre →After a disaster: where to start, and who to call
New at /after-a-disaster/: a page for anyone in the United States after a flood, fire, storm, tornado or earthquake. Pick what's going on (it just happened, I can't stay in my home, I'm going back to a damaged home, I need to apply for help, FEMA said no or I'm still waiting, I lost work or can't pay my bills, my papers are gone, someone is offering to help or repair for money, it's too much) and open what helps: the first hours and days in order; going back safely, with what the CDC and Ready.gov say about generators and carbon monoxide, flood water, wet electrics and food after the power was out; finding an open shelter by text (SHELTER and your ZIP code to 43362), 211 or the Red Cross map; D-SNAP disaster food help; applying to FEMA (DisasterAssistance.gov or 1-800-621-3362, free) and what to have ready; the inspection, the letter, and the 60 days FEMA gives you to appeal; insurance, SBA disaster loans, mortgage and bills; Disaster Unemployment Assistance; who replaces which paper; the signs of a repair scam from the FTC and what a real FEMA inspector never does; what FEMA says is open to everyone regardless of immigration status; what to do when the disaster is not federally declared; and the Disaster Distress Helpline (call or text 1-800-985-5990). It builds the words to say for a call from what you tick, to copy or print, and prints a pocket card. Where we could not confirm something, such as a deadline that holds for every disaster, the page says to ask and does not guess. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; general information, not legal, medical or financial advice. Also in Spanish at /es/despues-de-un-desastre/.
Open After a disaster →Volver a casa después de la cárcel o la prisión: the coming-home page, now in Spanish
New at /es/volver-a-casa/: the Spanish twin of /coming-home/. Pick what's going on (salgo pronto o sale alguien que quiero, acabo de salir, necesito trabajo y tengo antecedentes, no tengo dónde quedarme, necesito medicinas o seguro médico, no tengo dinero y me esperan deudas, estoy en probatoria o libertad condicional, ¿puedo votar?, es demasiado) and open what helps: all thirteen sections, the words to say when you call a reentry program (to copy or print) and the printable card. Wherever the government has a Spanish page, it links that one: CuidadoDeSalud.gov on the 60 days to pick a health plan after release, Vote.gov's Spanish guide to voting after a felony conviction (with its own date, March 22, 2024, and its warning to check before you register), the FTC's Spanish page on background checks, FindTreatment.gov in Spanish, the IRS's Publication 4925(SP), and USAGov en Español on prison records, SNAP, child support and election offices. The Social Security line is given with its Spanish option (press 7) as USAGov en Español states it, and SAMHSA's helpline as SAMHSA describes it (English and Spanish). Where a source exists only in English (Social Security's pages about release, the Labor Department's CareerOneStop reentry finder, the Federal Bonding Program, the federal courts, VA's reentry program, the Clean Slate Clearinghouse), the page says so, and it says where we could not confirm that a phone line answers in Spanish. English terms the reader will meet on paperwork (probation, parole, supervised release) are given beside the Spanish. Both pages are now on /tools/ (thirty-four tools, with a new need, "I'm coming home from jail or prison") and can be saved for offline use. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude); general information, not legal or medical advice.
Abrir Volver a casa →Coming home from jail or prison: the first days, and who to call
New at /coming-home/: a page for people who are about to be released or just were, and for the people waiting for them. Pick what's going on (I get out soon, I just got out, I need work and I have a record, I have nowhere to stay, I need medicine or insurance, I have no money and debts waiting, I'm on probation or parole, can I vote, it's too much) and open what helps: the first days in order; ID and papers; how Social Security says to restart benefits (call 1-800-772-1213 and bring your release documents; SSI needs a new application after 12 months inside); the 60 days HealthCare.gov gives you to pick a plan after release; what the National Institute on Drug Abuse says about lower opioid tolerance after time inside; reentry programs and American Job Centers through the Labor Department's CareerOneStop (1-877-872-5627); the Federal Bonding Program; your rights in a background check, from the FTC; a place to stay; probation, parole and supervised release; Vote.gov's state groups for voting after a felony conviction, with its own date and its warning to check before you register; where to look up record clearing in your state; debts, child support and the CFPB's reentry guide; VA's program for veterans coming home. It builds the words to say for a call to a reentry program from what you tick, to copy or print, and prints a pocket card. Where we could not confirm something, the page says to ask and does not guess. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI; general information, not legal or medical advice. Also in Spanish at /es/volver-a-casa/.
Open Coming home from jail or prison →Cuando necesitas un abogado y no puedes pagar: the legal help page, now in Spanish
New at /es/ayuda-legal/: the Spanish twin of /legal-help/. Pick what's going on (me llegaron papeles del tribunal o un aviso legal, puedo perder mi casa, problemas en el trabajo, un cobrador de deudas me está demandando, familia, me arrestaron o arrestaron a alguien que quiero, un problema de inmigración, nadie quiere tomar mi caso, no puedo con nada de esto) and open what helps: all thirteen sections, the words to say when you call a legal aid office (to copy or print) and the printable card. Wherever the government has a Spanish page, it links that one: USAGov en Español on legal aid, eviction, foreclosure, wages, discrimination, child support, deportation and more; the EEOC's Spanish page on time limits; the immigration court case system in Spanish. Spanish phone options are given as USAGov en Español states them (domestic violence hotline press 2, Wage and Hour press 2, immigration court line press 2, ADA line press 1, 988 marca 2). Where a source exists only in English (the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's pages on debt lawsuits, the federal courts, the list of free immigration legal help, the programs for veterans, older adults and people with disabilities), the page says so, and it says where we could not confirm that a line answers in Spanish. Both pages are now on /tools/ (thirty-three tools, with a new need, "I have a legal problem and can't pay a lawyer") and can be saved for offline use. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude); general information, not legal advice.
Abrir Cuando necesitas un abogado y no puedes pagar →When you need a lawyer and can't pay: where free legal help is, and what to say
New at /legal-help/: for anyone in the United States with a legal problem and no money for a lawyer, and for the people helping them. Pick what's going on (I got court papers or a legal notice, I might lose my home, trouble at work, a debt collector is suing me, family, I was arrested or someone I love was, an immigration problem, nobody will take my case, or I can't face any of this) and open what helps: five first steps that cost nothing; how to find the free legal aid office for your address through the Legal Services Corporation, LawHelp.org and ABA Free Legal Answers; what to do with court papers, with questions for the court clerk; words to say when you call legal aid, built from what you tick, to copy or print; eviction, landlords and foreclosure; unpaid wages, discrimination and the EEOC's time limits; what the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says about being sued over a debt; family, child support and safety; asking the court for a lawyer in a criminal case; the Justice Department's list of free immigration legal help; programs for veterans, older adults and people with disabilities; what you can do without a lawyer; and a card to print. Facts and numbers were checked on the government's own pages. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not legal advice.
Open When you need a lawyer and can't pay →The five basic-needs pages now lead to each other
Trouble rarely comes alone: someone short of food is often short of rent, a doctor or ID too. The five pages for the basics (/food-help/, /place-to-stay/, /low-cost-care/, /money-help/, /id-help/) and their Spanish twins (/es/comida/, /es/techo/, /es/atencion-medica/, /es/dinero/, /es/identificacion/) now each carry the same strip, "The basics, one at a time" ("Lo básico, una cosa a la vez"), with a card for each of the other four and a mark for the page you are on. Before this, the food page did not link to any of the others. /es/comida/ also links es.211.org, the Spanish site of United Way's 211. Written with AI (Claude).
Open When you need food →Cuando te quedas sin identificación: the ID help page, now in Spanish
New at /es/identificacion/: the Spanish twin of /id-help/. Pick what's going on (perdí mi billetera o mi identificación, me robaron mi identificación o mis papeles, no me queda nada para demostrar quién soy, necesito mi certificado de nacimiento, necesito mi tarjeta del Seguro Social, necesito una identificación para algo esta semana, no tengo dirección o no tengo dinero para los cargos, estoy ayudando a alguien, no puedo con nada de esto) and open what helps: an order to replace things in; the birth certificate; the Social Security card; a driver's license or state ID; words to say when you call an office, built from what you tick, to copy or print; passports, Green Cards, Medicare and Medicaid cards, military and veteran ID; marriage, divorce, death, military and tax records; what to do if it was stolen; flying and voting without ID; no address, no money for fees; helping someone else; and a card to print. It links the Spanish pages where they exist: USAGov en Español's pages on replacing documents, birth certificates, Social Security cards, REAL ID, lost passports, divorce, name changes, death certificates, identity theft and voter ID, Social Security's and USCIS's Spanish pages as USAGov en Español gives them, Medicare in Spanish, the IRS transcript page in Spanish and RobodeIdentidad.gov. It gives the Spanish options the government's own pages state (press 7 at Social Security, press 2 on the passport line and the identity theft line, press 8 at Medicare, option 2 on USAGov's line, 988 and press 2). Where a fact is only on USAGov's English page (the example documents for a REAL ID, TSA's ConfirmID), the page says so; the lists that exist only in English are marked; and where we could not confirm that a phone line answers in Spanish (the Railroad Retirement Board line, the IRS transcript line, the Eldercare Locator), it says so. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (thirty-two tools, with a new need, "I lost my ID or my papers"), and /offline/ can save them for when there is no signal. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude); general information, not legal or immigration advice.
