This could come in handy.
A study published in Science Translational Medicine has found that a smartphone app can help detect whether your child has an ear infection.
Apparently, the new technology is as accurate as a test that would be carried out in a doctor’s office and could help save parents’ time in finding out what the problem is with their child.
As we all know, it can be difficult for babies and young children to tell you what the problem is, and the aim of this app is to help sick children get better as soon as possible.
Co-author of the study, Shyam Gollakota, told Fatherly: “Middle ear fluid and ear infections affect more than 80 percent of children and are the most common reason that parents bring children to a paediatrician.”
Ear infections in children can lead to a whole host of problems including meningitis. It is also thought that if a young child has an ear infection, it stops them from hearing properly, which can lead to impaired speech.
The study saw the technology being tested on 98 patients between the ages of 9 months and 17 years old. Of those tested it had an 85 percent success rate which is similar to the success rate of tests carried out in a doctor’s office.
Besides the app, it works by making a funnel from a piece of paper (which instructions can be printed off at home). The cone sits in the patient’s ear and the app then sends a soft chrip through the ear canal.
If the ear is blocked by fluid, the vibrations of the sounds will be able to detect that.
“We wanted to reduce the cost of health visits associated with ear infections as well as reduce the burden on parents by using a smartphone to detect this condition,” Shyam said.
The app is currently waiting to obtain FDA approval before being brought to the market.
