Words to know
disease
An illness that stops part of the body from working properly.
disorder
A condition where part of the body does not work in the usual way.
infectious
Caused by germs (such as viruses or bacteria) and able to spread from person to person. Also called contagious.
non-infectious
Not caused by germs, so it can't be caught from someone else.
chronic
Lasting a long time, often for life.
insulin
A substance made by the pancreas that lets the body's cells use sugar from the blood.
reliable source
Information you can trust, from experts such as hospitals, health agencies or scientists.
When something goes wrong
A bike is made of parts that work together. If the chain breaks, the bike won't go, even if the wheels are perfect. In the body, when one organ doesn't work well, the whole system, and often other systems too, can be affected. Doctors and scientists study diseases and disorders to learn how to prevent and treat them.
Many people live full, active lives with these conditions. Someone in your class or family might have one. Learning about them helps us understand and support each other.
One condition, many systems
Because the systems are connected, a problem in one place can affect many others. In diabetes, the body can't make enough insulin or can't use it well. Sugar builds up in the blood. Over many years, high blood sugar can harm the heart and blood vessels, the kidneys, the eyes and the nerves. That's why people with diabetes check their blood sugar and work with their health team to keep it in a healthy range.
Contributions to health
Insulin, a Canadian discovery. In 1921 and 1922, a team at the University of Toronto, including Frederick Banting and Charles Best, with J.J.R. Macleod and James Collip, found a way to use insulin to treat diabetes. Before then, type 1 diabetes was deadly. Today, millions of people around the world use insulin.
Knowledge of medicines from Indigenous peoples. First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples have deep knowledge of plants and healing that has been passed down for many generations, and they continue to use and share it today. In the winter of 1535 to 1536, French explorer Jacques Cartier's crew were very sick with scurvy, a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C. The St. Lawrence Iroquoian people at Stadacona (near present-day Québec City) showed them how to make a drink from the needles and bark of a tree they called annedda, and the sick men who drank it recovered.
Many people contribute to health: doctors, nurses, researchers, Elders and Knowledge Keepers, and families who care for each other.
Hands-on activityHealth research poster
You need: paper or a poster board, markers, and a grown-up to help you find websites or library books.
- Choose one disease or disorder from the table (or one your family knows about, if they're comfortable sharing).
- Find two reliable sources.
- Answer: Which system and organs are affected? What happens in the body? Is it infectious? How is it treated or managed? Which other systems might it affect?
- Draw a simple labelled diagram showing the organ(s) in the right place in the body.
- List your sources at the bottom.
- Present your poster to your family in 2 minutes.
Grown-up note: guide your child to trustworthy sites (children's hospitals, Government of Canada, Health Canada). Talk about the disease with sensitivity, especially if it affects someone you know.