Abrir Cuando te quedas sin identificación →When your ID is gone: where to start, and what to say
New at /id-help/: for anyone in the United States whose ID or papers were lost, stolen or left behind, and for the people helping them. Pick what's going on (I lost my wallet or my ID, my ID or papers were stolen, I have nothing left to prove who I am, I need my birth certificate, I need my Social Security card, I need ID for something this week, I have no address or no money for the fees, I'm helping someone get their ID, or I can't face any of this) and open what helps: an order to replace things in; how to ask your birth state's vital records office for a certified birth certificate, and what USAGov says states do when you have no ID at all; the Social Security card, which is free to replace; your state's motor vehicle agency and what a REAL ID asks for; words to say when you call an office, built from what you tick, to copy or print; passports, Green Cards, Medicare and Medicaid cards, military and Veteran ID; marriage, divorce, death, military and tax records; what to do if it was stolen, with the identity theft line at 1-877-438-4338; flying and voting without ID; the questions to ask when you have no address or no money for fees; helping someone else; and a card to print. Facts and numbers were checked on the government's own pages. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not legal or immigration advice.
Open When your ID is gone →
Cuando se acaba el dinero: the money help page, now in Spanish
New at /es/dinero/: the Spanish twin of /money-help/. Pick what's going on (no tengo dinero para lo básico, perdí mi trabajo o mis horas, no puedo pagar una cuenta este mes, me pueden cortar la luz, el gas o el teléfono, me está contactando un cobrador de deudas, me llegaron papeles de la corte por una deuda, estoy pensando en un préstamo de día de pago, alguien que conozco se quedó sin dinero, ya no puedo más) and open what helps: what to do first; cash and benefits; unemployment insurance; bills you can't pay; words to say when you call a company you owe, built from what you tick, to copy or print; debt collectors and court papers; what a payday loan costs; money you may be owed; older adults, disability, veterans and families; helping someone else; and a card to print. It links the Spanish pages where they exist: USAGov en Español's benefit finder and its pages on TANF, unemployment, energy and phone bills, SSI and SSDI, unclaimed money and child support, the IRS pages in Spanish, ReporteFraude.ftc.gov and unclaimed.org in Spanish. It gives the Spanish options the services themselves state (option 2 on USAGov's line at 1-844-872-4681, press 2 on the Lifeline support line, 988 and press 2). The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's pages and sample letters are in English only today, and the page marks them so; where we could not confirm that a phone line answers in Spanish (the energy assistance line, the CFPB line, the Eldercare Locator), it says so. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (thirty-one tools, with a new need, "I can't pay my bills"), and /offline/ can save them for when there is no signal. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written and translated with AI (Claude); general information, not financial, legal or tax advice.
Abrir Cuando se acaba el dinero →When the money runs out: what to do first, and what to say
New at /money-help/ (and in Spanish at /es/dinero/): for anyone in the United States who can't cover the basics or the bills this month, and for the people helping them. Pick what's going on (I have no money for the basics, I lost my job or my hours, I can't pay a bill this month, my power, gas or phone may be shut off, a debt collector is contacting me, I got court papers about a debt, I'm thinking about a payday loan, someone I know is out of money, or I can't take any more) and open what helps: what to do first; USAGov's benefit finder, cash assistance for families, SSI and SSDI; unemployment insurance through your state; help with energy and phone bills, and the energy assistance referral line at 1-866-674-6327; words to say when you call a company you owe, built from what you tick, to copy or print; the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's guidance on debt collectors, disputing a debt in writing within 30 days, and answering court papers by the date in them; what the CFPB says a payday loan costs, and the "free money" scams USAGov warns about; tax credits and free tax help from IRS-certified volunteers at 800-906-9887, unclaimed money and child support; older adults, disability, veterans and families; helping someone else; and a card to print. Facts and numbers were checked on each service's own site. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not financial, legal or tax advice.
Open When the money runs out →Cuando necesitas atención médica y no puedes pagar: the low-cost care page, now in Spanish
New at /es/atencion-medica/: the Spanish twin of /low-cost-care/. Pick what's going on (me enfermé o me lastimé y no tengo seguro médico, podría ser una emergencia, perdí mi seguro médico o mi Medicaid, me llegó una cuenta médica que no puedo pagar, no puedo pagar mi medicina, necesito un dentista, necesito ayuda con mi salud mental o con el alcohol o las drogas, alguien que conozco necesita atención médica, ya no puedo más) and open what helps: your rights in an emergency room; community health centers, where what you pay depends on your income; words to say when you call a clinic, built from what you tick, to copy or print; Medicaid, CHIP and the Marketplace; a bill you can't pay; medicine; a dentist; mental health, alcohol and drugs; veterans, children, pregnancy and Medicare; helping someone; and a card to print. Where Spanish is confirmed the page links it or says how to get it: CuidadoDeSalud.gov's pages on health centers, Medicaid and local enrollment help; USAGov en Español, which says to press 8 for Spanish on the Marketplace line; MedlinePlus and FindTreatment.gov in Spanish; SAMHSA's helpline, which answers in English and Spanish; the No Surprises Help Desk; the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research's Spanish page on finding dental care; and VA's Spanish page on applying for health care, with its interpreter number. Pages that are in English today (CMS on emergency room rights and medical bill rights, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on medical bills, the health center finder) are marked that way, and the page says plainly that we could not confirm Spanish on 1-877-KIDS-NOW, 1-800-MEDICARE or the SHIP line. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (thirty tools) and can be saved for no-signal use from /offline/ and /es/sin-conexion/. It saves nothing and has no tracking. Written and translated with AI (Claude); general information, not medical, legal or insurance advice.
Abrir Cuando necesitas atención médica y no puedes pagar →When you need a doctor and can’t pay: where to go, and what to say
New at /low-cost-care/: for anyone in the United States who is sick, hurt or out of medicine, with no insurance or no money for the visit, and for the people helping them. Pick what's going on (I'm sick or hurt and have no insurance, it might be an emergency, I lost my insurance or my Medicaid, I got a medical bill I can't pay, I can't afford my medicine, I need a dentist, I need help with my mental health or with drinking or drugs, someone I know needs care, or I can't take any more) and open what helps: your rights in an emergency room, as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services states them; community health centers, where what you pay depends on your income; words to say when you call a clinic, built from what you tick, to copy or print; how to apply for Medicaid or CHIP at any time of year and the Marketplace line at 1-800-318-2596; the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's steps for a medical bill you can't pay, including hospital financial assistance and the good faith estimate; medicine; low-cost dental care; SAMHSA's helpline at 1-800-662-4357 and 988; veterans, children, pregnancy and Medicare; helping someone else; and a card to print. Facts and numbers were checked on each service's own site. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not medical, legal or insurance advice. In Spanish at /es/atencion-medica/.
Open When you need a doctor and can’t pay →Cuando necesitas un lugar donde quedarte: the shelter and eviction page, now in Spanish
New at /es/techo/: the Spanish twin of /place-to-stay/. Pick what's going on (no tengo dónde dormir esta noche, tengo que irme pronto, me llegó un aviso de desalojo o papeles del tribunal, debo renta o cuentas, mi casa no es un lugar seguro, soy adolescente o joven y estoy por mi cuenta, serví en las fuerzas armadas, alguien que conozco no tiene adónde ir, ya no puedo más) and open what helps: who to call for shelter tonight, words to say when you call, built from what you tick, to copy or print; each stage of an eviction and where to find free legal aid; rent, utilities and shutoffs; veterans, young people, older adults and disability; if home isn't safe; sleeping outside or in a car; helping someone; and a card to print. Where Spanish is confirmed the page says how to get it: USAGov en Español says to press 2 on the National Runaway Safeline and 5 on HUD's housing counseling line, and to pick "ES" on HUD's Find Shelter search; 211, the National Domestic Violence Hotline and the Red Cross shelter finder have Spanish sites, and we link USAGov's Spanish pages on legal aid and energy bills. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's renter guide is in English today and is marked that way, and the page says plainly that we could not confirm Spanish on the homeless veterans call center, the Eldercare Locator, the energy assistance line or the CFPB phone line. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (twenty-nine tools) and can be saved for no-signal use from /offline/ and /es/sin-conexion/. It saves nothing and has no tracking. Written and translated with AI (Claude); general information, not legal advice.
