By Karen Freeman
In another element of its plan to make sure children are healthy and ready for school when they reach kindergarten, the McComb Excel By 5 Coalition is sponsoring a free children’s health fair on Wednesday.
The event, for kids age 0 to 5, will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Kennedy Early Childhood School, 207 S. Myrtle St., in McComb.
McComb is a candidate community for Excel By 5, a Madison-based program and first of its kind in the nation to emphasize the important roles communities play in making sure children get the education, nutrition and stimulation in their most formative years — birth to age 5.
In an effort to breathe life into the first health fair, many activities are being planned.
The health fair will include free screenings for children, health and nutrition education, healthy snacks, face-painting and safety education.
Activities will be spread out among three locations at Kennedy.
In the multipurpose room, children will get screenings for blood pressure, have their height and weight measured and find out their Body Mass Index.
Practical nursing students from Southwest Mississippi Community College will be on hand, as will personnel from Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center, McComb School District nurses, and representatives from St. Andrew’s Mission, the Division of Medicaid, the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi, the Department of Health and McComb Recreation Department.
SMRMC’s Ellen Brannon said the health fair will have two primary areas of concern: asthma connected to second-hand smoke, and childhood obesity and diabetes.
“They’re going to be a big focus,” Brannon said.
After the screenings, those children who need it will be referred for follow-ups with medical professionals.
On the Kennedy playground, McComb police will have a safety demonstration for proper car child seat use. McComb firemen will be on hand for fire safety lessons.
In the Kennedy cafeteria, the McComb School District’s childhood nutrition officials will be giving parents and guardians information on healthy meals and snacks Others on hand there include representatives from the WIC program for women, infants and children, and the Mississippi State
The health fair is presented by the Excel By 5 local health and safety committee.
The McComb School District is the lead agency in the Excel By 5 drive.
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