Sanofi-Aventis launches KidCare Kit, a free education resource for families of kids with Type 1 diabetes

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. Drug maker Sanofi-Aventis announced Tuesday the availability of an educational resource for families of children with recent Type 1 diabetes diagnoses.

The company described KidCare Kit, which it offers for free through hospitals and doctors' offices, as a multimedia resource with tools and information to provide guidance for children and their families during the first 30 days after diagnosis.

Sanofi developed KidCare Kit with the advocacy group Children with Diabetes, using research and feedback collected from families of children with diabetes, physicians, diabetes educators and other healthcare professionals.

"When a child is diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, it impacts the entire family, and parents can often feel emotionally and physically overwhelmed in the first weeks and months following their children's diagnosis," Children with Diabetes CEO Jeff Hitchcock stated. "With the diabetes KidCare Kit, we hope to provide resources and tools to help these families get through the first 30 days after their child's diagnosis."

The kit includes an instructional brochure, 60 diabetes "Quick Cards" for parents with basic information about diabetes, a DVD with testimonials from other families and a carbohydrate counte book.