Abrir Cuando necesitas un lugar donde quedarte →When you need a place to stay: who to call, and what to say
New at /place-to-stay/: for anyone in the United States with nowhere to sleep tonight, or afraid of losing the place they live, and for the people helping them. Pick what's going on (I have nowhere to sleep tonight, I have to leave soon, I got an eviction notice or court papers, I'm behind on rent or bills, home isn't safe, I'm a teen or young adult on my own, I'm a veteran, someone I know has nowhere to go, or I can't take any more) and open what helps: who to call for shelter (211, HUD's Find Shelter search, the call center for homeless veterans at 1-877-424-3838, the National Runaway Safeline at 1-800-786-2929, the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233), words to say when you call, built from what you tick, to copy or print; what to do at each stage of an eviction, following the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's guide, and where to find free legal aid; help with rent, utilities and shutoffs; what helps if you're sleeping outside or in a car; how to help someone else; and a card with the numbers to print and hand to someone. It saves nothing and has no tracking. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not legal advice. In Spanish at /es/techo/.
Open When you need a place to stay →Cuando necesitas comida: the food help page, now in Spanish
New at /es/comida/: the Spanish twin of /food-help/. Pick what's going on (necesito comida hoy, el dinero se acabó antes que el mes, estoy embarazada o tengo un niño pequeño, mis hijos necesitan comer, tengo 60 años o más, no puedo salir, no tengo dónde cocinar, alguien que conozco no tiene suficiente, me da vergüenza pedir) and open what helps: where to find free food today, words to say when you call, built from what you tick, to copy or print; a first pantry visit; SNAP and how to ask for it within 7 days; WIC, school and summer meals; meals and food boxes at 60 and older; what to ask for with no kitchen; helping someone; and a card to print. Where a service has a Spanish site we link it: Feeding America's Spanish food bank finder and usa.gov's food assistance pages in Spanish. USDA's own pages are in English and are marked that way, and the page says plainly that we could not confirm Spanish on the USDA National Hunger Hotline, its text line, the Eldercare Locator or Meals on Wheels, so it suggests asking when you call. 988 has Spanish when you press 2 or text AYUDA. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ (twenty-eight tools), /es/ayuda/ has a card for it, and /offline/ can save both. It saves nothing and runs no analytics. General information, not legal or benefits advice; written and translated with AI (Claude), and it says so.
Abrir Cuando necesitas comida →When you need food: where to find it today, and what to say
New at /food-help/: for anyone in the United States who doesn't have enough to eat today or this week, and for the people helping them. Pick what's going on (I need food today, money ran out before the month did, I'm pregnant or have a small child, my kids need to eat, I'm 60 or older, I can't get out, I have nowhere to cook, someone I know doesn't have enough, or I'm ashamed to ask) and open what helps: where to find free food today (211, the USDA National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-348-6479, Feeding America's food bank finder), words to say when you call, built from what you tick, to copy or print; what a first pantry visit is like; SNAP and how to ask for it within 7 days; WIC, school and summer meals; delivered meals and food boxes at 60 and older; what to ask for when you have no kitchen; helping someone else; and a card to print with the numbers. Program facts come from USDA's own pages and each service's site, checked today. It saves nothing and has no analytics. Written with AI (Claude); general information, not legal or benefits advice.
Open When you need food →¿Es una estafa?: the scam check, now in Spanish
New at /es/estafa/: the Spanish twin of /scam-check/. Pick what happened (alguien llamó y dice que debo dinero, un familiar está en apuros, un texto sobre un paquete o mi banco, alguien de internet pide dinero o cripto, un trabajo o premio o un cheque, una ventana dice que tengo un virus, ya pagué, creo que están estafando a alguien que quiero, perdí dinero y es demasiado) and open what helps: the red-flag checklist, what to do right now with a line to end the call, the to-do list for each way you paid (to copy or print), ten common scams, where to report, protecting yourself ahead, helping someone, and it's never your fault. Where a service has a Spanish site we link it: ReporteFraude.ftc.gov, RobodeIdentidad.gov and consumidor.ftc.gov; the National Elder Fraud Hotline answers in Spanish, 988 has Spanish when you press 2 or text AYUDA, and the page says plainly where we couldn't confirm Spanish (AARP Fraud Watch, the Postal Inspection Service, the Eldercare Locator) and that ic3.gov is in English. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ under a new 'This might be a scam' need, /es/ayuda/ has a card for it, and /offline/ can save both. It saves nothing and runs no analytics. General information, not legal or financial advice; written and translated with AI (Claude), and it says so.
Abrir ¿Es una estafa? →Is this a scam? Red flags, and what to do now
New at /scam-check/: for the call, text, email or message that feels off, and for anyone worried a parent or friend is being taken advantage of. Pick what happened (a caller says you owe money, a family member is supposedly in trouble, a text about a package or your bank, someone online wants money or crypto, a job or prize or a check to send back, a pop-up says your computer has a virus, you already paid, you're worried about someone, or it's all too much) and open what helps: a red-flag checklist that tells you plainly when what you've marked looks like a scam; what to do in the next five minutes, with a line to end the call; if you already paid, a to-do list for each way you paid (credit or debit card, bank transfer or Zelle, wire, payment app, gift cards, crypto, cash by mail, your Social Security number, a password, remote access) that you can copy or print; ten common scams; where to report (ReportFraud.ftc.gov, IdentityTheft.gov, the FBI's ic3.gov, the National Elder Fraud Hotline 1-833-372-8311, AARP's free Fraud Watch helpline 1-877-908-3360); how to protect yourself ahead; how to help someone without shame; and, if you feel awful, that it's never your fault. A 'Print a card for the fridge' button makes a small card with the four signs and the numbers. The steps follow the FTC's consumer advice and every number was checked on the service's own site. It saves nothing and runs no analytics. General information, not legal or financial advice; written with AI (Claude), and it says so.
Open Is this a scam? →Si alguien pudo haber tenido una sobredosis: the overdose walkthrough, now in Spanish
New at /es/sobredosis/: the Spanish twin of /overdose/. It walks you through an overdose one step at a time: despertar a la persona, llamar al 911, darle naloxona, ayudarle a respirar, esperar 2 a 3 minutos y dar otra dosis, ponerla de lado y quedarte. The same clock says when the next naloxone dose is due, and a list of times can be read to the paramedics. All ten reasons and eleven sections are there, plus the printable steps and wallet card. Spanish language facts are only the ones we could confirm: Poison Control has Spanish interpretation, the SAMHSA National Helpline answers in Spanish, and 988 has Spanish when you press 2 or text AYUDA; the page says we couldn’t confirm Spanish for Never Use Alone. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/ under a new ‘Someone may have overdosed’ need, and /es/ayuda/ has a card for it. It saves nothing and runs no analytics. General information, not medical advice; written and translated with AI (Claude), and it says so.
Abrir Si alguien pudo haber tenido una sobredosis →If someone may have overdosed: what to do, step by step
New at /overdose/: an emergency page that walks you through an overdose one step at a time: try to wake them, call 911, give naloxone (Narcan), help them breathe, watch for 2 to 3 minutes and give another dose if nothing changes, roll them on their side, and stay, because naloxone can wear off before the drugs do. A clock counts the minutes since the last dose and says when another one is due, and it keeps a list of times you can read to the paramedics. Below that, pick what’s going on (they won’t wake up, they woke up after naloxone, you don’t know what they took, too much alcohol, stimulants or a seizure, a child swallowed something, you think you took too much, you use and want to be safer, you want to be ready, someone died) and open what helps, with a printable card to keep with your naloxone. Numbers: 911, Poison Control 1-800-222-1222, Never Use Alone 1-800-484-3731, the SAMHSA National Helpline 1-800-662-4357 and 988, each checked on the service’s own site; the steps follow public guidance from the CDC, NIDA, NIAAA and the naloxone maker. The page saves nothing and runs no analytics. General information, not medical advice; written with AI (Claude), and it says so.
Open If someone may have overdosed →When home isn’t safe, now in Spanish: Cuando tu casa no es un lugar seguro
The page for people living with abuse at home has a Spanish twin at /es/hogar-seguro/. Tell it what’s going on (“Estoy en peligro ahora mismo”, “No sé si es abuso”, “Estoy pensando en irme”, “Revisa mi teléfono o me rastrea”…) and it suggests where to start: what to do in danger, the warning-signs checklist that flags the serious ones, a safety plan and go-bag list that print or copy, leaving safely, phone and computer safety, kids and pets, helping a friend, and who to call. It points to the Hotline’s live chat in Spanish at espanol.thehotline.org and its phone interpreters, and to 988 (press 2), and it says plainly which other lines we couldn’t confirm have Spanish. Like the English page it saves nothing at all, runs no analytics, and has a Salir rápido button (or Esc twice). Both pages are now on Tools, under a new need, “Home isn’t safe”, with a new label: Saves nothing. Written and translated with AI (Claude); general information, not legal or medical advice.
