Are you unable to tear your child away from the computer? Do you want your child to learn more about diabetes? “Type 1 Diabetes in Children: A Passport to Knowledge,” from Savvy Knowledge Systems, may be your solution.

This CD-ROM-based program offers entertainment and education for your child’s computer. Using animated videos and interactive content, this multimedia software can make it easier for children and teenagers to understand how diabetes works. Better yet, they learn how to control diabetes and its complications, too.

“Type 1 Diabetes in Children: A Passport to Knowledge” is designed to provide users with an in-depth understanding of type 1 diabetes management for children. Cartoon characters tell the story of diabetes and how it affects a child’s life, from what goes on inside the body to the effects of diabetes on daily activities and relationships with other people. The software lets the user learn about the complex world of diabetes management by using a question-and-answer format.

Many aspects of diabetes management are covered including food, insulin, monitoring glucose levels, hypoglycemia and illness. There are comprehensive sections on both the long-term complications of diabetes and the lifestyle issues that accompany it. The information is expressed in a way that will be understood by both children and teenagers. For the parent, information is organized so it can serve as a quick reference guide when questions arise.

Diabetes educators at the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, compiled the content for the software. Their knowledge and expertise was then converted to an engaging multimedia format by researchers at the University of Calgary. The result of this collaboration is an educational product that is lively, engaging and informative for all of its intended audiences. This software has been used successfully at the Alberta Children’s Hospital by parents, children, family members and healthcare professionals. All of these groups say they have gotten a better understanding of diabetes and its management.

As someone who has dealt with a child who has diabetes, I wish the software had been available then. Alas, it was not. For anyone today who has a child with diabetes, this software will be a valuable resource. The only drawback is that I did not see any information about insulin pumps, and I think the software should be updated to include that information.

“Type 1 Diabetes in Children: A Passport to Knowledge” costs $49.95, plus shipping and handling. For more information, call Savvy Knowledge Systems at (800) 230-5593 or visit the Web site at www.savvyknowledge.com.

Type 1 Diabetes in Children: A Passport to Knowledge has the following system requirements:

• Pentium processor 350MHz or higher
• 16 MB or more of RAM
• SVGA video
• 30 MB hard-disk space
• 8x CD-ROM drive
• Sound card
• Windows 95/98/ME/2000/XP