Guidance for Parents and Caretakers

• Call your OBGYN or pediatrician to see if they have in-office samples or can suggest a similar formula that may be more readily
available in stores and is nutritionally similar to your infant’s typical formula.
• Do not water down formula, try to make formula at home, or use toddler formula to feed infants.
• Do not discard formula unless it is expired or is part of the recall.
• Check your formula’s lot code to see whether or not it was affected by the recall.
• Find more guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
• Contact your child’s healthcare provider if:
– Your baby has symptoms of Cronobacter illness (fever and poor feeding, crying, or very low energy)
– Your regular formula is not available and you need recommendations on other ways to feed your baby or toddler

IDHS Formula Helpline: 1-800-843-6154

Illinois Attorney General’s Office Consumer Complaints: https://ccformsubmission.ilag.gov/

Tips from AG’s Office on avoiding formula scams:

• Research the business selling the product before you make a purchase.
• Consider how you are being asked to pay. For instance, credit cards provide the strongest protections, while payment methods of gift cards, money transfers or cryptocurrency are indications of a scam.
• Be aware, some review websites claim to be independent but are funded by scammers.
• Be on the lookout for positive reviews on the website that have been copied from honest sites or created by scammers.
• Be cautious if you discover no indication of a brick-and-mortar address or if the address appears on a Google map as a parking lot, residence or business unrelated to what is listed on the website.
• Misspellings, grammatical errors or other descriptive language that is inconsistent with the product is often a sign of a scam.
• Be cautious with sellers that advertise on a social media platform that may be communicative only until the payment is made. Once the payment clears, they may be unreachable.

For WIC-Eligible Families:

• WIC participants should redeem formula benefits throughout the month of benefit eligibility and not wait until benefits are about to expire.
• Be aware that some vendors have implemented quantity limits on formulas to aid in ensuring equity in access to formula for as many customers as possible.
• Work with your medical provider to identify alternative formulas on the IL WIC Formulary that may be more available if you are struggling to find your prescribed formula.
• If formula is not found on a store shelf, always ask a store manager or employee if stock is available, as there may sometimes be delays and supplies are being distributed as needed.

Let’s get vaccinated, District 66! IDPH has created an opportunity for organizations to host a vax clinic at your community site!

The State of Illinois will supply all the staff, equipment, and vaccine. Community hosts are asked to supply a space and parking for the event and engage in outreach to recruit 200 people or more to receive their vaccines at the clinic. Volunteers for the event are also encouraged. The State will provide translator services as needed.

Community Partner Vaccination Clinics are closed-pod vaccination events, which means the event is not open to the general public. Closed-pods are used as a way for community organizations to bring vaccine directly to their communities.

To find out more information on how to apply, click here!