Caillou is confused when Emma is allowed to have extra snacks at
preschool. He's even more confused when Miss Martin explains that Emma
has juvenile diabetes (type 1). Caillou is worried about his friend Emma
and becomes very protective of her. He doesn't want her to do anything,
even go down the slide. But when Emma outruns Caillou in a race, he
realizes that diabetes isn't like a cold or the flu. It's something Emma
has to live with every day -- and she's doing a pretty good job of it.
This Caillou story is a great tool to introduce a discussion and chronic
diseases. Having a chronic illness is serious, but it does not mean that
life has to be put on hold. Caillou has been a faithful friend for the
past 25 years, growing along with his young audience as they discover
life.