Available to infants aged 0-24 months with a medical need for hydrolyzed infant formula designed to treat cow’s milk protein allergy. This program only covers the following products:
- Alimentum
- Nutramigen
- Pregestimil
The program provides a maximum number of cans per month based on your child’s age.
Who Qualifies?
This program is open to clients of Social Development and low-income families in need.
Your infant must be aged 0-24 months and have at least one of the following symptoms:
- Hives
- Eczema
- Enteropathy (bloody stools, watery diarrhea, and failure to thrive)
- Severe reflux (vomiting with all feeds and failure to thrive).
Please Note: Infants receiving the Specialized Infant Formula benefit are NOT eligible for the following through Social Development:
- Postnatal Benefits,
- Infant Formula Program (IFP), or
- Dietary Supplements.
Coverage under this program may be provided for a maximum of 4 months only. A new Medical Referral Form is required if the benefit needs to be extended. The maximum coverage is up to 24 months of age.
Infants living in First Nations Communities must apply for this program through the Department of Health instead.
Have your family doctor, pediatrician, or nurse fill out the Specialized Infant Formula Referral Form, which they will have at their office. They will give you the completed referral form to apply for this benefit.
Get a written estimate of the monthly cost of formula from your pharmacist.
Submit your referral form:
If you are already receiving Social Assistance, send your completed Infant Formula Referral Form, along with the written estimate from your pharmacist to your case manager for further assessment.
If you are not currently receiving Social Assistance, call Social Development at 1-833-733-7835. An agent will take your call and ask you questions to see if you may qualify.
If you may be eligible for Social Assistance, the agent will make an appointment for you to complete the application package and provide the required documents.
Once your application is complete, we will review the information to see if you meet the program’s financial requirements. We will also assess your employability.