NATCHEZ — The Natchez-Adams School District has invited the entire Miss-Lou to take advantage of free health screenings at a health fair today from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Natchez Community Center.

“This is something the district decided to do to help combat a high rate of childhood obesity and juvenile diabetes,” NASD Nurse Supervisor Marla Farmer said.

Seven NASD nurses will administer health screenings, including blood pressure, blood glucose, lipid panel, hearing and vision screenings.

Two NASD speech and language pathologists will also screen children at the event.

Special services representatives, such as special education programs staff, will attend the fair to hand out information, NASD Federal Programs Director Marilyn Alexander-Turner said.

“We’re trying to give parents and the community a one stop shop to get all premedical findings,” Alexander-Turner said.

Alexander-Turner said nurses and speech and language staff will recommend seeing physicians as needed.

Turner said health screenings are helpful. For instance, if a parent learns their child needs glasses, the summer allows enough time to make an eye doctor appointment before classes begin in the fall.

Farmer said the fair will also have healthy living literature for parents of school-aged children.

Farmer said lipid panel screenings will be provided 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. only.

Alexander-Turner said the health fair is funded by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.