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The superheroes fighting disease | |
(2 days later) | |
By Jane Elliott Health reporter, BBC News | By Jane Elliott Health reporter, BBC News |
Skinderella - can morph into a skeleton and knows all about skin and bone | Skinderella - can morph into a skeleton and knows all about skin and bone |
When a 12-year-old patient asked for help understanding his newly diagnosed leukaemia, Dr Kate Hersov knew she had a problem. | When a 12-year-old patient asked for help understanding his newly diagnosed leukaemia, Dr Kate Hersov knew she had a problem. |
"He said 'I can hardly pronounce it, let alone understand it," she said. | "He said 'I can hardly pronounce it, let alone understand it," she said. |
Growing increasingly frustrated by what she perceived as a worrying lack of child-focused information, she and fellow medic Dr Kim Chilman-Blair teamed up to produce a series of superhero comics, designed to educate. | Growing increasingly frustrated by what she perceived as a worrying lack of child-focused information, she and fellow medic Dr Kim Chilman-Blair teamed up to produce a series of superhero comics, designed to educate. |
"Often when we made a diagnosis of a young child we felt helpless that we had nothing to give the child themselves to understand what we had just told them," she said. | "Often when we made a diagnosis of a young child we felt helpless that we had nothing to give the child themselves to understand what we had just told them," she said. |
Comic book heroes | Comic book heroes |
"Kim had one particular patient, an eight-year-old girl called Wendy, who had epilepsy and had just been diagnosed. | "Kim had one particular patient, an eight-year-old girl called Wendy, who had epilepsy and had just been diagnosed. |
"After she was diagnosed she just looked at Kim forlornly and said: 'Is there nothing I can read'? | "After she was diagnosed she just looked at Kim forlornly and said: 'Is there nothing I can read'? |
"There was nothing out there we could give her - nothing for the young patients themselves. | "There was nothing out there we could give her - nothing for the young patients themselves. |
Parents sometimes feel that children are too young to understand medical concepts, or that they are better off not knowing Dr Kim Chilman-Blair | Parents sometimes feel that children are too young to understand medical concepts, or that they are better off not knowing Dr Kim Chilman-Blair |
"So it was out of our frustration as clinicians that we created Medikidz. | "So it was out of our frustration as clinicians that we created Medikidz. |
"We knew children needed a place to go to understand the medicine, whether that be the diagnosis, medicines or treatment procedures." | "We knew children needed a place to go to understand the medicine, whether that be the diagnosis, medicines or treatment procedures." |
The 'Medikidz' are a gang of five larger-than-life superheroes, designed to educate children through a wide range of media. | The 'Medikidz' are a gang of five larger-than-life superheroes, designed to educate children through a wide range of media. |
One element is an interactive website featuring a virtual world of the human body which the child can explore and the opportunity to create their own avatar (virtual identity) to talk to other children about their condition. | One element is an interactive website featuring a virtual world of the human body which the child can explore and the opportunity to create their own avatar (virtual identity) to talk to other children about their condition. |
Dr Chilman-Blair said: "Parents sometimes feel that children are too young to understand medical concepts, or that they are better off not knowing. | Dr Chilman-Blair said: "Parents sometimes feel that children are too young to understand medical concepts, or that they are better off not knowing. |
"The Medikidz programme wants to change this view. | "The Medikidz programme wants to change this view. |
"We don't sugar-coat serious problems, we provide clear and factual information in a way that is easy to understand and engaging to read. | "We don't sugar-coat serious problems, we provide clear and factual information in a way that is easy to understand and engaging to read. |
"We want the children who use Medikidz to be in control of their illness." | "We want the children who use Medikidz to be in control of their illness." |
Covering disease | Covering disease |
Both doctors want eventually to cover 300 paediatric conditions, but have launched this week with the first ten - including Type 1 diabetes, epilepsy, leukaemia and asthma. | Both doctors want eventually to cover 300 paediatric conditions, but have launched this week with the first ten - including Type 1 diabetes, epilepsy, leukaemia and asthma. |
In the asthma comic book the newly diagnosed Max Bond is taken on a tour of his lungs, while the superheroes Chi, Skinderella, Gastronomic, Pump and Axon explain how and why his lungs malfunction and the drugs that can be used to help. | In the asthma comic book the newly diagnosed Max Bond is taken on a tour of his lungs, while the superheroes Chi, Skinderella, Gastronomic, Pump and Axon explain how and why his lungs malfunction and the drugs that can be used to help. |
MEDIKIDZ CHARACTERS Chi - knows all about the lungsAxon - the brain specialist and Abacus his counting pet robotPump - makes your pulse race with his superhuman strength and speedSkinderella, who can morph into a skeleton and knows all about skin and boneGastronomic - who knows all about the 'bum, tum and tubes in between' | |
Kim Gillberg, health promotion manager at Asthma UK, said the project had the potential to provide a valuable tool to help children. | Kim Gillberg, health promotion manager at Asthma UK, said the project had the potential to provide a valuable tool to help children. |
"It's important that children and young people are given options in the way they access health information and we fully support the use of engaging and interactive materials," she said. | "It's important that children and young people are given options in the way they access health information and we fully support the use of engaging and interactive materials," she said. |
"The essential thing is that the information provided is accurate, positive and empowers children and young people to be able to manage long-term medical conditions, such as asthma, effectively." | "The essential thing is that the information provided is accurate, positive and empowers children and young people to be able to manage long-term medical conditions, such as asthma, effectively." |
All the comic books are peer reviewed and have input from play specialists, nurses and often charities. | All the comic books are peer reviewed and have input from play specialists, nurses and often charities. |
Pump - has superhuman strength and speed | Pump - has superhuman strength and speed |
Dr Chilman-Blair said the first editions would be aimed at the 10-15 age group, but that they also plan a story board format for younger children. | Dr Chilman-Blair said the first editions would be aimed at the 10-15 age group, but that they also plan a story board format for younger children. |
"We chose the graphic novel or comic because it is appealing to children of a wide age group from childhood up to adulthood," she said. | "We chose the graphic novel or comic because it is appealing to children of a wide age group from childhood up to adulthood," she said. |
Books cost £5.99 each and are available through the website, but the doctors hope that they will eventually be widely distributed. | Books cost £5.99 each and are available through the website, but the doctors hope that they will eventually be widely distributed. |
"I would like to see a Medikidzs comic book given to every kid when they are diagnosed", said Dr Hersov. | "I would like to see a Medikidzs comic book given to every kid when they are diagnosed", said Dr Hersov. |
Grenville Fox, clinical director at the Evelina Children's Hospital, where the comics were launched said they could be invaluable. | Grenville Fox, clinical director at the Evelina Children's Hospital, where the comics were launched said they could be invaluable. |
"For a lot of children, spending time in hospital and dealing with their illness can be a daunting experience." he said. | "For a lot of children, spending time in hospital and dealing with their illness can be a daunting experience." he said. |
"This can be made easier for them by providing them with information in a way they can understand and relate to. | "This can be made easier for them by providing them with information in a way they can understand and relate to. |
"The Medikidz characters and leaflets are a great way for our patients to learn about their bodies and illnesses in a fun and accessible way." | "The Medikidz characters and leaflets are a great way for our patients to learn about their bodies and illnesses in a fun and accessible way." |
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