Best Health Apps for Paediatrics

Best Health Apps for Paediatrics

Today, we take a look at some of the best health apps for paediatrics. Dr Tamsin Holland Brown, Community Paediatrician CCS NHS Trust, demonstrates and shares her personal views of how these apps can benefit children's health and wellbeing.

Of the 259 child health apps we've reviewed, 71% score below ORCHA's quality threshold. It is, therefore, particularly important to understand which apps are quality assured for use within clinical pathways.

The NHS Long Term Plan prioritises ensuring a strong start in life for children and young people.¹ Technology has a big role to play in this.

Hear Glue Ear demonstration: In the video below, hear Dr Tamsin Brown, Community Paediatrician CCS NHS Trust, discuss how the Hear Glue Ear app can help children aged 2-6 who experience hearing loss due to glue ear. Dr Brown's daughter, Lilac, also explains how the app works, looking at how games are used to develop auditory processing and listening skills through bone-conducting headphones.

Click below to watch the video:

Click here to read ORCHA's review of Hear Glue Ear on our App Library.

Rafi Tone demonstration: Dr Brown next demonstrates the Rafi Tone app and accompanying Able Spacer and whistle mask (manufactured by Clement Clarke International Ltd). The app is designed to help make using an inhaler with a spacer easier and more fun for young children with wheeze or asthma symptoms, with a whistle tone emitted by the mask when correct breathing technique is used:

Click here to view ORCHA's review of Rafi Tone on our App Library.

The Worrinots app demonstration: Dr Brown explains how The Worrinots app helps children to offload their worries, and how the companion app, Wotnot, allows parents to monitor their child's concerns. The Worrinots is a secure app designed for children, providing them with a safe place to share their worries, fears and concerns, which in turn provides them with a practical, fun coping mechanism for their fears, using one of the four Worrinots characters:

Click here to access ORCHA's review of The Worrinots, and here to read our review of the accompanying Wotnot app, on our App Library.

Sources:

1) National Health Executive: NICE recommendations to improve the lives of children, young people