INDIKINA - an interactive digital book for kids

Allergic reactions to food are an important health problem that often affects children. Food allergies are not only among the most common, but also among the most dangerous allergies as they can cause life- threatening anaphylactic reactions. Milk and eggs are foods that cause allergic symptoms especially in children. Adults, on the other hand, are primarily allergic to tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish, fish, wheat and soy. There are currently no causative treatment options for food allergies. The main pillars of therapy are therefore medications to control the symptoms and avoidance of the allergy causing food. In addition, patient education is of utmost importance - and this is where the planned science communication project INDIKINA comes in. The aim of this project is to familiarize children with the topic of food allergies. The INDIKINA project intends to create a digital, interactive book for kids that teaches children aged 8-10 years about food allergies in a playful and narrative way. This edutainment approach combines entertainment and learning. Children gain the knowledge and learn, but the focus is on entertainment. The conception, production and distribution of the children`s book is planned in a transdisciplinary project team, which also includes students of life sciences or medicine. The project is based on a participatory approach: primary school children of the age of the target group are involved in the creation of the book from conception to implementation. Their input and feedback will contribute to an interactive book adapted to the needs of the age group. At the end of the project, there will be the first interactive digital children`s book in German on the subject of food allergies, which is tailored to the target group of 8-10 year old children.