2. P LAN FOR T ODAY ’ S C LASS Will cover 2 topics – Iron and Lead What does iron do in our bodies? Play BINGO! Learning food sources of Iron and Vitamin C Explain dangers of lead exposure to children

3. W HY I S I RON S O I MPORTANT ? Iron levels in our body are really important to our health Iron is responsible for carrying oxygen in our blood to all organs and tissues Oxygen is essential for making energy Some of you may know about iron from a WIC nutrition contact. Feel free to volunteer information because someone else may benefit from what you know!

4. I RON IN OUR B ODIES When iron is low in our blood, we may be anemic. What are some signs or symptoms of anemia that you’ve heard about from your health care provider or from someone here at WIC?

5. I RON AND A NEMIA Some signs and symptoms of anemia: Weak Pale Poor appetite Get sick easier, stay sick longer Children have poor growth Shorter attention span Learning and development problems

6. With these symptoms in mind, why do you think it’s especially important for our children to have adequate levels of iron in their bodies? I RON AND A NEMIA

7. I RON AND V ITAMIN C Dietary sources of iron and vitamin C Why vitamin C? Foods naturally high in iron: Red meat Poultry Tuna/other fish Liver Tofu Beans Spinach/Greens

8. I RON AND V ITAMIN C Foods Fortified in Iron Infant Cereal WIC Cereals Enriched Bread Enriched Pasta Sources of Vitamin C Sweet PeasKiwi BroccoliStrawberry PeppersOrange TomatoesWIC Juices Potatoes

9. I RON AND V ITAMIN C Meals with both: Tacos (meat and vitamin C) Sandwich (bread/meat/vitamin C) Burritos (beans/meat/vitamin C) BINGO!

10. W HAT IS L EAD ? A mineral that we can be exposed to without knowing it Used to be in paint and gasoline Still found in dirt, water coming out of old pipes and many non-USA made products Lead can even be found in candy and home remedies from many people’s native countries

11. C HILDREN ’ S E XPOSURE TO L EAD Children are at a high risk of lead poisoning due to: Small size Tendency to put things in their mouths They are growing Almost impossible to reverse all effects of lead once symptoms appear Children Health and Disability Prevention Department recommends annual blood lead test for kids starting at 1 year old

12. R EDUCING E XPOSURE TO L EAD Do not let your child chew on painted surfaces or eat paint chips Wash your child’s hands and toys often Feed your child healthy meals and snacks every day. Include: Calcium Iron Vitamin C These nutrients help keep lead from hurting your child Talk to your child’s doctor about testing for lead

13. R EDUCING E XPOSURE TO L EAD Keep your home clean and dust-free Keep furniture away from paint that is chipped or peeling Never sand, dry scrape, power wash or sandblast paint Do not use dishes or pots made outside the U.S. for food or drinks Do not let your child put jewelry or toys in his/her mouth

14. M ORE I NFORMATION If you are concerned, please take one of these “Reducing Lead in Your Home” pamphlets, or a lead risk survey Ask your health care provider about blood lead testing at your child’s next physical or WIC check

15. H ELP M E F INISH T HESE S ENTENCES 1. Iron carries _______ in our blood to our tissues. 2. When iron is low in our blood, we may be ______. 3. Two symptoms of anemia are _________. 4. Red meat and beans are good sources of _______. 5. Eating ______ helps us absorb more iron 6. One way to reduce lead in the home is ________.

16. S UMMARY Today we talked about iron in our bodies, played a BINGO game to learn about iron and vitamin C and discussed the dangers of lead exposure. More resources are available if anyone is interested. Does anyone have any questions about anything we discussed?

17. Thank you for your participation today!