Let’s talk kid-friendly. A slew of things may come to mind. With the warmer weather approaching, some may search for family-friendly activities. It’s an even better bonus when we find the word FREE somewhere in the description. Let’s be real… admission prices for kids can add up fast and chip away at a budget.
Fashion and clothing retailers display kid-friendly designs with cute little cartoons and fun colors. Let’s be honest… little trains or precious animals embroidered on an adorable striped shirt… mark that, like, 10k likes or more on Pinterest for sure.
Even health and wellness retailers offer things that are adapted to little kid fingers like toothpaste and toothbrush designs—I mean whoever invented that little mouthwash bottle for a child to use independently without overfilling—that person is a genius and most probably a parent.
The list goes on and on, but what about the child who is living with sickle cell anemia and their parents as caregivers?
All my kid-friendly talk about fun, fashion, and the like still applies, but what about the research? From content to design, it needs to be kid-friendly and applicable to children with sickle cell as they age into the teen world and self-advocacy.
The most common symptoms of sickle cell disease are pain and problems from anemia. Anemia can make the person feel tired or weak. In addition, he or she might have shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches, or coldness in the hands and feet.
Sickle cell anemia has no widely available cure. Treatments can help relieve symptoms and lessen complications. Researchers are investigating new treatments such as blood and marrow stem cell transplants, gene therapy, and new medicines.
So, what’s all this mean? Management.
That’s why I admire the website from the University of Wisconsin Health: American Family Children’s Hospital. It was love at first sight because the website design is kid-friendly with a farm and animal motif.
Yes, there are some that may gawk at my evaluation criteria, but the kid-friendly vibe is inviting to me. Makes me want to learn more.
Then, there’s the content: The Body, The Mind, and much more offered on the sidebar tab. It even has a Spanish translator. Another big score!
There’s much to do and think about when living with sickle cell disease or being a caregiver of a child who lives with it. If you are someone who likes research and information to read in simplified layman’s terms, then this resource may be one for you to check out.
