BACKGROUND
Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is a rare disorder in which the body does not make enough growth hormone. This hormone is needed to stimulate growth of bone and other tissues so Children with GHD have abnormally short stature with normal body proportions. If hormone replacement injections are started early and taken consistently children can often catch up to their peers.
CHALLENGE
Administering daily injections is daunting for children, often leading to discomfort and irregular compliance due to their natural aversion to invasive treatments. Coupled with busy parental schedules, ensuring consistent adherence is challenging. Therefore, an engaging solution is required—one that transforms the treatment into an entertaining and educational routine, helping children and parents manage the daily demands of the therapy effectively
Solutions
Multimedia Integration:
The program utilized physical “passports” that children received after medical visits. Each passport contained a QR code linking to age-appropriate animated videos, reinforcing treatment goals through storytelling and interactive content. The final passport celebrated the completion of the program with an augmented reality experience, bringing the characters and lessons to life.
Character Development:
Unique characters, such as Taylor the Explorer and Bryan the Lion, were introduced to establish a relatable connection with the children. These characters were featured across all multimedia platforms, creating a cohesive and engaging narrative.
Feedback and Iteration:
Initial concepts were showcased and tested at medical and patient advocacy conferences, gathering real-time feedback from children and families. This feedback informed further refinements of the content and delivery methods to maximize engagement and educational impact.
Results
“My six-year-old absolutely loved learning from Bryan the Lion. Seeing him dance on our couch through the phone was a highlight for her. She learned so much and always looked forward to seeing what Bryan would do next!”
– Parent of 6 year-old patient
“It’s super cool! I loved watching the video because it showed everything so fun and clear. And the parts with Taylor doing all that action stuff was awesome—it made everything so exciting to watch and learn!”
– 10 year old patient
Increased Adherence
Children were more motivated to follow their treatment regimen due to the interactive and rewarding nature of the passport system.
Enhanced Learning
The use of animated videos and AR allowed children to understand their condition and treatment better, making complex medical information accessible and enjoyable.