Tag Archives: WIC

WIC Lowcountry Service on Wheels featured in the Journal of Perinatology 

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Congratulations to DHEC’s Lowcountry WIC Team who recently had an initiative featured in the Journal of Perinatology! 

In 2022, the Lowcountry WIC Service on Wheels (SoW) partnered with the children’s hospital at MUSC in Charleston to offer weekly intake appointments to moms with infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. (NICU). The hospital was selected for a study to evaluate a single center quality improvement (QI) collaborative designed to increase the provision of mother’s own milk (MOM) at discharge to premature infants through evidence-based practices while targeting perinatal health disparities. 

This partnership helped improve health equity and access to hospital-grade pumps, and the collaborative increased the percentage of preterm infants receiving MOM at discharge and reduced the number of mothers who discontinue pumping during the NICU hospitalization. 

According to the article, “to eliminate transportation barriers, the WIC SOW parked at the hospital entrance and functioned as a mobile clinic for the initial WIC appointment for mothers who qualify for services. Services rendered included a monetary benefit card, maternal health screenings and a Medela Symphony® HGP [breast pump]. Before this study, mothers were anecdotally reporting waiting 2–3 weeks after discharge to obtain pumps from WIC at their local offices.” 

Study details and results were published in the December 20, 2023, edition of the Journal of Perinatology. 

The SoW program eliminates transportation barriers for parents, guardians, and caretakers, making it easier for them to receive services. It is a mobile unit that provides full WIC services in convenient locations for families in a shorter time and without sitting in a waiting room.  

To see if the WIC van will be coming near you, visit https://scdhec.gov/health/women-infants-children-wic-nutrition-program/wic-mobile-van-calendars 

Learn more about WIC in South Carolina at scdhec.gov/wic. 

It’s National Breastfeeding Month: This is Our Why

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August is National Breastfeeding Month, and August 1-7 was World Breastfeeding Week.   

In recognition of these observances, the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program is raising awareness about the importance of breastfeeding and challenging DHEC staff to work together to ensure “breastfeeding and human milk are the normative standards for infant feeding and nutrition,” as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.   

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WIC Implements Program to Identify Developmental Milestones in Children

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DHEC’s WIC program is going a little farther this winter to encourage parents to learn the signs of healthy development with its implementation of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Learn the Signs. Act Early. Program.

According to the CDC, the “Learn the Signs. Act Early” program aims to improve the early identification of children with autism and other developmental disabilities so children and families can get the services and support they need.  

It is important to identify developmental delays and disabilities. The CDC reports that 1 in 6 children aged 3-17 years have developmental disabilities. The S.C. WIC program will aid parents in identifying these disabilities or delays sooner than later.  

As of Jan. 4, 2022, WIC began implementing this new program to its participants. As part of the program, parents will complete a milestone checklist. The list can be completed by paper or through the milestone tracker app.  

By monitoring their children’s milestones using the simple checklist, parents can identify what skills are typical at certain ages. It also aids parents to recognize when to act if they have concerns or if there are signs of possible developmental delay or disability.  

WIC providers recognize how a child plays, learn, speak, act, and move for their age are important signs of a child’s healthy growth and development. When a child’s development is delayed, WIC providers also know the value of a timely referral to support both the child and family. 

From June 1, 2021 – August 31, 2021, the Moncks Corner Health Department, and the Bluffton Health Department of the Lowcountry region piloted the program.    

During that time: 

  • 514 participants were educated on the developmental milestones 
  • 35 participants were referred for developmental screening 
  • 858 Milestone Matter lessons were completed on WICs’ online education platform, WIChealth.org. 

It is the success of the Lowcountry that has led the WIC program to implement a statewide rollout this month!

DHEC Celebrates World Breastfeeding Week 2021 and National Breastfeeding Month

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This week marks World Breastfeeding Week. Celebrated across the globe from Aug. 1-7, 2021, the annual awareness week seeks to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. 

This year’s theme is “Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility.” It focuses on how protecting breastfeeding is a shared responsibility. The World Alliance for Breastfeeding emphasizes the need for a public health approach to breastfeeding to build better systems. 

DHEC’s Women Infant and Children (WIC) team encourage its participants to choose to breastfeed as their first option for feeding their babies. Breastfeeding has many benefits for both mother and child including:  

  • Breast milk naturally has all the nutrients and antibodies babies need to grow, develop, and prevent illnesses.   
  • Breastfeeding is convenient and a great timesaver. You can breastfeed almost anywhere and anytime your baby is hungry.  
  • Breastfeeding helps the uterus return to its normal size.  
  • Breastfeeding reduces health care costs because babies are healthier. 
  • Breast milk is always sterile, warm, and ready to serve. 

WIC is part of the Bureau of Community Nutrition Services.

We understand breastfeeding can be challenging for some mothers, especially in the early days. Lactation consultants can help you find ways to make breastfeeding work for you and your baby. Click here to learn more about tackling breastfeeding challenges.  

In addition to World Breastfeeding Week, August is also National Breastfeeding Month. To help celebrate World Breastfeeding Week and National Breastfeeding Month, our regions will be conducting activities. If you’re visiting one of our clinics, look for special activities. We’ll also be sharing pictures later this month showing some of the special events taking place throughout our state.  

According to the World Alliance for Breastfeeding, scaling up breastfeeding can prevent:  

  • 20,000 maternal deaths annually 
  • 823,000 child deaths annually 
  • $302B in economic losses annually  
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For more information about breastfeeding visit the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action’s website where you can also sign a pledge to participate in World Breastfeeding Week. Also, you can learn about how WIC can help with breastfeeding by visiting our WIC webpage. 

DHEC In the News: Flu Season is coming, eWic expands across South Carolina, Vaping Cases Increase

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Here’s a look at health and environmental news around South Carolina.

 

Is it too early to be thinking about flu season? The CDC says no

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WLTX.com) It may still feel like summer outside, but the seasons will change in a few weeks. Influenza viruses circulate all year, but flu activity usually begins to pick up in October and peaks between December and February, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

 

eWIC cards now accepted at major stores across SC

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WLTX.com) Starting Monday, Sept. 16, all corporate stores across South Carolina will now accept eWIC cards as a form of payment for participants under the Women, Infant and Children Nutrition (WIC) program. These stores include Bi-Lo, Food Lion, Harris Teeter, Kroger, Lowes Foods, Publix, Target, and Walmart.

 

Upstate hospital system notifies DHEC of 5 possible cases of pulmonary disease from vaping

GREENVILLE, S.C. (Fox Carolina) Prisma Health-Upstate said Tuesday its doctors have notified South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) of five probably cases of severe pulmonary disease related to e-cigarette use or vaping. DHEC on Monday said there have been 2 confirmed cases in the state so far.