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Type 1 Diabetes Explained in a Child-Friendly Way with a Pixi Book

The Pixi book "Finn has diabetes" now provides parents as well as educational and medical professionals with a child-friendly explanatory aid. Based on the story of the kindergarten child Finn, even the youngest children understand what happens in the body when you have diabetes type 1 and how to cope with it in everyday life. The editors of the booklet include the German Center for Diabetes Research.

© Steffi Krohmann (Illustration) & Petra Klose (Text), 2022 Carlsen K – die Agentur für Kindermedien, Carlsen Verlag GmbH

With many pictures and a comprehensible story, the little readers resp. listeners experience how Finn is doing. After he suddenly could no longer romp around as usual, had become thin and was constantly thirsty, the pediatrician examined him and diagnosed type 1 diabetes. The whole family and Finn's friends are now learning what to do, what everyday life with diabetes is like - and that Finn can play normally again and take part in the kindergarten party despite everything. What actually happens where in the body during the most widespread metabolic disease in childhood and adolescence, and why, is also clearly explained.

The book clearly illustrates the symptoms to look out for and states that every child can be tested for an early stage of the disease. It also makes clear what is possible with type 1 diabetes in everyday life and that children with diabetes are just as resilient and capable as children without the disease if they have good diabetes control and comprehensive knowledge.

The Pixi book "Finn hat Diabetes" ("Finn has diabetes") is a joint project of Helmholtz Munich, the Children's and Youth Hospital Auf der Bult, the Center of Regenerative Therapies Dresden, the national diabetes information portal diabinfo.de, the German Center for Diabetes Research, the initiative Fr1da, the AOK Bundesverband and the Deutscher Diabetiker Bund.

It is available in German only and distributed free of charge to kindergartens, schools, medical practices and interested parties. It can be ordered at infonoSp@m@diabinfo.de.

More information on this topic is offered on the national diabetes information portal diabinfo.de in the article  „Diabetes in Kindergarten und Schule: Wie ist der Besuch problemlos möglich?“ ("Diabetes in kindergarten and school: How is attendance problem-free?")