Abrir Cuando tu casa no es un lugar seguro →When home isn’t safe: a page for people living with abuse
New at /home-safety/: a page for anyone being hurt, threatened, watched or controlled by a partner, someone they date, or someone they live with, and for the people who worry about them. Tell it what’s going on (you’re in danger right now, you’re not sure it’s abuse, you’re thinking about leaving, they check your phone, you’re scared for your kids or pets, you’re worried about someone, it’s someone you’re dating, you’ve hurt someone or are afraid you will) and it suggests where to start: what to do in danger; a checklist of warning signs that answers gently and flags the serious ones; a safety plan and a go-bag checklist that print or copy; leaving safely; phone and computer safety; kids and pets; how to help a friend; and hotlines, including the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788), loveisrespect and the StrongHearts Native Helpline, with every number checked on the service’s own site. Because a saved plan could be found on a shared or watched device, the page saves nothing at all, runs no analytics, and has a Leave quickly button (or press Esc twice). General information, not legal or medical advice; the page was written with AI (Claude) and says so.
Open When home isn’t safe →When panic hits, now in Spanish: Cuando llega el pánico
The panic attack page has a Spanish twin at /es/panico/. Tell it what’s going on (“Me está pasando ahora mismo”, “Es la primera vez, o se siente diferente”, “Me despertó”, “Me da miedo que venga otro”…) and it suggests where to start: a breathing circle to ride the wave, one line at a time; what each body feeling means and the warning signs that mean call 911 instead; words to hold onto, shown full screen; a card to show someone when you can’t talk (written in usted, for strangers); what to do when it’s someone else; aftercare and a private log with patterns; and a panic plan that prints with a wallet card. 911, 988 and press 2, and AYUDA to 741741 are at the top. It shares its saved words, card, plan and log with the English page on the same device, and never assumes the reader’s gender. Both pages are now on Tools, under a new need: “I’m having a panic attack”. The page runs no analytics. General ideas, not medical advice; it was written and translated with AI (Claude) and says so.
Cuando llega el pánico →When panic hits: a private page for panic attacks
New at /panic/: a page for the minutes when your heart is pounding and you can’t get a breath, and for the days after, when you’re afraid of the next one. Tell it what’s going on (it’s happening right now, it’s the first time or it feels different, it woke you up, one just passed, you’re scared of the next one, you’ve started avoiding places, someone near you is having one, or panic and you don’t want to be here) and it suggests where to start. Ride the wave with a breathing circle (in for 4, out for 6) and one line at a time, with a clock that keeps running if you switch stations or reload; what each body feeling is (a racing heart, breathlessness, tingling, feeling unreal) and the warning signs that mean call 911 instead; words to hold onto, or your own, shown full screen; a card to show someone when you can’t talk; what to do when it’s someone else; aftercare and a private log that shows patterns after three entries and copies out for a doctor; and a panic plan that prints on one page with a wallet card. 911, 988 and 741741 are at the top. Everything stays on your device and the page runs no analytics. General ideas, not medical advice; the page and its wording were written with AI (Claude) and say so.
Help me through panic →When you feel alone, now in Spanish: Cuando la soledad pesa
The loneliness page has a Spanish twin at /es/soledad/. Tell it what’s going on (“Siento mucha soledad ahora mismo”, “No tengo con quién hablar”, “Mis amistades se fueron alejando”, “Quiero estar con gente, pero me da miedo”…) and it suggests where to start: a few slow guided minutes of company; a message builder with seven kinds of message to copy, text or email; a ladder of ten small steps; a private list of your people; where people gather, with 211 in Spanish; the thoughts loneliness tends to bring and gentler ways to see them; and who to call any hour (988 and press 2, AYUDA to 988 or 741741, and what each other line offers in Spanish). The Spanish never assumes the reader’s gender. Both pages are now on Tools, under a new need: “I feel alone”. Everything stays on your device, and the page runs no analytics. The page was written and translated with AI (Claude) and says so; general ideas, not medical advice.
Abrir en español →New essay and song: Somebody Has to Go First
An essay on the quiet wars almost everybody has going with somebody: a sister, an old friend, a father, a neighbor. It covers what a good apology sounds like and why going first is the brave part. It also says plainly that making peace never means going back to someone who hurts you. It comes with an Appalachian folk waltz and a lyric film with closed captions. The essay was written with AI (Claude), and the song, the singer's voice and the images are AI-made too; the page says so at the top. It points to the private planner at Make Peace for anyone getting ready for that conversation.
Read and watch →When you feel alone: a private page for loneliness
New at /feeling-alone/: a private page for loneliness, for tonight and for the weeks after. Tell it what’s going on (you feel so alone right now, you don’t have anyone to talk to, you’re lonely even around people, you moved or your life changed, after a breakup, a death or a falling-out, your friends drifted away, you want people but it scares you, or you feel alone and don’t want to be here) and it suggests where to start. A few slow guided minutes of company; a message builder for reaching out to an old friend, family, a neighbor or someone you just met, with seven kinds of message to copy, text or email; a ladder of ten small steps, from saying hi to a cashier to inviting someone out, where you tick what you’ve done and star three for this week; a private list of your people that shows who you haven’t reached out to in the longest time; where people gather, with 211 to find what’s near you; the thoughts loneliness tends to bring and gentler ways to see them; and who to call any hour: 988 (you don’t have to be in crisis), Crisis Text Line, the Veterans Crisis Line, The Trevor Project and Trans Lifeline. A connection plan prints on one page. Everything stays on your device and the page runs no analytics. General ideas, not medical advice; the page and its wording were written with AI and say so.
Help me feel less alone →When anger takes over, now in Spanish: Cuando el enojo te gana
The cool-down page has a Spanish twin at /es/enojo/. Tell it what’s happening (“Me hierve la sangre ahora mismo”, “Estoy en medio de una discusión”, “Quiero enviar o publicar algo”, “Tengo miedo de lastimar a alguien o de romper algo”, “Alguien se enoja conmigo”…) and get three places to start; one guided minute to cool the heat; words to step away from a fight with a timer to come back; a vent box that is never saved, then a look at what’s under the anger; five questions and a wait timer before you send; a builder for “Cuando…, sentí…, porque…. ¿Podrías…?”; a cool-down plan that prints with a wallet card; a private log with patterns; and what to do when someone is angry at you. Crisis lines are the Spanish ones: 988 marca 2, text AYUDA to 988 or to 741741, 911, Childhelp and the National Domestic Violence Hotline. It uses tú, nothing about you is gendered (“tengo demasiado enojo”, not “estoy enojado”), and it shares what you saved with the English page on your device. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/, with a new “I’m so angry I might do something I regret” choice, and there is a card on /es/ayuda/. Written and translated with AI (Claude); general ideas, not medical or legal advice.
Ayúdame a calmarme →When anger takes over: a private cool-down page
New at /cool-down/: a private page for the moment you’re about to say, send or do something you can’t take back. Tell it what’s happening (you’re furious right now, you’re mid-argument, you want to send or post something, you’re afraid you’ll hurt someone or break something, you’re about to lose it with your kids, you can’t let it go, you get angry a lot and want to change, or someone else is angry at you) and it suggests where to start. One guided minute to cool the heat; words to step away from a fight, with a timer to come back that keeps running while you use the page; a vent box that is never saved, followed by a gentle look at what’s under the anger; five questions and a wait timer before you send a message; a builder that turns “when…, I felt…, because…, could you…?” into words people can hear; a cool-down plan that prints on one page with a wallet card; a private log of what sets you off, with patterns after three entries; and what to do when someone is angry at you. 911, 988, Crisis Text Line, Childhelp and the National Domestic Violence Hotline are at the top. Everything stays on your device and the page runs no analytics. General ideas, not medical or legal advice and not a substitute for counseling; the page and its wording were written with AI and say so.
Help me cool down →When someone has died, now in Spanish: Cuando alguien ha muerto
The grief companion has a Spanish twin at /es/duelo/. Tell it where you are (“Acaba de pasar”, “Me acaba de llegar una ola”, “Se acerca una fecha difícil”, “No quiero seguir sin esa persona”…) and get three places to start; one slow guided minute for when a wave hits; the checklist for the first days and weeks in Spanish, including the FTC’s Funeral Rule price list, Social Security and a caution before paying a loved one’s debts; a letter that opens “Para …:” instead of a gendered greeting; memories; hard dates with a yearly calendar reminder in Spanish; a message asking for specific help; and how to be there for someone who is grieving, including a child. Crisis lines are the Spanish ones: 988 marca 2, text AYUDA to 988 or to 741741, and 911. It uses tú, nothing about you or the person who died is gendered, and it shares what you saved with the English page on your device. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/, with a new “Someone I love has died” choice, and there is a card on /es/ayuda/. Written and translated with AI (Claude); general ideas, not medical, legal or financial advice.
Acompáñame en el duelo →When someone has died: a private grief companion
New at /grief/: a private page for grief, for a person or an animal you loved. Tell it where you are (it just happened, a wave just hit, it’s been a while and it’s still heavy, a hard date is coming, things you never got to say, it’s complicated, someone you care about is grieving) and it suggests where to start. One slow guided minute for when a wave hits; a gentle checklist for the first days and weeks that you can tick off and share (including your rights under the FTC’s Funeral Rule and a caution before paying a loved one’s debts); a letter to them, written in your own time and printed as a keepsake with your memories; a place to keep small memories before they fade; a plan for birthdays, anniversaries and holidays, with a yearly calendar reminder made in your browser; a message that asks for specific help; and what to say, avoid and do when someone else is grieving, including a child. 988, Crisis Text Line and 911 are at the top. Everything stays on your device and the page runs no analytics. General ideas, not medical, legal or financial advice; the page and its wording were written with AI and say so.
