Sometimes, children just don’t understand the ramifications of a disease such as dengue fever. ADVERTISING Sometimes, children just don’t understand the ramifications of a disease such as dengue fever. A group from the University of Hawaii at Hilo School of
Sometimes, children just don’t understand the ramifications of a disease such as dengue fever.
A group from the University of Hawaii at Hilo School of Nursing is trying to explain the disease — from the perspective of “Molly the Mosquito” — to help the young ones understand.
Written and illustrated by students Alejandra Duarte, Christine Ucol, Ellie-Jean Kalawe, Jayahmie Drio and Malia Silva and edited by professor Lisa Tostenson, the 16-page booklet takes children through the life cycle of a mosquito and how it spreads dengue.
In the booklet, Molly, who “has to bite people to eat dinner,” bites a tourist who has dengue, and “now Molly is sick.” Molly then bites Kimo, who contracts the disease and has to stay indoors so he won’t spread the disease to another mosquito.
“Because the little kids don’t understand why Mom and Dad are stressing,” explained Lenard Allen, public health educator for the state Department of Health.
Allen was at Mayor Billy Kenoi’s office Thursday picking up three boxes of the brochures, which were printed in the county’s print shop. The county has printed about 1,000 of the brochures so far.
They’re being handed out to parents and children in the community, Allen said.
There were 160 confirmed cases of dengue fever as of Thursday.
Email Nancy Cook Lauer at ncook-lauer@westhawaiitoday.com.
