Healthy Baby Competition

The Western Cape Department of Health and Johnson & Johnson challenge mothers to take responsibility for their children's health.

The Western Cape Department of Health and Johnson & Johnson are organising Healthy Baby competitions to promote the health of children under 18 months of age.

Mothers can contact their local participating clinics to be informed of the date of the clinic competition. Each child should have his/her own Road to Health Card to enter the competition. First, second and third place winners per age category will be chosen per clinic but only the first place winner will participate in the Grand Finale to take place on 27 August 2004 in the Johnson & Johnson Hall at Red Cross Hospital.

Some of the criteria which will be examined during the competition are:

• a Road to Health Card
• mother's breastfeeding patterns
• immunizations
• weight in relation to a growth curve.

Johnson & Johnson have organized such competitions for the past seven years using the concept of Healthy Baby Kenya and local cultural perspectives which led to appropriate score sheets being developed. The first competition was held in the Khayelitsha area. Currently 30 competitions are run in Cape Town and 60 clinics in Gauteng.

Age categories of the Healthy Baby Competition are:

1. 0 - 6 months
2. 7 - 12 months
3. 13 - 18 months

The first, second and third prize winners will receive product hampers.

In the finale, the winners will receive an educational toy and an useful item (eg strollers, camp cots) as well as a large hamper of products.

Johnson & Johnson is working closely with the dietitians of the Integrated Nutrition Programme to promote breastfeeding. The objective of the Healthy Baby Competition is to motivate and reward mothers to take responsibility for their children's health.

Healthy Baby Competition
Grand Finale
Time: 10:00
Date: 27 August 2004
Place: Johnson & Johnson Hall, Red Cross Hospital