Healthy Way of life Lake County — October 2025

September was additionally crammed with clinic open homes at Belvidere Medical Building, Midlakes, and Zion Health Centers in celebration of our thirtieth anniversary! Each open home supplied excursions of the clinics, possibilities to attach with workers, and expertise the significance of neighborhood well being facilities.

We had many friends cease by together with management from the Health Department and Lake County, IL Government, the Gorter Family Foundation, State Representative Laura Faver Dias, Lake County Regional Office of Education #34, and City of Hope.

Additionally, management from the Health Department, Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Congressman Brad Schneider joined us to share messages with workers and the neighborhood concerning the very important function well being facilities play.

Thank you to all our neighborhood companions who visited our facilities this month — your help means every little thing!

Have you submitted your little one’s well being varieties? The deadline to submit well being varieties for bodily exams and vaccinations is October 15. Children who don’t submit up to date information might be excluded from college.

Physical exams have to be submitted for entry to preschool, kindergarten, 2nd grade, sixth grade, ninth grade, and twelfth grade. Dental exams have to be submitted for entry to kindergarten, 2nd grade, and sixth grade.

Contact your healthcare supplier or native healthcare web site to get your kid’s healthcare information up to date. If you would not have a supplier or can not get an appointment earlier than the varsity deadline, please contact your native pharmacy, minute clinic, or one in all these listed websites.

Respiratory virus season is upon us, and now’s the very best time to guard your self from extreme sickness, hospitalization, and demise by getting your annual flu vaccine, COVID-19 vaccine, and RSV vaccine (if eligible). 

COVID-19 Vaccinations

COVID-19 vaccines immediate our our bodies to acknowledge and assist defend us from extreme illness, hospitalization, and demise from the virus that causes COVID-19.

Per the Illinois ACIP, the COVID-19 vaccine is really useful for: 

• All kids ages 6 months by means of 23 months.
• Children ages 2 years by means of 17 years who’ve not less than one underlying risk factor, who’ve weakened immune programs, who’ve by no means been beforehand vaccinated for COVID-19, who dwell in congregate settings or dwell in households with these in danger for extreme COVID-19.
• Children ages 2 years by means of 17 years with out underlying threat elements whose mother and father/guardians need them to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
• All pregnant folks and people who are planning being pregnant, those that are postpartum (after being pregnant), or throughout lactation.
• All adults 18 years and older.

Reach out to your healthcare supplier with any questions on COVID-19 immunizations.

An overdose can occur anyplace—be ready by at all times carrying naloxone with you. Naloxone is usually a life-saving treatment that might be able to reverse an overdose from opioids — together with heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioid drugs — when given in time.

If you or somebody you take care of makes use of opioids, carry naloxone. Visit Naloxone Saves Live to order free naloxone right now!

National Hispanic Heritage Month

Every 12 months, from September 15 to October 15, National Hispanic Heritage Month takes place as a time to acknowledge and rejoice the numerous contributions, numerous cultures, and in depth histories of the American Latinx neighborhood. It is necessary to make wholesome decisions not just for you however for your loved ones.  

Visit the HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) to be taught extra about making wholesome decisions. 

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to not solely increase consciousness however to additionally take motion, and to help each other. Most breast most cancers is present in girls who’re ages 50 and older; and though breast most cancers primarily happens in girls, men can get it too as in addition they have breast tissue. Each man’s threat will depend on whether or not he has risk factors for breast most cancers.

Early detection of breast most cancers, together with self-exams, scheduling common medical breast exams and mammograms, could make it simpler to deal with. It is really useful that ladies who’re 40 to 74 years previous and are at common threat for breast most cancers get a mammogram. Talk to your healthcare supplier about the very best screening plan for you.

Eligible Lake County girls can obtain free breast and cervical most cancers screenings by means of the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (IBCCP), positioned on the Lake County Health Department. Visit the Health Department’s Breast & Cervical Cancer Screening web page for extra data.      

More details about breast most cancers could be discovered by visiting the CDC and National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.

Lead Prevention

Illinois has roughly two million homes with lead hazards and our childhood lead poisoning charges stay one of many highest within the nation. National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week was established to extend lead poisoning prevention consciousness within the hopes of lowering childhood lead publicity. No secure blood stage in kids has been recognized. Children six years previous and underneath are particularly weak as a result of their our bodies are nonetheless creating and rising quickly. 

You can take steps to stop lead publicity right now by:

1. Getting the information: Lead remains to be an issue in lots of communities. Learn about lead publicity, lead hazards, and how one can defend you and your loved ones.
2. Getting your little one examined: A blood test is one of the simplest ways to seek out out in case your little one has lead poisoning. Talk to your little one’s healthcare supplier about getting a blood lead check in case your little one could have been uncovered to steer.
3. Getting your own home examined: Minimize your threat of lead publicity by hiring an authorized skilled to check your own home for lead if it was constructed earlier than 1978.

Parents of youngsters with elevated blood lead ranges in Lake County can contact the Health Department’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention program. 

Mental Illness Awareness Week

During Mental Illness Awareness Week, October 5–11, we acknowledge this 12 months’s theme, “Building Community: Supporting Mental Well-being Together,” as a possibility to strengthen psychological well being help. One in 5 adults within the United States experiences a psychological well being situation. The influence of psychological well being not solely impacts the person but additionally mates, household, coworkers, and others who help them. Mental well being is one thing all of us expertise, handle, and wish help with. 

If you or somebody you understand is experiencing a psychological well being disaster, name or textual content 988 or go to our Crisis Care Program web page for extra sources.

Fire Prevention Week

Fire Prevention Week is noticed every year throughout the week of October 9 in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire. This 12 months’s theme, “Charge into Fire Safety™: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home,” works to teach everybody about utilizing these batteries safely.

Anything with a lithium-ion battery— telephones, laptops, e-bikes, energy instruments—can change into a fireplace hazard if it’s not charged safely. Always use the charger that got here with the system or one accredited by the producer. If the wire solely works once you bend it good, it’s time to switch it.

Don’t toss lithium-ion batteries or units within the trash or common recycling bins—they will begin a fireplace. Drop them off at a legit battery recycling spot —it’s safer and method higher for the planet. Visit call2recycle.org to discover a drop-off location close to you.

Smoking Fire Safety

Most fires brought on by smoking supplies begin on beds or furnishings, or in trash. Know the steps to take to remain secure from hearth.

The Health Department’s Tobacco Free Lake County program presents sources and help to these trying to give up smoking. To make an appointment or to ask concerning the providers beneath, name 847-377-8090 or e mail TFLC@lakecountyil.gov.