Website of the week: Managing chronic diseases: kids' stuff

Abstract

When children are considered in the context of chronic diseases, it is often with a view to preventing the problems of adult onset cancer and heart disease. In Britain, the Department of Health has initiated a National School Fruit Scheme for children to “protect them against chronic diseases in later life.” At the website (www.doh.gov.uk/schoolfruitscheme/), statistics show that eating green stuff remains among the least favourite activities of most children: “About half eat no peas and three in five eat no leafy green vegetables.” Sadly, chronic illness is not always confined to a child's distant future. Many children are affected by chronic diseases. The internet can be an ideal means of providing these children with knowledge and support. The National Asthma Campaign website contains a “kids' zone” (www.asthma.org.uk/kidszone/) that offers advice on coping with asthma attacks and attempts to provide answers to questions such as “What is asthma?” and “Why do I have asthma?” The “youth site” of Coeliac UK (www.coeliac.co.uk) combines education with entertainment, interspersing its information with interactive space invaders games. Diabetes UK (www.diabetes.org.uk/manage/teenzone/sort_it.htm) provides information relevant to teenagers. It offers advice on alcohol consumption and interactions between recreational drugs and insulin and glucose levels, along with strategies for gaining independence from protective parents. “Band-aides and Blackboards” (www.faculty.fairfield.edu/fleitas/contents.html) aims to provide age appropriate information for all children with chronic illnesses and to educate others (parents, teachers, other children, etc) on what it's like to grow up with a chronic medical condition. It addresses issues of stigma, fear, and coping at school and in hospital through the use of stories and children's personal accounts. “I have a ‘hidden’ medical problem. Most of the time nobody can see it, but sometimes I get very big bruises because of it,” says 9 year old J J, who has haemophilia. “Band-aides and Blackboards” deserves commendation to all. Could a website that promotes understanding and acceptance of children with chronic illness be more valuable than a Department of Health initiative promoting the consumption of cabbage?