Help me grieve →Can’t sleep? now in Spanish: ¿No puedes dormir?
The middle-of-the-night page has a Spanish twin at /es/no-puedo-dormir/. Pick what’s keeping you up (“Mi mente no para”, “Me preocupa algo”, “Me despertó una pesadilla”…) and get three places to start; park your worries for the morning in a notebook you close for the night; shuffle your thoughts letter by letter with Spanish words (or your own, accents and ñ included) or a slow stream of ordinary things to picture; breathe slowly with a guide that stops by itself; loosen your body in 11 parts; and after a bad dream, a line to say out loud with today’s date in Spanish. The optional soft voice asks your device for a Spanish voice. Crisis lines are the Spanish ones: 988 marca 2, text AYUDA to 988 or to 741741, and 911. It uses tú and nothing about you is gendered, and it shares its saved list and settings with the English page on your device. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/, with a new “I can’t sleep” choice, and there is a card on /es/ayuda/. Written and translated with AI (Claude); general ideas, not medical advice.
Ayúdame a descansar →Can’t sleep? A quiet page for the middle of the night
New at /cant-sleep/: a private page for when you can’t sleep. Tell it what’s keeping you up (a racing mind, a worry, a body that won’t settle, waking in the night, a bad dream, pain, feeling low or alone) and it suggests where to start. Park your worries in a notebook with one small step for tomorrow each, then close it for the night; they’ll be there in the morning. Shuffle your thoughts letter by letter, or watch a slow stream of ordinary things to picture (the “cognitive shuffle” idea from the cognitive scientist Luc Beaudoin; we’re not connected with it). Breathe with a slow circle that stops by itself, loosen your body one part at a time, find out what to do after a long time awake, and come back to the room after a bad dream. There’s a dim layer, a black screen and an optional soft voice that uses your device’s own speech. 988, Crisis Text Line and 911 are at the top. Everything stays on your device and the page runs no analytics. General ideas, not medical advice; the page and its wording were written with AI and say so.
Help me rest →Ride out an urge, now in Spanish: Deja pasar las ganas
The craving timer has a Spanish twin at /es/deja-pasar-las-ganas/. Pick what the urge is for (“Quiero… beber, consumir, fumar o vapear, apostar…”), rate it 0 to 10 and start a 10, 20 or 30 minute timer, then rate it again as it rises and falls and watch your own wave on the chart, with one idea at a time in Spanish and a check for hambre, enojo, soledad o cansancio. Afterwards, log whether you rode it out and what set it off; the plan prints one page with a wallet card. Crisis lines are the Spanish ones: 988 marca 2 or text AYUDA to 988, the SAMHSA National Helpline (in Spanish, 24/7), FindTreatment.gov in Spanish and the Spanish quitline 1-855-DÉJELO-YA. It uses tú and nothing about you is gendered. It is the same plan and log as the English page on your device. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/, with a new “I want to drink, use, bet or smoke right now” choice, and there is a card on /es/ayuda/. Written and translated with AI (Claude); general ideas, not medical advice.
Iniciar el temporizador →Ride out an urge: a craving timer, plan and log
New at /ride-the-urge/: a private tool for the next twenty minutes, when you want a drink, a hit, a bet, a smoke or vape, a binge, or something else you’ve promised yourself you won’t do. Pick what the urge is for, rate it from 0 to 10 and start a 10, 20 or 30 minute timer. Rate it again every few minutes and watch your own wave rise and fall on the chart, with one idea at a time (name it, find it in your body, breathe into it, play the tape forward, change where you are, reach out), a quick check for hungry, angry, lonely or tired, your reasons and one-tap call or text links to your people. Afterwards, log whether it passed and what set it off; after a few entries the page shows patterns, labelled as patterns, not proof. A plan (reasons, people, what helps, risky times, “if I slip, I will…”) prints on one page with a wallet card. If you pick an urge to hurt yourself, 988 and 911 appear right there. The page also says plainly that stopping heavy daily drinking or sedatives suddenly can be dangerous, and points to the SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357), FindTreatment.gov, 1-800-QUIT-NOW and naloxone. Everything stays on your device and the page runs no analytics. General ideas, not medical advice; the page and its wording were written with AI and say so.
Start the timer →Make peace, now in Spanish: Haz las paces
The tool for planning a hard conversation or an apology has a Spanish twin at /es/haz-las-paces/. Pick “Necesito plantear algo” or “Quiero pedir perdón”, finish the sentence-starters (Cuando…, Sentí…, ¿Te parecería bien…?, Te pido perdón por…, De ahora en adelante, voy a…) and the page drafts the message in Spanish, with gentle checks written for Spanish: “siempre” and “nunca”, verdict words, “me hiciste…”, “perdón si…”, “siento que te sientas así” and a “pero” after an apology. Feelings are offered as nouns (“sentí tristeza”), so nothing in the draft is gendered, and it uses tú. Copy, open in your texts or email, or print notes. The box for when you are afraid of the other person points to the National Domestic Violence Hotline (interpreters by phone, Spanish chat), 911 and 988 (marca 2). It is the same set of answers as the English page on your device. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/, with a new “I need to sort something out with someone” choice, and there is a card on /es/ayuda/. Written and translated with AI (Claude); general ideas, not professional advice.
Planear qué decir →Make peace: plan a hard conversation or say sorry well
New at /make-peace/: a private tool for the talks people put off. Pick “I need to raise something” or “I want to say sorry”, then finish a few sentence-starters. For raising something: what happened as a camera would see it, how you felt, what matters to you, anything you want to own, and one clear request. For an apology: what you did, how it may have affected them, what you understand now, what you will do differently and how you could make it right. The page drafts the message as you type and gently flags phrases that tend to start a fight, like “always” and “never”, “you made me”, “sorry if…” or a “but” after sorry. Copy it, open it in your texts or email, or print one page of notes for talking in person, with tips and words for the hard moments. A box at the top says plainly that you don’t owe a face-to-face talk to someone you are afraid of, with the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 911 and 988. Everything stays on your device and the page runs no analytics. It is general guidance, not professional advice, and the page and its wording were written with AI and say so.
Plan what to say →When you’re worried about someone, now in Spanish: Cuando te preocupa alguien
The guide for the people around someone who is struggling has a Spanish twin at /es/preocupa-alguien/: pick what you are noticing (habla de suicidio, se aleja, pánico, autolesiones, bebe más, una pérdida, no tiene dónde dormir, no quiere hablar, una publicación preocupante) and get what to try, words you could use (with Usar and Copiar), what to avoid and when to call 988 (marca 2 para español, or text AYUDA) or 911. The private plan to be there, the calendar reminder and the check-in log work the same, and it is the same plan as the English page on your device. It uses tú and no gendered words. Both pages are now on /tools/ and /es/herramientas/, with a new “I’m worried about someone” choice, and there is a card on /es/ayuda/. Written and translated with AI (Claude); general ideas, not professional advice.
Quiero ayudar →When you’re worried about someone
Every tool so far was for the person who is struggling. The new page at /worried-about-someone/ is for the friend, partner, parent or coworker who has noticed something is wrong and doesn’t know what to say. Pick what you are noticing (they talked about suicide, pulled away, are panicking, have hurt themselves, are drinking or using more, had a loss, have nowhere safe to sleep, won’t talk to you, or posted something worrying) and get plain ideas for what to try, example words you can copy or drop into a message, what to avoid, and when to call 988 or 911. Then make a small private plan to be there: what you noticed, what you want to say, what you can offer, and when you will check in next, with a reminder file for your calendar, a printable copy and a log of check-ins. It also covers looking after yourself. Everything stays on your device, with no sign-up and no analytics. It is general guidance, not professional advice, and the page and its wording were written with AI and say so.
Help me help them →The mood and sleep diary, now in Spanish: Un diario de ánimo y sueño
The private mood and sleep diary has a Spanish twin at /es/diario-de-animo/: one tap a day for your mood (1 to 5), the hours you slept, optional tags and a short note, with 7, 30 and 90-day charts, patterns from your own log (labelled plainly as averages, not proof) and a summary to print, copy or download for a doctor or therapist. On a very low day it shows 988 (press 2 for Spanish, or text AYUDA) and 911. The Spanish page is generated from the English page’s own code, so the two can’t drift apart, and it is the same diary: on one device, what you log on either page shows up on both, each in its own language, and a backup made on one restores on the other. Both are now in the free tools directory (sixteen tools) and /offline/ saves both. Everything stays on your device, with no sign-up and no analytics. The tool, its wording and the translation were written with AI and say so.
