Vaccines, Barretta (Fimp): “With Meningioca we paediatricians update ourselves by imitating children”

Find information on adolescent vaccinations, understand the importance of vaccinating against meningococcal type B at this age and much more. These are just some aspects of 'Meningioca', an educational game for paediatricians, “to update themselves by imitating children's learning methods. 'Meningioca' is intended for family paediatricians and focuses on health assessments, vaccination and meningococcus B. We developed it because the game makes the contents easier to remember, offers a measure of the progress achieved and promotes healthy competition” confirms to Adnkronos Salute Martino Barretta, coordinator of the “Fimp Vaccines and Immunizations” working group of the Italian Federation of pediatricians on the occasion of World Meningitis Day, which is celebrated today 24 April, established to spread greater awareness.

The objective of 'Meningioca', which recalls the game of goose, is to raise awareness among paediatricians regarding the correct management of the health balance not only with growth monitoring and increasing vaccination coverage. “Unfortunately, confidence in vaccines is at 73% – explains Barretta – which is why at every meeting with parents, the so-called 'health assessments', we must promote vaccination, because the relationship is the antidote to misinformation to be able to have an impact on parents who hesitate or show a certain 'fatigue' towards vaccines. We paediatricians must inform about the effectiveness and safety of vaccination, explaining that children must be vaccinated as soon as possible, before the maximum incidence of the disease”.

Then there are adolescents, among those most at risk of contracting the type B meningococcal bacterium if not covered by a vaccine – adds the expert – And for adolescents, given the low vaccination coverage, the time for the meeting to take stock of health is fundamental, they deal directly with the pediatrician without the necessary filter of parents” and grandparents but “it is necessary – warns Barretta – to involve the entire category of pediatricians to facilitate access to vaccination, to complete the cycles or carry out boosters . 'Meningioca' helps us to train but, above all, also to understand the world of adolescents”.