Disney has been partnered with Mylan, the EpiPen company, for quite some time. Disney is committed to offering their guests a wide range of dietary options and along with the commitment they also believe in educating guests about food allergies. Disney has now partnered with Mylan to release a short storybook and character to help teach kids about managing their allergies. Show and Tell Scout is the first book in a series of special books for children and families managing severe allergies.
The book is only about 15 pages long and includes a few pages of questions and answers to the most common questions kids might have about allergies. It is well done and easy for kids to understand.
The story follows Scout (a small fox) through his first few days of school. It touches on some of the struggles he faces, and what he does to overcome them. As the title of the book suggests, he discusses his food allergies during show and tell in an effort to share and explain his food allergies with his classmates.
This book is EXACTLY what the allergy community needs. Easy to understand material for kids to learn allergy management. I’ve seen a few reviews where people didn’t like the book because it doesn’t take the “ its everyone else’s responsibility” approach. That’s the reason it’s a great book. It promotes self-management. Children seeing a Disney character carrying an EpiPen or seeing a character talking openly about their allergies – it no longer seems like a bad thing. Children need to learn ho to manage their own allergies as early as possible.
Kids relate to pop culture and I think this is the perfect stepping stone to using various forms of pop culture media to teach kids about managing their own allergies and living a full life.
“It’s Scout’s first day of school, and he can’t wait! He’s visited his doctor and has a plan for how to manage his severe food allergies. But what Scout didn’t plan for is what happens at snack time. Can Scout find a way to explain his allergies to his classmates and still make friends?”
Kudos to you Disney and Mylan!
You can ask your allergy healthcare professional for a free copy or visit www.myallergykingdom.com for a digital version. The site also offers recipes, FAQ, and resources for allergy management.