Abrir mi diario →A private mood and sleep diary
New at /mood-log/: one tap a day for how your mood was (1 to 5), how long you slept, a few optional tags like “got outside” or “missed medicine” (or your own), and a short note. Over 7, 30 or 90 days it draws two simple charts, one for mood and one for sleep, and points out patterns in your own log, such as your mood after short nights compared with longer ones, while saying plainly that an average is not proof of a cause. The summary prints or copies for a doctor, therapist or someone you trust, and there is a spreadsheet download, a one-file backup and an erase button. Nothing you enter leaves your device and the page runs no analytics. It is a diary, not a diagnosis; 988 and 911 are on the page. /offline/ can save it too. The tool and its wording were made with AI and say so.
Open the diary →Free tools: what do you need right now?
All fifteen of our free tools and guides now live in one place, at /tools/ in English and /es/herramientas/ in Spanish. Start with what you need, like “everything is too much”, “I can’t find the words”, “I need to ask for changes at work or home” or “I need food or a place to sleep”, and the page shows only the tools for it (pick it again to see everything; the link it makes can be shared). Every card says plainly what the tool does with what you type: no tracking, stays on your device, print or save, works offline. We only put a label on a tool when it is true of that page today, and the one page that still runs analytics carries no “no tracking” label. 988 and 911 are at the top of the page. “Free tools” is now in the footer of every page, and /offline/ saves both directory pages too (30 pages). The page and its wording were written with AI and say so.
Find a tool →A box for hard days, now in Spanish: Una caja para los días difíciles
The private hope box has a Spanish twin at /es/caja-de-esperanza/. While you are well, fill it with a note to yourself, kind words people have said, things you are proud of, comforts, things to look forward to, songs and photos; on a hard day, open it and go through it one thing at a time, ending on your comforts. 988 (press 2 for Spanish, or text AYUDA) and 911 stay in view the whole time. The Spanish page is generated from the English page’s own code, so the two can’t drift apart, and it is the same box: on one device, what you add on either page shows up on both, and a backup made on one restores on the other. Everything stays on your device, with no sign-up and no analytics. The tool, its wording and the translation were written with AI and say so.
Abrir la caja →A box for hard days: a private hope box
A new free tool at /hope-box/. While you are well, fill a private box with a note to yourself, kind words people have said to you, things you are proud of, small comforts, things to look forward to, songs and links, and photos. On a hard day, “Open my box” shows them one at a time: your newest note first, then the things you marked to keep near the front, then the rest in a new order each time, ending on your list of comforts so you finish with one small thing to do. 988 and 911 stay in view the whole time. Everything stays on your device (photos too), with a one-file backup you can restore anywhere and one button to erase it. No sign-up and no analytics. The tool and its wording were written with AI and say so.
Open the box →Take the help with you, now in Spanish: Lleva la ayuda contigo
The save-for-offline page has a Spanish twin at /es/sin-conexion/ (“Lleva la ayuda contigo”). One button saves the Spanish tools, the English tools or both on your phone, so they open with no signal, no data and no Wi-Fi, and the crisis box reminds you that calling 988 (press 2 for Spanish), texting AYUDA to 988 or calling 911 never needs the internet. The Spanish food-and-shelter list for New York is now saved too, on both pages (26 pages in all). The two pages share one saved state on your device, so saving or removing from either one does both, and the Spanish page is generated from the English page’s own code so they can’t drift apart. Nothing about you is sent anywhere, and there are no analytics. The page, its code and its translation were written with AI and say so.
Guardar sin conexión →Take the help with you: our free tools now work with no signal
A new page at /offline/ saves our free tools on your phone with one button, so they open with no signal, no data and no Wi-Fi: Get help now, the safety plan, breathing and grounding, the check-in, the message board, the task breaker, the directive, appointment and letter builders, and the New York homeless resource list, in English, Spanish or both (25 pages). When you are online, each page still loads the live version first and quietly refreshes its saved copy; the saved copy is only used when the internet fails. Nothing about you is sent anywhere, the rest of the site is untouched, and one button removes it all. The page and its code were written with AI and say so.
Save for offline →Check in with yourself, now in Spanish: Revisa cómo estás
The gentle basics check has a Spanish twin at /es/chequeo/ (“Revisa cómo estás”). It asks first whether you are safe right now, and if not, it shows 988 (press 2 for Spanish, or text AYUDA), Spanish chat and 911 before anything else. Then come the same quick six or full sixteen questions, one at a time, about water, food, medicine, sleep, noise, people and more, each “todavía no” turning into one small thing to try, with links to the Spanish breathing, one-step and speak-for-me tools. The Spanish page is generated from the English page’s own code, so the two can’t drift apart. Saved check-ins are shared with the English page on the same device and nowhere else, and there are no analytics. The questions, suggestions and translation were written with AI and say so; it is not medical advice.
Revisar cómo estoy →
Check in with yourself: for when everything feels wrong and you can’t tell why
A new free tool at /check-in/. First it asks whether you are safe right now, and if not, it shows 988 and 911 before anything else. Then it asks about the basics one gentle question at a time: water, food, medicine, sleep, noise and people in the quick version (about a minute), plus your body, comfort, screens, washing, moving, daylight, breaks, feelings and tasks in the full one. Each “not yet” becomes one small thing to try now, like a glass of water or a clean shirt, and you only need to pick one. You can note how you feel before and after, and saved check-ins show which basics slip first on hard days. Everything stays on your device, and there are no analytics. The questions and suggestions were written with AI and say so; it is not medical advice.
Check in →One step at a time, now in Spanish: Paso a paso
The task breaker has a Spanish twin at /es/un-paso/ (“Paso a paso”). Write the task, or pick one of twelve starter lists in Spanish, from washing the dishes to a phone call you are dreading; break it into steps so small you could begin one in the next minute; then look at only the next step, with Hecho, Muy grande: hazlo más pequeño, and Saltar por ahora. The gentle timer, the twelve ideas for when you are stuck, the done-today list and the one-page printable checklist all come along. The words come from the English page’s own code, so the two can’t drift apart. Your lists are shared with the English page on the same device and nowhere else, and there are no analytics. The page and its translation were written with AI and say so.
Dividir mi tarea →One step at a time: for when a task feels too big to start
A new free tool at /one-step/. Write the task, break it into steps so small you could begin one in the next minute, then look at only the next step, with big buttons for Done, Too big: make it smaller, and Skip for now. A gentle timer (2 to 25 minutes, sound off unless you turn it on) is a nudge, not a deadline. When you get stuck, it offers twelve ideas, from a 2-minute start to asking someone to keep you company. Finished steps go on a list for today, with the time. It has twelve starter lists, from the dishes to a phone call you are dreading, and prints as a one-page checklist. Everything stays on your device, and there are no analytics. The tool and its wording were written with AI and say so.
Break it down →How I work, now in Spanish, with a page you can print in English
The one-page “guide to me” builder has a Spanish twin at /es/como-trabajo/ (“Cómo trabajo: una guía de una página sobre mí”). Pick what is true for you, or write it in your own words: how to talk with you, what helps you work, what stress looks like on you and what helps, how you like feedback and what you bring. The finished page can come out in Spanish or in English, for a team or a school that works in English: the choices you tick translate themselves. The words come from the English page’s own code, so the two can’t drift apart. You never have to name a diagnosis. What you type is shared with the English page on the same device and nowhere else, and there are no analytics. The page and its translation were written with AI and say so.
Hacer mi hoja →How I work: a one-page guide to you
A new free tool at /how-i-work/ helps you make a one-page guide to working with you, the kind of page some people call a personal user manual. Pick what is true for you, or write it in your own words: how to talk with you (writing over the spot, time to think, say it plainly), the conditions that help you work, what stress looks like on you and what helps then, how you like feedback, and what you bring. It prints on one page to hand to a boss, a teacher, a new team or a housemate, and you never have to name a diagnosis. It is not a formal request; for that, it points to the accommodation letter builder. What you type stays on your device, one button erases it, and there are no analytics. The page and its wording were written with AI and say so.
Make my page →The housing accommodation letter, now in Spanish, with a letter you can send in English
The Fair Housing Act letter builder has a Spanish twin at /es/adaptaciones-de-vivienda/ (“Pide lo que te ayuda a conservar tu hogar”). Pick what is hard about living there, from a rent date that comes before your benefits to a no-pets rule when you need your assistance animal, choose the changes that would help and how much to say about your disability, and it writes a calm request to your landlord. The letter can come out in Spanish or in English, because many U.S. landlords and housing offices work in English: the choices you tick translate themselves. The words come from the English page’s own code, so the two can’t drift apart. The HUD and Justice Department quotes are our translation and say so, and the page says plainly that HUD’s own complaint page is in English. What you type is shared with the English page on the same device and nowhere else, and there are no analytics. It is information, not legal advice. The page was written and translated with AI and says so.
