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Boy's Drawing Wins Acid Reflux Contest

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By ANGELA DELGADO, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 12, 2007

Updated: 12/10/2007 09:22 pm

TOWN 'N COUNTRY - For Adam Carr, it's hard to describe what he feels when his body is reacting to his acid reflux disease.

Adam, 9, was diagnosed when he was 18 months old, and with the help of his parents he has been able to take control of his illness, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease. In fact, he has even begun to reap rewards from it.

Recently, Adam was given the opportunity to draw what he was feeling in the Kids Create. Parents Relate. National Drawing and Coloring Contest, sponsored by TAP Pharmaceuticals and the Pediatric Adolescent Gastroesophageal Association.

He won the grand prize in the 3-to-9-year-old category and was awarded a $10,000 scholarship plus $1,500 in art supplies that he can donate to a school or charity of his choice.

Acid reflux disease is caused by stomach acid escaping into the esophagus. Common symptoms include heartburn and stomachaches.

The sponsors came up with the contest to "help educate parents and health care professionals about pediatric GERD and to help children communicate health issues to their parents," said Erin Bittner, publicist for TAP Pharmaceutical.

Adam said he was shocked when he was told he had won, but his father, James, said there was a lot of jumping and hollering going on.

"Everyone was really excited," James Carr said.

This isn't the first time Adam has received accolades for his artwork. In 2005, he entered the Pier 1/UNICEF/Weekly Reader Greeting Card Contest and won.

His picture of a boy hugging a snowman was printed on the UNICEF 2005 Christmas cards, which helped UNICEF immunize children.

Adam and his brother Daniel, 11, enjoy drawing in their spare time and their mother, Kelly, incorporates that in their home schooling. She asks them to draw for almost every subject, especially history. Her sons have to draw a picture of what they learned and write a report about it.

"Since they're home schooled, they don't have opportunities for school art contests, so this gives them a tangible reward for their hard work," Kelly Carr said. "We've gotten some nice perks out of it."

Mixing his love of art with his schoolwork came in handy when it was time to draw for the TAP contest. Adam's entry depicts a boy with a picture of a witch and her boiling caldron on his t-shirt, with the words "bubble trouble" on it.

Adam said he was inspired by his lesson on Shakespeare's "Macbeth." The "bubble trouble" represented what his stomach feels like with his acid reflux.

"He is very creative," Bittner said. "It was a very precocious picture, referencing 'Macbeth' and the judges really like it because it was really different and creative."

Although Adam doesn't know what he's going to be when he grows up, he does know that he is going to use the $10,000 for his college education, and a video game console.

Reporter Angela Delgado can be reached at (813) 865-1501 or adelgado@tampatrib.com.

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