Kenosha County hosting Infant Health and Safety Fair & Diaper Distribution Sept. 26

Photo by Jonathan Werner via stock.xchng

Kenosha County is holding an Infant Health and Safety Fair & Diaper Distribution as it observes September as National Infant Mortality Awareness Month.

Infant mortality is the death of a baby within the first year of life. Most babies are born healthy, but in 2016 in Wisconsin, 415 infants died before their first birthday. That is a slight increase of 5.7 percent from 2015.

On Sept. 26, the Kenosha Lifecourse Initiative for Healthy Families will hold its fifth annual “Healthy Babies, Happy Babies” resource fair and diaper distribution day. The emphasis is on infant health and safety. Families will learn about safe sleep, baby gates, protective coverings, safety latches and
locks and Mr. Yuk stickers. Additional household displays will promote lead abatement, medication lock boxes, Narcan education, and safe disposal of medications.

Kenosha LIHF Collaborative members will have exhibit tables promoting community resources and HMO health plans. The LIHF Initiative is funded by the Wisconsin Partnership Program, the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

The Kenosha Lifecourse Initiative for Healthy Families Collaborative is working to reduce the disparities and to educate and engage the community in efforts to improve birth outcomes. Kenosha LIHF is a collaborative of more than 20 agencies in the community that has been meeting since 2010 to increase awareness, improve birth outcomes and help families have healthy babies. Infant mortality occurs among African-American families in Kenosha nearly three times the rate of white families.

The leading causes of infant mortality is pre-term birth and low birth weight. Many other contributing factors of IM include medical, health or social economic reasons, like diet and nutrition, poor neonatal care, tobacco use, stress, poverty and/or unsafe sleep conditions.

Did you know:

  • A healthy pregnancy and healthy baby begins long before a family is expecting!
  • When dads are involved, moms and babies are healthier!
  • Safe sleep happens when a baby is placed on his/her back in a crib!

Diaper need is the lack of a sufficient supply of diapers to keep an infant or toddler clean, dry and healthy. The annual Community Diaper Drive is ongoing throughout the month of September to help alleviate diaper need for families with limited income. Diaper Need Awareness Week, Sept. 24-30, is an initiative of the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN) created to mobilize efforts to help make a difference in the lives of the nearly 5.3 million babies in the U.S. age 3 or younger who live in poor or low-income families.

Acting together — individuals, diaper banks, faith-based institutions, service providers, businesses, organizations and elected officials — we can get diapers to all babies in need.

Two locations within the Kenosha County Job Center, 8600 Sheridan Road, Kenosha are collecting diaper donations: The PSN Resource Family Center on the first floor, and the Division of Health offices on the second floor. Please call Atifa Robinson, 262-605-6769 if you would like to make a financial donation, or if you have questions. All financial donations should be made out to the Kenosha County Division of Health.

The resource fair and diaper distribution will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 26 in the Kenosha County Job Center, Entrance D. Families in need of diapers must register to receive them. Registration is available at the PSN Resource Family Center, the WIC/Racine Kenosha Community Action Agency, and through NFP/PAT Home Visiting Nurses. Families may also register online at https://healthybabieshappybabies.eventbrite.com
After Sept. 26, extra diapers will be supplied to WIC, PSN and the Nurse Home Visiting Programs within the Kenosha Division of Health for families involved with their agencies.

For more information, please call the Kenosha County Division of Health at (262) 605-6700 or visit www.kenoshacounty.org.

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