Oral

This session will focus on infant health and development. We will discuss nutrition issues, including community-based approaches to deal with the marketing of formula to new mothers in the hospital setting, and to promote breast feeding because of its multiple benefits. The role of the federal Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program in meeting the nutrition needs of infants and children in poverty will be discussed, as will ways to address food insecurity and restricted access to fresh produce in low-income communities. We will also address disparities that affect low income infants and families, including the higher infant mortality rate often found in poverty and minority communities, and access to care issues for low income children including the children of undocumented immigrants.

Session Objectives: At the end of this session, participants will be better able to: • Describe marketing practices used by formula manufacturers in the hospital setting • Identify costs of breastfeeding and benefits to formula feeding that are specific to WIC clients • Understand challenges and lessons learned in addressing food insecurity in a globalized food system • Discuss a successful community-based initiative to redress infant mortality disparities • Develop strategies to develop county-level health programs for low income children and the children of undocumented immigrants

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing