About 1 in 6 Orange County children
from low-income families has anemia* - too little iron in the
blood. Anemia can make a child feel tired, get sick more often and
have trouble concentrating at school.
Orange County's anemia rates for
low-income children are higher than the state average and much
higher than the national Healthy People 2010 goal. Children may be
anemic for many reasons but it is usually caused by not getting
enough iron from the foods they eat. Iron deficiency anemia is a
condition that is preventable.
To help address the public health
problem of anemia, Nutrition Services and others from the
community formed the Orange County Anemia Task Force. The group
was active from 1997-1999 and conducted many anemia prevention
projects. Though the Task Force is no longer meeting,
iron-deficiency anemia remains a health concern and prevention
activities continue.
Help Children Learn & Grow:
Prevent Anemia Education Materials Available
Video:
"For Goodness Sake! Prevent Anemia"
(English, Spanish), 20 tapes available for loan
"You
Can Prevent Anemia" flip
chart (English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese,
Hmong) Copies and overheads available for loan
"Foods High in
Iron"
handout (English, Spanish,
Vietnamese),
no charge for small quantities or copy ready
originals
"Prevent
Anemia – Shopping list of foods high in
iron"
(English, Spanish, Vietnamese), no charge for
small quantities or copy ready originals
"Prevent
Anemia" Lesson Plan, 4-6th grade
level,
no
charge for copy ready originals
Background
information on anemia, miscellaneous materials
– Call
for details
If you need further information or can help with anemia
education,
please call Nutrition
Services at:
(714) 834-7984.
*Data from the Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP)
Program, Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System -CDCE
