MEDICAL
INFORMATION
FOR KIDS
INFORMATION
FOR KIDS
LATEST NEWS
27 Sep 2010 | Press Release
For back-to-school term, Medikidz releases two new comic books for children affected by depression and obesity. Find out more at www.medikidz.com
It's not unusual for children to dread going back to school after the long summer holidays, many children experience a higher level of anxiety around attending new schools, making new friends or being accepted by peers. On top of those worries, overweight children may feel the pressure even more now that the NHS has introduced a weigh-in policy this year across the country, which isn't helping the situation.
Medikidz, a company that writes and publishes graphic comics that help to explain illnesses and conditions to children in an engaging and educational way, recognises that this is a challenging time of the year for children. As a result they are launching two new books, "What's up with James?" and "What's up with Paris?" about depression and obesity respectively.
Dr Kim Chilman-Blair, founder of Medikidz said, "Depression within children is still considered to be relatively new and less common than in adults. This can make it difficult for even a parent to identify that their child is suffering from depression let alone for the child to understand why they are feeling so low."
Recent figures from Bupa Healthcare showed that two in every 100 children under 12 are clinically depressed and five in every 100 teenagers. Medikidz decided to launch both books in tandem to highlight the growing link between obesity and depression. "It is my experience that children who are overweight are more likely to be bullied and experience feelings of loneliness and severe anxiety, explains Dr Kim Chilman-Blair. Under existing regulations, children are weighed when they start primary school - aged four or five - and again as they leave, at 10 or 11. Latest figures show that by the time they leave school, one in three children is overweight."
"Medikidz sees the importance of opening up the lines of communication between children and their parents or teachers, not only to reduce suffering on a daily basis, but also to help prevent mental health problems that could continue well into adulthood" commented Dr. Kim Chilman-Blair.
The Medikidz comic books are based on a gang of five superheroes, who each specialise in a different part of the human body. They take the child on a journey through the human body to the different parts affected by the illness.
Developed by a team of doctors, Medikidz does not try to sugarcoat serious problems. Rather, the information provided empowers children with the knowledge they need to take ownership of their disease, providing them with skills for self-management, while taking away their fear of the unknown.
Marvel Comics expert, John Taddeo, also contributes to the drawings for the comics.
Medikidz graphic novels are available for £6.99 each from Amazon.co.uk and Medikidz.com