Children’s Health Services

Influenza and COVID-19 viruses continue to pose potential risks to public health. For most people, vaccines offer the safest, most effective protection against these illnesses.

The Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program is available in Illinois through October 31, 2024. The Moultrie County Health Department is excited to offer this beneficial program to Moultrie County residents. The FMNP provides eligible participants with coupons to purchase fresh produce at local farmers' markets. This initiative supports FMNP participants, vendors, and the local economy.

Heat safety is critically important during the summer months. The season's long days and sweltering heat and humidity can pose serious health risks. These risks become even more threatening for those people who must work outside or those who have few options for relief from the heat.

Back-to-school immunizations are an important part of preparing your child for the next school year. According to the World Health Organization, immunizations prevent between 2-3 million deaths worldwide every year.

Water recreation safety should concern everyone. The CDC recently released a Vital Signs study. It reveals that over 4,500 people died due to drowning each year from 2020 to 2022, which is 500 more deaths per year compared to 2019.

In order to safeguard public health, we must maintain high quality and safety standards for food products distributed throughout the United States. However, despite rigorous quality control measures, occasionally, a product may pose a risk to consumers. Risks associated with food products may be due to product contamination, mislabeling, or other issues.

Many of us have childhood memories of decorating and hunting “real” Easter eggs. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service offers valuable advice to ensure your Easter egg fun is safe and healthy. Susan Conley, Director of Food Safety Education, underscores the importance of careful preparation concerning hard-boiled eggs.

The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program is considered one of the nation's most successful and cost-effective public health nutrition programs. Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, WIC’s mission is to safeguard the health of women, infants, and children under age 5 who are otherwise at nutrition risk.

As you gear up to celebrate Independence Day with family and friends, it’s important to be mindful of potential poisoning hazards that can occur. IPC is sharing some of the most common or dangerous poisonings reported on this holiday weekend.

Anyone is susceptible to strep, especially children and seniors. Individuals in congregate care settings, schools, and daycares may be at higher risk of exposure if an illness occurs in that facility. As of February 2023, the number of cases nationally reached a 12-month high.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends adopting 5 healthy habits for better heart health and prevention of other chronic diseases.

Every new year begins with volumes of articles and feature stories about New Year’s resolutions concerning healthy habits. Here are 8 tips you should consider for developing healthy habits that will help you make better practices a reality.

Every year, exposure to CO will send more than 100,000 people to hospital emergency departments throughout the U.S., and more than 14,000 of those will require hospitalization.

According to the CDC, most people should try to get their annual flu vaccine by the end of October. However, influenza vaccination is recommended throughout the flu season. Flu season most commonly peaks in February and can remain active into early spring.

Routine health screenings can save your life. This may sound like an overstatement, but it is unquestionably true! Regular checkups allow your primary healthcare provider to review your medical history, evaluate your current health condition, and order critical screenings.

Some describe loneliness as a feeling of distress caused by a lack of meaningful, close relationships. In other words, loneliness can be defined as a lack of emotional connectedness. With this definition, it is important to acknowledge that one can be lonely in a crowd.

Children are often too excited about their costumes and the treats they will collect to be mindful of their safety. Help keep your kids safe this Halloween with these tips concerning their “goodies.”

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, there is hope. You are not alone because there is a service providing 24/7 connection to qualified, confidential support.

Many of us look forward to bright and sunny weather because of the numerous recreational activities we enjoy. Regardless of the season, too much exposure to the sun can prove hazardous to your health. This sun damage is caused by invisible ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Beat the heat this summer!

We may not want to admit it, but too many of us choose foods that are not in the best interest of our health. Grocery stores keep plenty of processed foods on their shelves because people buy them.

Warning issued: The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) warns that some jars of Jif brand peanut butter may be contaminated with a strain of Salmonella that is making people sick.

Some vector-borne diseases will produce few noticeable symptoms in an infected person, and the illness may go undetected. However, the same diseases can also cause significant discomfort and illness, Including life-long disabilities or even death. The following is basic information on West Nile virus and Lyme disease, both of which are carried by vectors common in Central Illinois.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that one in six Americans (48 million people) become sick from food poisoning each year. These incidents send 128,000 Americans to the hospital, and an estimated 3,000 die annually from foodborne illnesses. Food safety is especially important as we approach Memorial Day weekend. This weekend traditionally marks the beginning of summer activities, many of which will involve preparing and serving food for family and friends.

Herd immunity occurs when a significant portion of a population becomes immune to an infectious disease, limiting disease spread. When there are limits on the spread of the disease, even those not already immune have a reduced risk of exposure. Reducing the risk of disease spread is especially critical in protecting individuals who can’t be vaccinated. These would include newborns, those with compromised immune systems, and those who cannot tolerate the vaccine.

Smallpox was a severely infectious disease caused by the variola virus. It undoubtedly caused millions of deaths and is believed to have existed since the days of ancient Egypt over 3,000 years ago. It was contagious, spreading from one person to another. People who had smallpox typically presented with a fever and a distinctive, distinct skin rash.

National Poison Prevention Week is observed the third week of March every year. Congress established the observance in 1961 to highlight the risks of being poisoned by household products. Although we’ve made substantial progress since the early 1970s, over 2 million poisonings are reported in the U.S. every year. What may surprise you is that over 90% of these occur in the home, and those affected most often are children under the age of 12.