Knox County Tennessee

Healthy Families

Safe Sleep

A baby requires sleep. Lots of it. It’s typical for an infant to sleep up to 16-17 hours a day. How babies sleep is just as important as the amount of sleep they get.

  • A safe sleep environment can help reduce the risks of SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant death, such as suffocation.
  • Remember to room share and not surface share, clean out extra items from the crib, put baby to sleep on their back on a firm and flat crib or pack 'n play.
  • Visit our Safe sleep now for a "Strong Baby" later page to learn more about how to practice safe sleep for your baby.

Print off the Safe Sleep Checklist to ensure anyone who cares for your child will know how to put your baby to sleep safely for naps and nighttime.

  • Print off and keep with the diaper bag, next to the crib or pack n play or give it to the babysitter. You can never be too prepared for ensuring a safe environment for your baby.

Programs

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Baby & Me Tobacco Free program is for those who are pregnant and interested in quitting using tobacco.

  • If you're interested in a program designed to help you quit while also offering an opportunity for you to earn diapers and baby wipes, sign up for our free BABY & ME - Tobacco Free program for pregnant women.
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WIC is a nutrition program that helps the whole family learn about eating well and staying healthy with healthy food, helpful advice, and referrals to community resources.

  • WIC serves pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, infants, and children under the age of five who qualify.
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CHANT helps get you in touch with the resources your family needs, including rent, utilities, clothing, diapers, domestic violence, children with special healthcare needs, depression, unsafe sleep environments and more.

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Parents As Teachers is a prenatal to Kindergarten program that helps parents learn how to be their child’s first and most influential teacher, ensuring their young children are healthy, safe and ready to learn.

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KAPPI works to prevent adolescent pregnancy while improving services available for pregnant and parenting adolescents. Visit Knox Teen Health to learn more.

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The Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) program provides support, resource referrals, and information to parents and families whose lives have been affected by the tragic death of an infant or loss of a pregnancy. This helps develop initiatives to reduce and prevent infant deaths.

Healthy Kids, Healthy Families

1. Oral Health

  • Good oral care starts before teeth appear. The AAP recommends that, after a feeding, parents wipe a baby’s gums with a soft washcloth or a baby toothbrush using water only (no toothpaste).
  • When your baby's teeth appear, brush twice a day with an infant toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste. Start flossing when two of his teeth touch each other. Ask your dentist about techniques and schedules. Brush and floss just before bedtime.
  • KCHD has a Dental program where we provide basic dental care for children and emergency dental services for eligible adults in Knox County. Visit our Dental page to learn more.

2. Family Planning

  • Family planning provides women and their partners with information on the various methods of birth control as well as instructions on how to use the chosen method effectively. Visit our Women's Health Page to learn more about family planning and what services we provide.

3. Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention and Positive Youth Development

  • The mission of KAPPI is to prevent adolescent pregnancy while improving services available for pregnant and parenting adolescents.
  • Visit knoxteenhealth.com for more resources and information.

4. Immunizations

Immunizations are vital in protecting our children from many potentially serious diseases. Nationally, childhood immunizations programs have resulted in the elimination or reduction of many diseases including measles, chickenpox, HIB meningitis and polio. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that immunizations prevent between 2 to 3 million deaths every year.

  • Once a baby is born, she will start to get her own vaccines for protection against diseases (even before she leaves the hospital after birth it is recommended she get the first of an eventual three doses of the vaccine that protects against Hepatitis B).

Visit our immunizations page to see what vaccines you can receive at KCHD.



Need to report a public
health emergency?

Call 865-215-5093

Have Questions? Call: (865) 215-5555 Email: Health@knoxcounty.org

On the first Wednesday of every month, all KCHD offices and clinics are closed in the morning for staff in-service. On these days, the main location (140 Dameron Ave.) will open at 11 a.m. and the West Clinic (1028 Old Cedar Bluff) will open at 11:30 a.m.

Clinics will also open at 10:30 a.m. (Main location) and 11 a.m. (West Clinic) on the following Wednesdays: April 17 and July 17. All other offices will open at 8 a.m.