Escribir mi solicitud →Ask for what helps you keep your home: a Fair Housing Act request letter
A new private tool at /housing-accommodations/ helps disabled tenants and applicants, including people with mental-health conditions, ask a landlord or housing provider to change a rule, policy or service because of a disability. Pick what is hard (rent due before your benefits arrive, paying in person, a no-pets rule when you need your assistance animal, notices, phone calls, noise, paperwork deadlines) and the changes that would help, choose how much to say about your disability, and it writes a calm request letter to copy, email from your own mail app, print or download. Next to it are the rules in the words of HUD and the Justice Department: you can ask in any form, they may ask for proof but usually not your medical records, no extra fees or deposits, and no undue delay. It also covers how to report to HUD and the one-year deadline. Nothing leaves your device and there are no analytics. The page was written with AI and says so.
Write my request →The fair-chance job kit, now in Spanish, with a letter you can send in English
The fair-chance job kit has a Spanish twin at /es/segunda-oportunidad/ (“Tus antecedentes no son toda tu historia”). Say briefly what is on your record, pick what has changed since and why you fit the job, and it writes a calm letter of explanation and a 30-second interview answer. Both can come out in Spanish or in English, because many U.S. employers work in English, and the checklist of papers to gather stays in Spanish. The FTC’s background-check rights are quoted from its own Spanish page, and the EEOC’s words on arrests and convictions are our translation and say so. What you type is shared with the English page on the same device and nowhere else, and there are no analytics. Also fixed: printing the workplace accommodation letter now gives one page instead of one letter and seven blank pages. The page was written and translated with AI and says so.
Abrir el kit →Your record is not the whole story: a fair-chance job kit
A new private tool at /fair-chance/ helps job seekers with a criminal record. Say briefly what is on your record, pick what has changed since (programs, school, training, steady work, finished probation, recovery, references) and why you fit the job, and it writes a calm letter of explanation you can send with an application or in answer to a background check notice. It also gives you a 30-second answer to practise for the interview and a checklist of the papers that prove your progress. Next to it are your rights on background checks, quoted from the FTC and the EEOC: written permission, a copy of the report before they turn you down, disputing mistakes, and why an arrest is not a conviction. It also covers where to find free legal aid for sealing a record. Nothing leaves your device and there are no analytics. The page was written with AI and says so.
Build my letter →Get ready for your appointment, now in Spanish, with a sheet you can hand over in English
The appointment prep tool has a Spanish twin at /es/preparar-mi-cita/ (“Prepara tu cita”). Write what has been happening, your medicines, your questions and what helps you in the room in Spanish, then print the sheet in Spanish or in English, because many clinicians in the U.S. read only English. The boxes you tick translate themselves; your own words stay as you wrote them. The page explains, in Spanish, your right to a free interpreter and to your records, as checked on hhs.gov, and its crisis box points to 988 (press 2 for Spanish). Your answers are shared with the English page on your device, nothing leaves it, and there are no analytics. The translation was made with AI and says so.
Preparar mi hoja (en español) →Get ready for your appointment: one page to hand your doctor or therapist
A new private tool at /appointment-prep/ helps you prepare for a doctor, therapy or psychiatry visit in about ten minutes. Write the one thing you most need them to know, what has been happening and since when, how much it gets in the way, your medicines and doses, the questions you want to ask (pick from a list or add your own) and what helps you in the room, like plain words, extra time or the plan in writing. You get one printed page to hand them, with space at the bottom to write down the plan, the medicine changes and when to call. If you tick thoughts of self-harm, the sheet asks them to talk with you about it, and the page points to 988. It also explains your right to a free interpreter and to your records, as checked on hhs.gov. Nothing leaves your device, and there are no analytics. The page was written with AI and says so.
Make my sheet →Speak for me, now in Spanish, with every message one tap from English
The message board and communication card have a Spanish twin at /es/habla-por-mi/ (“Habla por mí”). Tap a message (“Ahora no puedo hablar, pero le oigo y le entiendo”) and it fills the screen. If the person in front of you doesn’t speak Spanish, the “En inglés” button puts the same message, or your whole card, up in English. The board also has two new lines for this page: “I speak Spanish. I need an interpreter, please” and “I understand some English. Please speak slowly.” You can print the card or save the lock-screen image in Spanish or English, and the boxes you tick translate themselves. Your card is shared with the English page on your device, nothing leaves it, and there are no analytics. The translation was made with AI and says so.
Abrir el tablero (en español) →Speak for me: a message board and a card for when words won’t come
A new free tool for shutdowns, meltdowns, panic, loud rooms and hard conversations. Tap a message (“I can’t speak right now, but I can hear and understand you,” “Please write it down,” “Please don’t touch me”) and it fills the screen in the biggest letters that fit. You can pick white on black, black on white or yellow on black, flip it upside down for someone across a table, swipe to the next message, or have it read aloud. Type and show anything else. You can also make a card that says what happens when you are overwhelmed and what helps, with a contact if you want one, then print it as a folding wallet card or save it as a lock-screen image. You decide what it says, and a diagnosis is never required. Nothing you type leaves your device, and the page runs no analytics. It was written with AI and says so. Also fixed: erasing a safety plan right after typing could be undone by a pending autosave.
Open the message board →Ask for what helps you work, now in Spanish, with a letter in either language
The accommodation letter builder has a Spanish twin at /es/adaptaciones-laborales/ (“Pide lo que te ayuda a trabajar”). The steps, the ideas from the Job Accommodation Network's lists, and the EEOC basics are all in Spanish, with the EEOC's own Spanish page for filing a charge. The letter itself can come out in Spanish or in English, because many U.S. HR offices work in English: the choices you tick translate themselves. The words come from the English page's own code, so the two can't drift apart, and both languages share what you typed on this device. The EEOC quotes are our translation and say so. It is information, not legal advice. Nothing you type leaves your device, and the page runs no analytics. The translation was made with AI and says so on the page. It is linked from Ayuda ahora and an “En español” link on /work-accommodations/.
Escribir mi carta →Ask for what helps you work: an accommodation letter builder
A new free tool at /work-accommodations/ helps neurodivergent and disabled workers write a workplace accommodation request. You pick the parts of work that are hard, like noise, spoken instructions or sudden changes. It suggests changes that often help, drawn from the Job Accommodation Network's lists, and you choose how much to share, from “a medical condition” to naming it. The letter updates as you type. You can copy it, open it in your own email, print it or download it. Next to it are the basics, quoted from the EEOC's own guidance, and free help from JAN and the EEOC, including the filing deadline. It is information, not legal advice. Nothing you type leaves your device, and the page runs no analytics. It was written with AI and says so. It is linked from Join Now.
Write your request →Breathe and ground, now in Spanish
The breathing pacer and 5-4-3-2-1 grounding page now has a Spanish twin at /es/respira/: the same moving circle and four rhythms, the same focus mode and grounding walk-through, all in Spanish. The words come from the English page's own code, so the two can't drift apart. Its crisis options are the Spanish ones we verified for Ayuda ahora: call 988 and press 2, or text AYUDA to 988 or 741741. Both languages share the settings saved on your device. Nothing you type is saved or sent, and the page runs no analytics. The translation was made with AI and says so on the page. It is linked from Ayuda ahora, the Spanish safety plan and an “En español” link on /breathe/.
Respira conmigo →Breathe and ground: help for the next few minutes
A new page for hard moments, when a whole plan is too much. Breathe with a slow moving circle in one of four rhythms (steady, gentle, even or box), for one, three or five minutes, with an optional soft tone or phone vibration and a focus mode that fills the screen. Or walk through the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise, naming what you can see, feel, hear, smell and taste, one step at a time. It says plainly that breathing exercises make some people feel worse, and offers grounding instead. Nothing you type is saved or sent, the page runs no analytics, and the crisis lines stay one tap away. It is linked from Get help now and the safety plan builder. Coping tools, not treatment.
Breathe with me →The safety plan builder, now in Spanish
The private safety plan builder now has a Spanish twin at /es/plan-de-seguridad/: the same seven parts, the same privacy (nothing you type leaves your device, no analytics), and a printed plan, wallet card and phone image in Spanish. Its crisis numbers use the Spanish options we verified for Ayuda ahora: call 988 and press 2, or text AYUDA to 988 or 741741. Both languages share the answers saved on your device, so you can switch at any time and print the plan in either language without retyping. The translation was made with AI, and the page says so. It is linked from Ayuda ahora and from the English builder.
Haz tu plan de seguridad →A private safety plan builder
A safety plan is a short list you write before the worst moments: the signs that a crisis is starting, the things that help you get through it, the people and places that take your mind off things, who to ask for help, which professionals and crisis lines to call, how to make your surroundings safer, and your reasons to keep going. The new builder walks you through those seven parts, which follow the Safety Planning Intervention published by Barbara Stanley and Gregory K. Brown. Nothing you type leaves your device. You can print the plan with a fold-up wallet card or save it as an image for your phone. If you have already used our directive builder on the same device, one button brings in your crisis signs and the people you named. The page runs no analytics, and it is linked from Get help now.
