Kids get crash course in disease

By REBECCA WALSH

A group of Wiri Central School pupils chuck around an oversize, multi-coloured cube.

On each of its six sides is a question or statement about meningococcal disease and in each little pair of hands pieces of cardboard with words to match.

Words such as scarring, deafness and death are attached to the side that asks "What are the effects?", while crowded places and sharing food or drink line up on the "How do you get it?" side.

Informing kids about the disease is a big part of the campaign to promote the meningococcal B vaccine. From this week , consent forms for parents are being distributed through schools.

"We get the parents to consent but I had a strong purpose to make sure children had the information to assent," said Elizabeth Farrell, public health nurse co-ordinator for Kidz First.

That means information not only about the disease but what the children can expect when it comes time for their vaccinations.

"It would be a bit mean to expect kids to front up on the day if they weren't prepared. The more children know about what's going to happen the less fearful they will be," Ms Farrell said.

The resources have been created by Kidz First's public health team and Wiri Central teachers.

"By introducing children to the disease and how the vaccine works in the body, and stressing with them the importance of telling an adult if they feel unwell, hopefully they will have these correct messages and discuss it with their family later on."

Seven-year-old Mele Ula said the cube, developed by Walter Harawira, Kidz First's Maori leader, was "cool" and she was not scared about injections.

Jan Donaldson, assistant principal of Wiri Central School, said the information would be incorporated into the school's health curriculum as a priority.

"It's a real bonus there is a resource. Otherwise teachers would have to make it up from scratch."

Many of the children had been involved in vaccine trials and knew someone who had been affected by or died of the disease.