Connecticut River Area Health District

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Old Saybrook, CT
Connecticut River Area Health District

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Providing public health services in Old Saybrook, Clinton, Deep River, Haddam, Chester, Killingworth & Durham

10/26/2026

National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week: Protect Your Child. Test Your Home.

Lead poisoning is preventable, but even low levels of lead can harm a child’s developing brain and nervous system.

This National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, we’re reminding families to take TWO important steps to protect their little ones:

🩸 TEST YOUR CHILD: Ask your child’s healthcare provider about lead testing. A blood lead test is the only way to know if your child has been exposed to lead.

🏠 TEST YOUR HOME: If you live in an older home, especially one built before 1978, lead-based paint may be present. Deteriorating paint and dust from repairs or renovations can expose children to lead.

💡 Remember: Children can be exposed to lead even when they seem perfectly healthy. Early testing and prevention can make a lasting difference!

Let’s work together to keep our children healthy and our homes safe.

📣 Share this post to help spread the word!

10/07/2026

🦟 Don’t let mosquitoes bug you!

A few simple steps can help protect you and your family from mosquito bites—and the illnesses they can spread:

💧 Tip it! Empty or dump out standing water around your home. Check buckets, flowerpots, birdbaths, toys, kiddie pools, and anything else that can collect water.

🧴 Repel it! Use an EPA-registered insect repellent, such as one containing DEET, and follow the label directions.

👕 Cover up! When possible, wear long sleeves, long pants, and socks when spending time outdoors.

🏡 Screen it! Keep doors and windows closed or make sure screens are in good repair to keep mosquitoes outside.

🔎 Think small! Even a small amount of standing water can provide a place for mosquitoes to breed.

Tip. Dump. Cover. Repel. 🦟
A few minutes of prevention can go a long way toward keeping mosquitoes away!

10/05/2026

🍂🥾 Adventure awaits—but so might a few uninvited hitchhikers. 🕷️

Heading outdoors this fall? Make sure you’re trail ready AND tick ready!

09/29/2026

🚨 WHAT IS 7-OH? AND WHY SHOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT IT?

You may have seen colorful gummies, tablets, drink mixes, or small liquid shots being sold at gas stations, smoke shops, and convenience stores. Some are labeled as 7-OH (7-hydroxymitragynine).

⚠️ 7-OH is an opioid. The FDA states that 7-OH can be more potent than morphine and can slow breathing — one of the effects that can make an opioid overdose fatal.

It is not the same as kratom. While 7-OH occurs naturally in the kratom plant in very small amounts, products sold commercially can contain concentrated, chemically manufactured 7-OH.

🚩 Know the signs of an opioid overdose:

• Won’t wake up
• Slow, shallow, or stopped breathing
• Blue or gray lips, fingernails, or skin
• Pinpoint pupils
• Gurgling or choking sounds

🆘 If you suspect an overdose:

1️⃣ Call 911.
2️⃣ Give naloxone (Narcan), if available.
3️⃣ Start rescue breathing or place the person in the recovery position if they are breathing.
4️⃣ Stay with them until help arrives.

Even if the person wakes up after receiving Narcan, they still need emergency medical care, because naloxone can wear off before the opioid does.

📢 Share this information. You never know who may need it.

For additional information and resources, visit addicted.org or call 1-800-304-2219 for free, confidential help.

09/28/2026

🌎 World Rabies Day — September 28

Today is World Rabies Day, a day to raise awareness about rabies and the simple steps we can take to protect ourselves, our families, and our pets.

Here’s how you can help prevent rabies:

💉 Keep pets vaccinated. Make sure your dogs, cats, and other eligible pets are up to date on their rabies vaccines.

🚫 Avoid wildlife. Never approach, touch, or feed wild animals—even if they appear friendly, sick, or injured.

🦇 Keep bats outside! Bats can enter homes through very small openings. Properly bat-proofing your home by sealing potential entry points can help prevent bats from getting inside while allowing them to remain where they belong—outside!

⚠️ Encountered a bat, skunk, raccoon, or other animal that you suspect could have rabies? Contact your local health department or animal control for guidance. When appropriate, the animal can be submitted for rabies testing to help determine whether rabies exposure may have occurred.

🩹 If you are bitten or scratched: Wash the area immediately with soap and water and contact your healthcare provider and local health department as soon as possible. Rabies is preventable when appropriate treatment is started promptly.

Common ways bats are entering your home:

09/25/2026

🌧️ BIG STORM COMING? Don’t Let a Power Outage Ruin Your Food!

With a big storm headed our way, some households may experience power outages. If the lights go out, remember: keeping your food safe is just as important as staying warm and dry!

🧊 Keep the refrigerator & freezer doors CLOSED! Every time you open the door, cold air escapes.

⏰ Know your timeline:
• A refrigerator will generally keep food cold for about 4 hours if left unopened.
• A full freezer can keep food frozen for about 48 hours (about 24 hours if it’s half full).

🌡️ When in doubt, throw it out! If perishable food has been above 40°F for 2 hours or more, it may not be safe to eat. Don’t rely on smell or appearance to determine whether food is safe.

❄️ Tip: If you know a storm is coming, freeze water bottles or containers ahead of time to help keep your freezer cold during an outage.

⚠️ Never use a grill, camp stove, or generator indoors—carbon monoxide can be deadly.

Stay safe, stay informed, and stay prepared!

09/23/2026

September is Food Safety Education Month!

We all love a good meal… but nobody wants a side of foodborne illness! 🤢

This month, we’re serving up some simple tips to help keep your food and your family safe:

🧼 Washy washy: Wash your hands, utensils, and surfaces often.
🥩 Separate: Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs away from ready-to-eat foods.
🌡️ Cook: Use a food thermometer to make sure foods reach a safe internal temperature.
❄️ Chill: Refrigerate perishable foods within 2 hours.

And remember: When in doubt, throw it out! 🗑️

09/21/2026

🪰 Spotted Lanternflies are getting a LOT of attention—and we’ve been getting a lot of calls!

Have questions about spotted lanternflies? You’re not alone! Sustainable Deep River & Deep River library are hosting an informational session to help our community learn more about these invasive pests.

Come learn the facts, get your questions answered, and know what to look for!

📅 Tuesday, October 6th
⏰ 6 PM
📍 Deep River Library

Help us spread the word—not the lanternflies! 🪰

09/17/2026

September is Su***de Prevention & Awareness Month

Su***de can affect anyone — and sometimes the people who are struggling most may not look like they’re struggling at all.

This month, we’re encouraging our community to start the conversation, check in, and know the signs.

You can help by:
• Asking someone directly, “Are you thinking about suicide?”
• Listening without judgment or trying to immediately fix the situation
• Taking changes in mood, behavior, or appearance seriously
• Helping someone connect with a trusted person or professional
• Checking in again — your continued support can make a difference

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available 24/7.

📞 Call or text 988 to reach the Su***de & Crisis Lifeline.
💻 988lifeline.org

You don’t have to have the perfect words. Sometimes, simply saying “I’m here. You’re not alone.” is a powerful place to start.

💛 Let’s make our community a place where it’s okay to ask for help, okay to talk, and okay to not be okay.

09/03/2026

CRAHD 2026 immunization clinic schedule is here 💉

Pediatrics: if dates/times do not work for your family, call us to make an appointment at our office (influenza only) 📞 860-661-3300

Address

455 Boston Post Road, Suite #7
Old Saybrook, CT
06475

Telephone

+18606613300

Website

http://CRAHD.info/

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