Southeast Georgia Health System will conduct a Teddy Bear Clinic and infant
car seat safety checks during its first Community Health and Wellness
Fair on Saturday, June 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the new Brunswick
High School, 3885 Altama Avenue.
During the Teddy Bear Clinic, children will be able to bring in one of
their stuffed dolls or animals to receive a check-up and some tender loving
care for injuries such as missing buttons or tattered arms and legs. In
addition to patching up boos-boos on stuffed animals, Health System team
members will demonstrate a variety of medical treatments a child may encounter
while at the doctor’s office or hospital.
Child Life Specialist Earlene Dickson explains, "A trip to the hospital
or doctor’s office can be overwhelming and a bit frightening for
children. The Teddy Bear Clinic helps familiarize children with the health
care experience in a non-threatening environment and helps alleviate their
fears."
Also during the fair, certified child passenger safety technicians from
Safe Kids Kingsland will be set up in the parking lot to perform safety
checks on child and booster seats and assist families with ensuring their
children are riding safely. The safety check includes inspecting to see
if the infant or booster seat is correctly installed and appropriate for
the age and size of the child.
According to Safe Kids World Wide, motor vehicle crashes are the number
one cause of death among children ages 1 to 19. Children ages 2 to 5 who
use safety belts prematurely are four times more likely to suffer a serious
head injury in a crash than those in infant safety seats or booster seats.
Other activities taking place at the Health and Wellness Fair include a
variety of free and low-cost health screenings, a brown bag medication
review and a Cancer Survivor Celebration. For more information, visit
sghs.org/healthfair, or call 912-466-2140.