Healthy Families, Healthy Babies
Early Childhood Initiatives:
- Foster the development of children under 2 years of age
- Help children to grow up healthy
- Help parents to give their child a good start
- Help families to live healthily and safely
Prenatal and postnatal home visits
Coupons for milk and vitamins
Healthy Toddler Assessment – 18 months
Vision assessment – 3 ½ years
Resources for parents
Prenatal and postnatal home visits
Mothers can be visited by a nurse and a dietitian at home before and after birth.
The goal of visits is to:
- Help future mothers to have a healthy pregnancy;
- Support parents and families;
- Strengthen parental role and attachment with their baby;
- Contribute to the growth and development of children from 0 to 2 years;
- Direct parents to appropriate community resources;
- Provide coupons for milk and vitamins.
Prenatal home visits
Who can receive this service?
- Adolescent, 19 or under and pregnant for the first time
-
Pregnant women, based on their:
- Education level;
- Use of tobacco;
- Interest in prenatal classes;
- Prior prenatal experience.
How to request a home visit
- Call Public Health.
- Referral from a professional or a family member or friend.
Postnatal home visits
Who can receive this service?
- Adolescent, 19 and under who is a first-time parent
-
Parent of a first child (assessed before the age of six months) presenting with:
- A handicap or health problem;
- Factors having a negative impact on the child’s development;
- Social or environmental factors putting the child at risk.
How to request a home visit
- Be referred by the Public Health nurse who assesses each new mother at the hospital to determine whether she can receive postnatal services from Public Health or other organizations.
- Call Public Health.
- Referral from a professional or a family member or friend.
Coupons for milk and vitamins
Coupons for a litre of white milk per day and vitamins are provided to eligible pregnant women to meet their nutritional and caloric needs.
Who can receive this service?
- A pregnant woman on the Social Assistance Program;
- A low-income pregnant woman.
How to request coupons for milk and vitamins
Other resources
- Prenatal Benefit Program
- Postnatal Benefit Program (up to four months after giving birth)
- Resources for parents
- Social Assistance Program
Healthy Toddler Assessment – 18 months
Support children’s growth and development
- A Public Health nurse assesses the child at 18 months.
- All parents of an 18-month-old are invited by letter or telephone to bring their child in for an assessment.
- Participation in the assessment is voluntary.
During the assessment, the nurse:
- Answers the parent’s questions and concerns;
- Assesses the child’s growth, nutrition and development;
- Assesses the risk of cavities and problems with vision and hearing;
- Assesses the parent’s risk of depression;
- Advises the parent about the child’s vaccines;
- Advises the parent about accident prevention and the child’s safety;
- Advises the parent about language development and the importance of reading.
If necessary, Public Health refers the child to other professionals or services.
How to make an appointment
For more information
Healthy Smiles, Clear Vision (New Brunswick’s dental and vision plan for children of low-income families)
Vision Assessment – 3½ years of age
Screening 3½-year-olds for vision problems
The Public Health nurse assesses the child’s vision to identify diseases such as:
- Strabismus (being cross-eyed);
- Amblyopia (having a lazy eye).
All parents of a 3½-year-old are invited by letter or telephone to bring their child for an assessment.
Participation in the assessment is voluntary.
If necessary, Public Health refers the child to other professionals or services.
How to make an appointment
For more information
Eye Health & Exam Frequency – Preschoolers
New Brunswick Association of Optometrists
Children and Risks Associated With Sun Exposure
Resources for parents
Healthy Pregnancy…Healthy Baby – A New life
Breastfeeding and Baby-friendly Initiative (BFI)
Breastfeeding Support Services in your region
Loving Care: Birth to 6 months
