Boosting kids’ health literacy

October is National Health Literacy Month. Health literacy refers to the ability of people to find, understand and use information and services to make informed health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others.

“I think there’s a lot of health topics that children struggle to understand — anything from immunizations to why they’re feeling sick, especially when children have serious and complex diseases,” says Dr. Angela Mattke, a pediatrician with Mayo Clinic’s Children’s Center.

Understanding their disease, such as through reading books, can help them feel empowered and knowledgeable about how they can participate in their care.

“My children have read all these books and have read them multiple and multiple times. And so, they can help understand these diseases. It’s inspiring their passion to learn more about science and learn more about health,” Mattke says.

— DeeDee Stiepan, Mayo Clinic News Network