Make your safety plan →Every site we run, in one place
Scarlet Beast is more than this website, but until now there was no single map of it. The new directory lists all 23 public places we build and keep running: the free help tools, Scarlet College and the Java and neural-network guides, the animated film, music and essays, what we sell and at what price, and the open books on how it all runs. Each card has a screenshot taken today and a short description written from the site itself. Staff logins, back-office tools and unfinished experiments are left off on purpose. Every page's footer now links to it (“All our sites”).
Open the directory →Clear page titles across the old writing
About 250 pages kept from the site's WordPress days had titles like “What is Revelation 17? » Scarlet Beast” followed by two emoji, which a screen reader can read aloud as the page opens. Now they use the same short form as the rest of the site (“What is Revelation 17? | Scarlet Beast”) in browser tabs, bookmarks, search results and link previews. Image and audio pages now start with “Media:” so they are no longer confused with the post they belong to. We also removed links in the page code that pointed to old WordPress feeds and services that no longer exist here. The live feeds for essays and What's new still work.
See one →A pause button for everything that moves
Every page now has a Pause motion button at the right end of the Markets bar near the top. One press stops the scrolling bands, the pulsing and glowing effects and the silent films that loop behind some sections, and the site remembers the choice on every page until you press it again. The choice stays in your browser. If your device is already set to reduce motion, the site holds still without it. The accessibility statement lists what the button doesn't reach yet.
Read how it works →The psychiatric advance directive builder, now in Spanish
The free builder that helps you write a psychiatric advance directive now has a Spanish version at /es/pad/. The questions and the directive you print are in Spanish, and the wallet card is in Spanish and English. Each state's legal details stay in English, exactly as researched, and the page says so plainly, because a machine translation of legal text could change what it means. Your answers are shared with the English version on your device, so you can print the directive in both languages without retyping anything. Nothing you type leaves your device. The translation was made with AI (Claude).
Abrir en español →New essay and song: More Than My Worst Day
An essay on criminal records as a sentence that keeps running after the court's has ended, and on the question the paper can't answer: who are you now? It comes with a 1970s Memphis soul ballad and a lyric film with closed captions. The essay was written with AI (Claude), and the song, the singer's voice and the images are AI-made too; the page says so at the top. It points to the open door at Join Now for people with records.
Read and watch →Lighter pages: heavy images now load as WebP
23 of the heaviest images on 21 pages (essay heroes, film posters, the Join Now and Donate posters, the Pricing Promises artwork) now load as WebP copies, with the originals kept. Loading each of the 50 main pages once on a phone and once on a desktop now downloads 3.4 MB less in images than before, and Pricing Promises alone went from a 2.3 MB picture to 43 KB. Photos and posters in the uploads folder can now also be cached by your browser for 30 days, so return visits are faster.
Pricing Promises →This page, and RSS feeds for it and the essays
A dated log of what changes on the site, linked from every page's footer. The essays now have a real feed with every essay's full text, and this page has one too. Paste either address into any feed reader to get new work without an account, an email address or an algorithm in between.
Essays feed →Say no to tracking, and the site listens
Every page now honours Global Privacy Control: if your browser sends it, Google Analytics never loads. Anyone can also switch analytics off with one button on the privacy page, and the switch deletes the cookies too. The old comment forms on 181 image pages, which took people's typing and then failed, now say comments are closed and give an email address instead.
The analytics switch →Our films now have captions
Seven films hosted on this site carry English closed captions: Crowned in Thorns, Hurt Has a Sound, Prophecies Fail, Scarlet Beast (Revelation 17:22), Dominate Fear. Surrender to Love., the Scarlet College film and the film teaser. The words come from each film's own lyric sheet or script, not a machine's guess. Press CC in the player.
Watch Hurt Has a Sound →The NYC food and shelter list, in Spanish
All 54 free food pantries, soup kitchens, mobile markets and help lines on Kong New York's list are now in Spanish too, with the same checked numbers and sources, search that works in either language, and the Spanish hunger line at the top. The translation is AI-made and says so.
Comida y refugio gratis →Easier to use by keyboard, screen reader and low vision
A sitewide pass added a Skip to content link, a visible focus ring, readable contrast and respect for the reduce-motion setting. An automated check went from 940 serious problems on 34 pages to none. A new accessibility statement lists what was tested, what was fixed and what is still wrong.
Accessibility statement →Ayuda ahora: a Spanish crisis page
A Spanish version of Get help now: call 988 and press 2, text AYUDA to 988 or 741741, lines for domestic violence and sexual assault, Poison Control, 311 and 211, a printable pocket card and a quick-exit button. Each Spanish option was checked on the service's own site, and where we could not confirm one, the page says so.
Ayuda ahora →Search results now describe each page truthfully
Every page used to hand search engines and link previews the same old description. Now 246 pages carry their own words, leftover WordPress pages and image pages are hidden from search (nothing was deleted), and the sitemap lists the pages that were missing from it.
Sitemap →NYC food and shelter list: every number checked, 19 fixed
All 54 resources on Kong New York's list were checked against each organisation's own website. 19 cards were corrected for wrong phone numbers, moved pantries and dead websites. Each card now shows where it was checked, and a 911 and 988 strip sits at the top.
The NYC list →Get help now: one page for the worst night
988, 911, crisis lines for veterans, LGBTQ+ people and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, Poison Control, 311 and 211 for shelter and food, five steps if you are worried about someone, a printable pocket card and a quick-exit button. The page runs no analytics, and every page on the site links to it from the footer.
Get help now →A lighter homepage and donate page
The homepage's background film was re-encoded (3.7 MB down to 1.2 MB on phones) and the donate page's posters became responsive images (the page went from 8.6 MB to 1.4 MB). Nothing looks different; it just arrives faster on a weak signal.
Donate page →A privacy policy written from the code, not a template
A plain-language privacy policy that lists what the site actually loads and where it goes. The free psychiatric advance directive builder stopped running analytics at the same time, so its promise that your answers stay on your device sits on a page that tracks nothing.
Privacy policy →Press release: the free PAD builder
The newsroom now leads with the release for our free psychiatric advance directive builder.
Read the release →
Essay: Dominate Fear. Surrender to Love.
Two states, fear or love, and two ways to move, dominance or surrender. Most of us pair them the wrong way round. With the short film made from it.
Read the essay →We stopped calling Scarlet Beast a nonprofit
Scarlet Beast's New Jersey nonprofit charter was revoked and it has no IRS exemption, so the footers on about 290 pages and the site's structured data no longer say otherwise.
About Scarlet Beast →
A free psychiatric advance directive builder
Write your own psychiatric advance directive for any US state or DC. Your answers never leave your device. Print a directive shaped to your state's law, plus a wallet card. It is a free drafting tool, not legal advice.
Open the PAD builder →Twenty-Four Prophecies
Twenty-four prophecies of the Scarlet Beast, offered as visions, not verdicts, and with no dates.
Read them →Library: The Thunder, Perfect Mind
A new film in the library, with a callout card that quotes the film's own paraphrase.
The library →
Scarlet College
A free website with five courses (astrology, artificial intelligence, day trading, defences against manipulation, and aikido) where every lesson has a quiz, videos and a narrated audio version.
About Scarlet College →SCARLET BEAST, the animated film
A complete animated film running 1 hour 46 minutes, now on YouTube and linked from the homepage reel.
About the film →
Lab findings: can a small model notice a planted thought?
Our first published findings, with the null results left in: across 18,750 trials on three small open models, preregistered, with the data and code published. Not a test of consciousness.
Read the findings →Who Is Christian Scarlet
A page for the founder, in his own words, with his psychiatric advance directives published openly.
Meet the founder →
Essays: Crowned in Thorns and Hurt Has a Sound
Two essays, each with the film made from it: on dignity that cannot be sold, and on loving someone through the 3 AM hours.
All essays →The Scarlet Beast Lab
Small projects that make an honest claim, measure it and publish what happened, including Resonance Sessions (guided listening, with no brainwave claims) and the Introspection Replication Lab.
The Lab →A newsroom at /press/
Press releases in one place, starting with New Jersey, New Jerusalem.
Press →
Resources: consciousness, AI, magick and music
A free reading list of 35 papers and books, summarised, read as one and turned into a research roadmap.
The reading list →
Essay: Prophecies Fail. Purpose Doesn't.
On prophecy, prediction, human agency and why the good action in front of you still matters, with its music video.
Read the essay →
Essay: Stop Asking for Thirty Seconds. Build the Thing First.
What happens when the demo arrives before the call.
Read the essay →
Essay: Code It, Then Get Out of the Way
A song and music video for vibe coders and agentic developers, built line by line from the Tao Te Ching.
Read the essay →
Essay: Stop Letting the Dollar Decide Your Life
Money should widen your options, not quietly make your decisions for you.
Read the essay →
Something wrong, out of date or hard to use? Tell us at [email protected]. In crisis right now? Get help now: call or text 988, or call 911.