Nurse Florence, What is Asthma? highlights the importance of using appropriate language when explaining medical conditions to children. Could you share your approach to finding the right balance between being informative and ensuring the language is age-appropriate?

In the Nurse Florence series, the company does not use slang terms to discuss human physiology.  We want to inspire a whole new generation of kids to seek careers in the health science fields.  There is a big shortage of nurses in the USA, and the need will continue to increase in the coming years.

In your story, Jean experiences symptoms of asthma during a physical education class, which is a common scenario for many children. What motivated you to choose this particular setting for the book?

Exercise-induced asthma is relatively common for people who struggle with the disease.  We wanted to have a natural connection with a disease-triggering event to discuss the topic.  We anticipate kids with asthma to have this book in their library or home so we wanted them to easily relate to the character.

Can you discuss the importance of using proper medical terminology in children’s literature and how you think it impacts a child’s understanding of their condition?

Masters of the arts usually start their art at a very young age.  Our thinking is that if we can introduce kids to correct medical terminology at a young age, then we can help create a new generation that will understand their body better and have intelligent conversations with their medical providers.  

What message do you hope children with asthma, or those who have a loved one with the condition, take away from reading Nurse Florence, What is Asthma? and what do you think makes it a “must-read” for these children?

We hope people affected by the disease will gain much insight into their condition so they can live healthier lives.  We want to improve the health literacy of the world.  We are translating the books into multiple languages.  For more info about our project, please visit www.nurseflorence.org. 

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