Diabetes Program Focuses On Interactive Fun

Thursday, March 1, 2001

B||D)| EF G H ren’'s ealth Diabetes Program FocusesOn Interactive Fun (NAPSA)—Young people can now learn more about diabetes and have somefun in the process. The American Diabetes Association has revised and revitalized its program for young people with diabetes. Since its launch in June 2000, the Wizdom™ information and education program has dis- tributed over 6,000 Wizdom kits and averaged over 15,000 hits per month at the Association’s Youth Zone” Web site, www.diabetes. org/wizdom. Improvements include a Wizdom Round Table at the Youth Zone Website, the launching of issue-specific, “Print-On-Demand” information, and an e-newsletter that allows kids and parents to offer more feedback, ask questions, and share personalstories. Each month around 600 free Wizdom kits are sent to kids. The kits feature two books, one for the child and one for parents. Each book outlines everything a family needs to know to get started on the road to good diabetes management. The story line throughout the kit focuses on “The Amazing Audrey,” a 14-year-old “diabetes wizard” and her apprentice, AJ, a boy who has just been diagnosed with diabetes. Audrey teaches AJ how to juggle his food, insulin, and exercise to achieve and maintain good diabetes control. Juggling balls are included in the kit so kids can actually learn how to juggle as they learn to juggle the three aspects of diabetes. Each year approximately 13,000 children under age 20 are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, and there has recently been an increase in children developing type 2 diabetes, a form of diabetes Wizdom”story line focuses on a “diabetes wizard” and her ap- prentice, a boy who hasjust been diagnosed with diabetes. that until recently has been associated with people aged 45 andolder. The kit also includes a three ring binder that can be used to build a personal diabetes information resource guide. The booksand the binderfit into a colorful box of other “goodies”like recipe cards, stickers, temporary tattoos, pens and magnets. The Youth Zone site includes a listing of Association-supported summer camps for kids with diabetes, nutrition tips with snack ideas, diabetes care checklists, plus puzzles and games that are updated throughout the year. New Print-On-Demand titles are launched approximately every six weeks and are translated into Spanish. Over the past year, the youth program has introduced more than a dozen, including “Kids and Type 2 Diabetes,” “Just For Parents,” and “Diabetes, School, and the Law.” To order a Wizdom Kit for your child with diabetes or to obtain free diabetes information call 1800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit diabetes.org.

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