Infants & Children at MORCHD

Health Services for Infants and Children at the Health Department
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Women Infants and Children (WIC)
WIC is a nutrition education program. WIC provides coupons for highly nutritious supplemental foods which promote good health for pregnant and postpartum women, breastfeeding mothers, infants and children.

Help Me Grow
The purpose of this program is to provide services to pregnant mothers and those with babies under 3 years old who have special needs. We help each child develop to his/her fullest potential. Research has shown that getting help early is very important. In fact, the earlier the better. Providing needed services at an early age has a positive effect on a child's future. We want to ensure that all children enter school ready to learn.

Formerly known as Early Intervention and Early Start, Help Me Grow is the Ohio Family and Children First Initiative. Help Me Grow includes (1) Prenatal Home Visits, (2) a Newborn Home Visit, (3) Home Visits Program (4) Specialized Services. The program is funded by the Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Early Intervention Services and the Richland County Youth and Family Council.

Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps (BCMH)
The Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps (BCMH) assists Richland County families of Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) access services appropriate to meet health care and other related services which will help the child/family maintain the maximum level of independence and optimum quality of life.

Well Child Physicals
The Mansfield-Richland County Health Department Clinic provides a comprehensive physical exam which includes lead, hemoglobin, and developmental testing along with speech, hearing, social service, and nutritional evaluations. Immunizations are provided as needed and referrals are made when necessary.

Child Immunizations
The Health Department Clinic as well as 20 satellite locations throughout Richland county provide immunizations for children following the recommendations set forth by the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP). Immunizations for children are given at specific ages and include: Hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, H. influenza type b (also known as Hib), Pneumococcal conjungate, polio, chickenpox, measles, mumps, and rubella. All clinics are walk-in. Please bring an up-to-date record of your child's shots. There is an $8 charge for each shot. Medicaid cards are accepted. There is no charge if you are unable to pay. A permission form must be signed by an accompanying adult for those under 18 years of age. Call our special hotline at 419-774-8115 for a list of times and locations.
What Immunizations Do Children Need?

http://www.vaccineinformation.org - Immunization Action Coalition provides in-depth information on all types of immunizations (link takes you off this site. Hit back button in your browser to return).

Car Seat Education Program
Effective June 1994, children who are either: less than 4 years old, less than 40 pounds, or both. MUST be in an approved, properly used child safety seat (infant seat, convertible seat or booster seat) while being transported in vehicles registered in Ohio. This applies to all drivers including relatives, friends, neighbors and drivers of vehicles that are owned or otherwise under the control of day care and kindergarten agencies.

The Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department offers a free Car Seat Education Class. The class is available to anyone who is interested in child passenger safety. The class covers Ohio's Child Passenger Safety laws, types of child restraints for children of all ages, and common mistakes. This hands-on class is approximately one hour long and provides participants with the knowledge they need to protect infants, toddlers and children in motor vehicles. For more information please call 774-4761.

PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING
BCCP	BCMH	Community Health Screenings	Newborn Home Visits	Immunizations
Senior Screenings	Pregnant & New Mothers	Infants & Children	Teens	Adults & Seniors

BEATTY PUBLIC HEALTH CLINIC
Immunizations	International Travel	HIV Testing & Schedule	Prenatal Health	Sports & Work Physicals	STD & TB Testing
Services for: Pregnant & New Mothers			Infants & Children	Teens	Adults & Seniors

LEAD TESTING URGED IN AT-RISK CHILDREN
For Immediate Release: Nov. 5, 2003 — Andy Barnes opens a lead sample kit and holds up a small vial containing about a half teaspoon of grey-colored powder.
"There's enough lead dust in here to contaminate a 1500 square foot house and potentially kill two at-risk children," Barnes says solemnly.
A mother of a three-year-old of her own, Barnes, who does lead testing for the Environmental Health Division of the Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department, knows that many houses in Richland County pose a serious health threat to children.
"Every child is at risk if they are under six years old and live in a house or frequently visit a house built before 1978," Barnes says. And the risk goes up with the age of the house. "The older the house, the more likely that house was painted with higher amounts of lead in the paint."
That problem becomes greater if the paint is chipping or flaking or the paint is on areas where friction, particularly around windows and doors, causes paint dust.
"Anyone with young children who live in an older house should have their kids tested at the Health Department," Barnes asserts. That advise is echoed by the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program of the Ohio Department of Health that the Health Department coordinates through both the Environmental Health and Public Health Nursing Divisions.
"The test for the child involves a finger poke," Barnes says. "If we get a report back that there is a high blood lead level we make a visit to screen the home." Barnes says the Health Department promotes making the house lead safe with the first step being to thoroughly clean areas where lead dust collect, typically in window wells where children like to stand. "We even have a HEPA vacuum cleaner available for free loan," Barnes adds.
Lead poisoning in children is not easy to detect. Children often show few symptoms but lead poisoning can affect the nervous system, cause learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and, at very high levels, seizures and even death. Even low levels of lead are associated with decreased intelligence, decreased growth and stature, and impaired hearing acuity.
"Flu-like symptoms and sleeplessness may be an alert signal," Barnes says. "If a child forgets how to do a task they used to do easily, that could also be a warning sign."
Children between 12 and 36 month of age have a lot of hand to mouth activity so if there is lead in their homes they are more likely to ingest lead paint or dust than older children. According to a Centers for Disease Control estimate, 890,000 U.S. children age 1-5 have elevated blood lead levels.
"The first step is testing the child," Barnes reiterates. "Then we can start the to address the house and yard treatments and medical care for the child to help correct or improve the situation."
For more information on the Health Department's Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, contact Andy Barnes at 419-774-4535.