Watching over Baby’s temperature with FeverSmart

Just yesterday we were talking about health monitoring for an older man (hint: me), but far more important is baby. Nurofen for Children is introducing the FeverSmart Temperature Monitor, a way of measuring baby’s temperature, and keeping track of it, using modern technology.

It turns out, according to 2015 research by Colmar Brunton conducted for Nurofen for Children, that “83% of Australian parents find measuring a child’s temperature when they have a fever stressful”. But not knowing whether the temperature is under control is likely just as stressful. The solution is a “non-invasive” patch which you put under the child’s arm. This has a gentle adhesive strip made with medical grade silicon to hold it in place. That’s attached to a thermometer with a rechargeable battery that will last for twenty days.

And there’s an app, of course. Your phone – iOS, Android or Windows – pairs to the thermometer and tracks what’s going on. Importantly, the app supports push notifications so that if a pre-set temperature is reached you’ll know right away. The measurements are conducted at a rate of one per minute.

There data is also automatically uploaded to the cloud, with one week included in the purchase price and further access available for purchase.

(One week? That seemed a bit limited to me at first glance, but of course this is really as a one off for when your child comes down with something, not for ongoing monitoring. You’ll buy another week should fever recur.)

The app also includes useful features such as the ability to record symptoms of the illness – “cough, runny nose or a headache” – and the medications that you’ve given the child. All this is then available if needed for your doctor. It also supports multiple profiles so each child can have his or her own monitoring and logging. It’s suitable for use with children from birth up to three years old.

The charging station for the thermometer is battery powered – three AAA batteries are supplied – so you’re not tied to the power grid to keep the system going. The pairing works via Bluetooth Low Energy for reduced impact on the battery life of the thermometer and your phone. A range of up to forty metres is supported.

The FeverSmart Temperature Monitor by Nurofen for Children will be available in most pharmacies from November 2017, priced at $139.99. That includes four single-use thermometer patches. Further packs of four will also be available for $9.99.