Wilmington, NC (WECT) – Parents have many questions when their children start school. That’s why New Hanover County health officials want to make sure families are safe in their lives before day one.
The new Hanover County Health and Human Services Preschool Health Fair was for preschool students and their parents. You may be wondering why preschoolers need health fairs, but unnoticed health problems are common among this young demographic. This health fair allowed parents to get their children checked.
Screening for visual acuity, language delays, signs of autism, and fine motor skills delays are all important assessments for 2- and 3-year-olds. Colleen Applewhite, Child Health Immunization Coordinator, said a child’s wellness check is critical to a child’s success.
“Early intervention is a proven way to prepare children for school, make them fit for school, and put them on par with other children by the time they reach primary school,” Applewhite said. said.
Applewhite said certain health concerns may be overlooked if the children are not taken to the doctor. She encourages her parents not to wait until her kindergarten to begin annual checkups and exams.
“We check if they know their name if we know if they’re a boy or a girl. We check if they know how to hold a pencil, their height And I check my weight to make sure it’s growing every year.”
The show also featured many other booths educating parents on everything from mental health resources to groceries. Parents can also have their children screened.
But the show didn’t just focus on health guidelines and testing. A child seat safety inspection was also carried out. Officials say a child’s child safety seat could mean the difference between life and death. They say that suitable car seats are essential for preschool children to drive to and from school.
“It is very important to use child restraints and be fitted with a suitable child restraint. It’s the leading cause of unintentional death, and while it’s a sad statistic, there are things we can do to prevent accidents,” said Matthew McVay, a health educator with the New Hanover County Department of Health and Human Services. Ta.
McVay also says you can run pinch and inch tests on your child’s car seat. Pinch the car seat harness to make sure no excess debris is coming out, and make sure the car seat doesn’t move more than an inch from the seat belt patch.
Parents and caregivers can also check the expiration date of the child seat. McVay also said checking car seat age, height and weight requirements could save lives.
Yvette Robinson attended the fair with her granddaughter. Robinson was able to secure a suitable child seat and take advantage of all the resources the exhibition provided.
Robinson said she wants to do everything she can to ensure her granddaughter is ready for kindergarten and has a successful future.
“Make sure your children are ready to go to school and have everything they need for the future.
Copyright 2023 WECT. All rights reserved.