WIC question

[Sputterduck]

My son is 4 and will be for awhile and I was looking into applying for WIC since we still have some time before he's too old.

However, I didn't know that this is a requirement:

""Nutrition risk" means that an individual has medical-based or dietary-based conditions. Examples of medical-based conditions include anemia (low blood levels), underweight, or history of poor pregnancy outcome. A dietary-based condition includes, for example, a poor diet.

At a minimum, the applicant's height and weight must be measured and bloodwork taken to check for anemia.

An applicant must have at least one of the medical or dietary conditions on the State's list of WIC nutrition risk criteria."

My son isn't underweight anymore I don't think and I'm pretty sure he isn't anemic. I thought this was an income based thing. If I apply will they have to draw blood from my son? He'll not go for that.

[alejorge]

You wont haave to draw blood for your son. It is an income based program. My kids are basicaly healthy and I have never had to do blood draws for them. They did have to get a finger poke or heel for iron levels.

[Teresa64]

Here wic is an income based thing. But they do a finger prick for anemia every 6 months.

[Sputterduck]

I thought it was an income based thing. They have income guidelines on their site but also that blurb about needing to be at nutrition risk, anemic or underweight and whatnot.

[Teresa64]

Maybe it is income based but if you make too much you can qualify under a medical need?

[Sputterduck]

Maybe it is income based but if you make too much you can qualify under a medical need?


That could be.

[Earthmama]

We don't have any of those medical conditions and all 3 of us are on WIC. I agree they do the finger prick for iron levels. If you want to get lead tested, some offices can do that with the same hole in the finger. That's what I did for DS in March.

[Meredith]

I thought it was an income based thing. They have income guidelines on their site but also that blurb about needing to be at nutrition risk, anemic or underweight and whatnot.

I'm pretty sure it differs from state to state, but my oldest is 2.5, receives WIC, and doesn't have any nutrition risks.

[jessiehannan]

income based with height, weight and iron checks.

[Sputterduck]

I'll go ahead and apply. We definitely meet the income requirement.

[jessiehannan]

Do you already know what you will be receiving? If not, you will be getting, milk, eggs, juice, peanut butter, cereal and cheese. My kids like the cheese part best. Because I am lactose intolerant, and hate the lactoe free milk, they let me get more cheese and less milk.

[Sputterduck]

We could use all of that. What about fresh produce?

[jessiehannan]

some do and some don't. Some offices give away prodice that is distributed there, some give you vouchers for the farmer's market once a year.

[alejorge]

The only type of fresh produce I get is 2lbs of carrots a montha dn i also get 25oz of tuna a month and that isbecause I am on the exclusively breast fed package.

[pawprint]

Having worked for WIC I can answer this for you. It says 'nutritional need' but its just a buzzword. If you qualify financially you will recieve it.

Some states give out produce checks but only until Oct so get in ASAP if your state does the.