Desert Messenger

May 18, 2022 www.DesertMessenger.com 5 WIC program helping families navigate infant formula shortages Readership of free community papers is now higher than paid daily papers and continues to grow. And more than 70 percent of readers make their buying decisions from free paper advertising and editorial. Your free community paper, promoting connections at a local level – right under your nose. 928-916-4235 www.DesertMessenger.com Email: Editor@DesertMessenger.com By Carla Berg, Deputy Director for Public Health Services at the Arizo- na Department of Health Services. As a mother of young children, my heart aches when I see parents and caregivers facing a nationwide shortage of infant formula. There can be an overwhelming amount of information related to the early stages of parenthood, and unpre- dictable situations like this can add extra stress. The Food and Drug Administra- tion (FDA) makes sure formula has proper nutrition for health and de- velopment. Formula is specially de- signed to maximize the individual's ability to absorb nutrients. Your pe- diatrician is the best place to start if you have any concerns about your child's nutrition. Many families impacted in our state are participating in the Arizo- na Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The WIC program exists to promote healthy families and chil- dren. Driven by this goal, ADHS is working to help families navigate this situation. WIC families normally receive products made by Abbott Nutrition, maker of Similac brand infant for- mulas; at this time our staff and lo- cal WIC clinics are helping connect clients to alternatives until supplies return to normal. To provide fami- lies with more fl exibility, we have since the beginning of the infant formula shortage made available additional can sizes of Similac and certain other brands for WIC fami- lies, and this will continue. About half of WIC families receiv- ing formula use Similac Advance Infant Formula, and supplies of that product are now fairly stable. About a third receive Similac Sensitive, for which store supplies have markedly increased in the past week. There also are increasing supplies of Simi- lac Soy Isomil, used by a smaller number of WIC families. It is more diffi cult at this time to obtain Similac for Spit-up, Similac Total Comfort and certain other specialty formulas. Local WIC offi c- es and AZ WIC stand ready to help connect families with alternatives. This shortage affects families state- wide, not just WIC participants. With that in mind, we offer the fol- lowing suggestions to everyone: • Whether or not you are a WIC participant, involve your pediatri- cian if you have concerns about your infant's nutrition. Your pediatrician may have advice on transitioning temporarily to another type of for- mula, for example. • Please use only FDA-approved formula. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has these resources explaining what you should look for in a formula (e.g. not expired, sealed and in good condi- tion, NOT labeled for toddlers). • While acknowledging this is dif- fi cult for those without easy access to different types of stores, I en- courage everyone who can to look beyond supermarkets and check whether pharmacies, convenience stores, or specialty stores may have the formula you need or an FDA-ap- proved alternative. You also may be able to fi nd formula online, though do check carefully to make sure it is FDA-approved. In some cases, you may be able to order directly from the manufacturer of your formula. • Please don't attempt to make your own baby formula. Although recipes for homemade formulas cir- culating on the internet may seem healthy or less expensive, they may not be safe or meet your baby's nutritional needs. Infants need a very specifi c balance of nutrients to grow. When breastfeeding is not an option, a formula approved by the FDA has what babies need. You can fi nd more information on this topic in this article from the American Academy of Pediatrics. • See additional resources on nu- trition for babies. As nutrition can include a combination of feeding options based on baby's growth and readiness, current and expecting parents can reach out to our 24- hour Breastfeeding Hotline. There's good news in that infant formula production is back at full capacity and store supplies are be- ginning to stabilize. In the mean- time, ADHS is here to help WIC families and to share advice that helps all parents during this chal- lenging time. If you are unable to locate infant formula provided through WIC, please call your local WIC clinic for assistance. You may also contact the AZ WIC Shopper Helpline at 866.927.8390 Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. You also can email azwicshoppershelpl ine@azdhs.gov. Staff are available to help connect you with alternative infant formulas. Themes & dates announced for parades The Quartzsite Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Board of Di- rectors announced next season's themes and dates for their annual parades. Save the date for the annual Christmas Light Parade for Satur- day, December 3rd, 2022. The theme this year is "Christmas in the desert." The annual Hi Jolly Daze Parade will be held Saturday January 14, 2023. The theme is "Camel- mania!" Watch for more details on Face- book.com/QuartzsiteTourism

• Cover