WIC woes

Photo by Rosie O’Beirne

I got an interesting phone call today. The Illinois Health Connect (aka Medicaid) gave me a “courtesy call” to double check our contact information and ask us if our children were up to date on vaccines and healthy kids check ups. continue reading »

I believe all WIC offices ask about vaccines at some point, and many of them have nurses on site ready to poke your child with the vaccines at your WIC appointment. I’ve posted on here before that vaccines are not at all necessary in order to receive WIC, and that you shouldn’t worry about being denied WIC or feel afraid to let them know you are for whatever reason not sticking to the AAP’s recommended vaccine schedule. continue reading »

Photo by Michael R

We don’t have our children receive the polio vaccine. As I’ve said before, vaccines are not required to be eligible for WIC. Not too long ago, I had the nurse in the WIC office say to me when I told her I didn’t want my 9 month old to recieve the polio vaccine, “Well I hope you all don’t plan on traveling overseas, because you do know that polio is still around over there, and it is a very serious disease.” Did she miss the memo that my family is low income? continue reading »

Photo by Brian Hoskins

I’m sure lots of WIC offices would like you to think so, but the answer is no. Your child’s vaccine record has no impact on their eligibility to receive WIC or not. If they hassle you about it, go to the WIC website, print out their information, and bring it in to them. They cannot force you to vaccinate your baby in order to receive WIC. Our family doesn’t receive any vaccines that are made with aborted fetal tissue and we also don’t receive a couple others for other reasons. We still receive WIC and we have never had anyone at the WIC office try to tell us that we cannot get WIC because of this. continue reading »