What if teaching newly diagnosed children about

type 1 diabetes was both fun and engaging?

As a type 1 diabetic and a design student, I see an opportunity to improve upon inpatient
education for newly diagnosed kids with type 1 diabetes. Traditional education is text
based and does not appeal to the learning style and understanding level of young
children. My proposed design solution is an exhibit to be placed within the hospital setting
to teach kids how to manage their diabetes. Creating a more suitable environment for
learning and translating complex concepts into ideas children can comprehend will yield a
deeper understanding of their diagnosis and greater diabetes management over time.
 Learning to live with diabetes
reinventing hospital inpatient education. an exhibit for newly diagnosed kids.
Sailing the diabetes balloon
an activity to teach kids the target glucose
range and how to reach it.

The rope activity allows children to learn

target ranges and also provides the
inspiration for the exhibit’s overall form.

1 Clouds identify which 2 Kids pull on ropes to 3 Feedback is provided by a

rope controls insulin and increase and decrease light up scale on the
which controls sugar. insulin and sugar levels. interior of the balloon.

reinventing hospital inpatient education.

Do you know your highs and lows?
an activity to teach kids the symptoms of
hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia.

TOO LOW?
Treat symptoms with:
120-400
CANDY
JUICE

GLUCOSE
TABLETS
The ability to recognize the symptoms of
high and low blood sugar is important in
controlling diabetes. Graphics provide
information on how to treat symptoms. Treat symptoms with:

INSULIN
0-70 EXERCISE

TOO HIGH?

1 Take symptom ball from 2 Place the symptom ball in 3 Points are displayed on
the storage rack and look the corresponding bin for scoreboard as symptoms
at graphic to categorize. high or low blood sugar. are correctly categorized.

reinventing hospital inpatient education.

Grocery Shopping
an area emphasizing the importance of a
balanced diet.

1 Kids can learn about different foods by

pressing buttons on spinning grocery cart
handle. Cash register feedback awards
points for healthy food selections.

2 Kid use knowledge from 3 Place gathered food 4 Unhealthy choices cause
cart activity to select an choices on plate to build plate to topple. Two plate
assortment of foods from a healthy, balanced meal. stations allow for two
inside the cart. player races and games.

reinventing hospital inpatient education.

Diabetes 101
an educational corner to learn the basics
about diabetes.

What is diabetes? What do all these numbers mean?

FOOD + INSULIN = FUEL!
When a person has diabetes, their body no longer
produces enough insulin. Insulin is what your body needs
to turn the food that you eat into fuel for your body!
Your doctor will take your A1C to see if you are
managing your diabetes well. The levels on the right are
the readings your meter gives you while the left are
the A1C numbers that average your sugar over 3
months!

Because your body does not make enough insulin, you must
take injections of it or wear a pump so that your body can
turn the food you eat into energy.
So I just need insulin?
Sugars from foods, insulin, and exercise have to be
balanced to maintain a good blood sugar level. Use the
sliders to control your blood sugar level and see how
sugar, insulin, and exercise affect your body!

Poster graphics present target ranges, how Insulin is just one of the
many things you will use to
help monitor and control
A1C
14
mg/dL
415

insulin works, and an introduction to the

your diabetes, here are some 13 380 SERIOUSLY ELEVATED
other tools that will help:
12 345 LEVELS
blood glucose

tools needed to treat diabetes.

11 310
meter
10 275
9 240 ELEVATED LEVELS
8 205
7 170
logbook insulin 6 135
pump
5 100 IN CONTROL
4 70

glucose insulin
tablets pens

1 Kids use chalkboards 2 Sliders show effects of 3 Frames rotate to reveal

to communicate with insulin, exercise, and the possibilities of what a
diabetes educators. food on blood sugar. diabetic can do.

reinventing hospital inpatient education.