Telemetry as a new concept in long term monitoring of SIDS-risk infant.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome SIDS is the most frequent cause of infant death within the period of 2 to 12 months in western countries It has been found that a suit similar to that worn by the astronauts during the execution of experiments on the Spacelab Mission D 2 is a very simple and useful means to carry the sensors required to monitor vital signs of babies at risk A small baby suit has been developed with the same technology used for the Spacelab Mission The baby s suit is equipped with similar sensors to record thoracic and abdominal respiratory movements as its big space travel brother This is a typical example of a successful technology transfer from medical aerospace activities into fields of daily clinical routine In addition to the above described sensors ECG electrodes were integrated as well as sensors to record vascular oxygen saturation and the corresponding pulse curve and the baby s movements All these vital signs are registered by a medical monitor and permanently stored and automatically analysed online In case of a life threatening situation the system alerts simultaneously the personal at hospital and the parents at home The requisite software algorithms have been developed by DLR in Cooperation with the pediatricians of the Pediatric Hospital in K ln Porz Cologne When the system registers an alteration of the parameters above described as a signal of a change in the baby s health condition all vital signs are transfered in real time to the supervising hospital via radio data transmission devices mobile phone or a fixed network phone The parents are also alerted by the device and they can carry out the necessary reanimation procedures in case of an emergency Parents will be trained in such actions when newborns must to be monitored But nevertheless they are guided and tele assisted by an expert via telephone during the action A clinical field trial that will start in December 1999 at the Pediatric Hospital in K ln Porz Cologne will evaluate the benefits of teleprotection by home monitoring of SIDS risk babies

Keywords

Infant, Newborn, Social support network, Facility-based health worker, Access to information or data, Functionality, Newborn care, Preventive, Disease prevention, Data collection and reporting, Surveillance, Internet, Accelerometers / Motion sensors, Physiologic Biosensors