Aitkin County Health & Human Services

06/04/2026

Episode #56 of Coffee with the County has HHS Director Sarah Pratt discussing the upcoming open house celebrating the awaited completion of the building remodel.

Link to Coffee with the County:
https://www.aitkincountymn.gov/podcast/

Please feel free to come by on 6/10/2026 from 5-7pm for a tour of Health & Human Services building!

06/03/2026

Heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion and heat stroke are dangerous but preventable. As summer rolls in, it is important to consider prevention when dealing with warmer temperatures!

☀️ Heat Exhaustion: Symptoms include heavy sweating, dizziness, nausea, and weakness.
👉 Act Fast: Move to a cool area, loosen clothing, and sip water.
🚨 Heat Stroke (Medical Emergency): Symptoms include confusion, no sweating, high body temp, and unconsciousness.
👉 Act Fast: Call 911 immediately! Move the person to the shade and cool them down with ice or wet cloths.

Know the difference and prevent heat related illness!

06/03/2026

🍎WIC food benefits are changing beginning with your June benefits. These changes improve the nutritional value of the WIC food benefits. Use the Minnesota WIC App to scan food products while shopping. Visit the WIC website to learn more about the changes and more food choices. 🍌

Minnesota WIC or the link below for more information!
https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/wic/foods/changes.html

06/03/2026

Swimmer's Itch (cercarial dermatitis) Season is Here!
🚣🏼‍♀️Heading to the lake today? ☀️ Don't let swimmer's itch ruin your fun! While it’s a natural occurrence in many freshwater bodies, you can prevent it by toweling off briskly and showering immediately after getting out of the water.

Myth: Swimmer’s itch is contagious.

Fact: It is just an allergic reaction to microscopic parasites; it cannot be spread person-to-person.

🦟 Swimmer’s itch is highly uncomfortable, but most cases resolve on their own. Soothe your symptoms with cool compresses, colloidal oatmeal baths, or anti-itch lotions like calamine.



Learn more about avoiding and treating this temporary skin irritation by visiting the Minnesota DNR Fact Sheet. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/swimming/swimmersitch.html.

06/01/2026

June is Men's Health Month! Support & connection allow men to keep up on preventative healthcare. Knowing the numbers is an important step that focuses on routine, life-saving preventative screenings.

Tracking key metrics like blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and BMI empowers you and your doctor to catch hidden risks—like heart disease and diabetes—before they become serious.

05/31/2026

Everyone operates on auto-pilot once in a while. Caregivers should have a strategy to ensure that no one is ever forgotten in a hot car. Even in a short time, temperatures can become dangerous.

-A child's body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult's. When a child is left in a vehicle, that child's temperature can rise quickly — and the situation can quickly become dangerous.
-Heatstroke begins when the core body temperature reaches about 104 degrees. Death occurs at a core body temperature of 107 or above.

In 2025, 31 children died of heatstroke in vehicles. In 2018 and 2019, we saw a record number of hot car deaths — 53 children died each year — the most in at least 25 years!

weather.gov/safety/heat-children-pets

05/26/2026

🦟While mosquitoes & ticks have been out for awhile, the warm weather will surely increase the numbers moving forward this summer! Biting insects are part of summer in Minnesota but there are some simple steps to protect yourself.

One of the common questions is how one removes an attached tick? The Minnesota Department of Health video explains that process in easy steps. Don't forget to wash the area after the tick is removed!

This 1-minute video shows you how to safely and quickly remove a tick.https://www.health.state.mn.us/ticks

05/22/2026

🛟National Safe Boating Week is May 16-22, 2026! Join us in preparing for a fun & safe boating season! 🚣🏼‍♂️

In Minnesota, there are certain requirements for boating education prior to hitting the lake or river! In 2025, the age requirements were updated to improve boater literacy & safety on Minnesota waterways.

More information about the Minnesota Boaters Education Requirements can be found here: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/boatwater/index.html

05/22/2026

To***co Use & Stroke Risk

Smoking and to***co use significantly increase your risk of stroke.

To***co:
🚫Damages blood vessels
🚫Raises blood pressure
🚫Thickens blood, making clots more likely
🚫Reduces oxygen to the brain

The good news: quitting makes a difference at any age. Your risk begins to drop soon after you stop using to***co — and continues to improve over time.

If you or someone you know is ready to quit, support is available:
Quit Partner (Minnesota Quitline) Free coaching, support, and tools to help you quit for good. https://www.quitpartnermn.com

This American Stroke Month, take a powerful step for your health — quit to***co and protect your brain.

05/22/2026

🍌SUN Bucks is a new grocery benefit that offers families $120 per eligible child during summer break. Find out more: dcyf.mn.gov/sun-bucks 🍇



More info here: dcyf.mn.gov/sun-bucks