Vitiligo causes pale patches on the skin due to a lack of melanin in certain areas. Throughout the episodes she is shown and never bullied with stories that point to inclusiveness
The Danish brick brand is not limited to traditional constructions. For years now he has conquered the cinema and TV. And launches the LEGO DREAMZzz series, with a protagonist, Mateo, suffering from vitiligo
on the face and hair. The appointment with the first ten episodes on May 15th on Prime Video, Netflix, Boing and on the Lego YouTube channel (from the 29th the project also arrives on Cartoon Netwoork). The second half arrives in August, simultaneously with the launch of the LEGO sets.
No bullying, just inclusiveness
The old adage that by playing you learn fits perfectly with this project, which tells the impact of children’s dreams on reality but also normalizes the distinctive features of the various characters. During the course of the episodes the vitiligo is shown, but never explained, analyzed or subjected to some form of bullying. The explanation is simple and comes directly from Billund, the place of origin of the famous bricks. During a guided preview of the project, Martin Klingenberg, who oversaw the creation of the product, explains it: Our stories focus on representation e included. Mateo has vitiligo, but it’s part of him, a characteristic that is normalized in the context.
Vitiligo part of the story
Marcia Marks Laursen, head of product, echoes his colleague: The characters are created with universal traits, but we want to go deep, without pointing the finger at the differences but simply includendole in the story and recognizing the feelings of the little ones who in this way feel heard. During the trip to the Danish headquarters, a stone’s throw from the Legoland park, Tommy Andreasen (senior manager for entertainment development TV), explains that the Lego designers have specifically tried to make the vitiligo a part of the story. In fact, no one points it out to Mateo, much less bullies him. This should be aspired to, so that each child is reflected in the various protagonists. Furthermore, LEGO DREAMZzz is based on scientific research conducted in 29 countries by psychologist and behavioral sleep expert Shelby Harris, to explain how nocturnal brain activity actually affects everyday life. In dreams the protagonists acquire powers but never erase parts of themselves, on the contrary they welcome and celebrate them.
What is Vitiligo
Vitiligo is a condition involving the presence of light spots on the skinusually symmetrical, due to the absence of the cells that produce the melanin, the melanocytes. The most affected areas are: face (especially around the eyes and mouth), elbows, hands, feet, knees and private parts. Vitiligo affects 2-3% of the European population. Although it is considered an essentially aesthetic problem, there are psychological repercussions, especially when it is very extensive or affects visible areas, such as the face or hands. Vitiligo is a disease whose causes are not yet fully understood. However, the factors involved are many (READ).
The therapies
No definitive cure for Vitiligo
: it can be used to stimulate repigmentation of light areas, even if the disease can still recur. 1) drugs: in the first phase, the aim of the therapy is to block the advance of vitiligo with products that act on autoimmunity. If there are few spots, local cortisone and more recently local immunomodulators are used (used as an alternative to cortisone and particularly indicated in children);
2) antioxidants: supportive therapy with antioxidants may be useful (for example supplements based on beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamin E, etc.). The goal is to stabilize the disease.
May 15, 2023 (change May 15, 2023 | 08:20)
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