What are diagnostic diapers and how they work. Is it worth trusting the child's health to such technology. Real user reviews from first buyers
The baby's well-being is very unstable and susceptible to external influences. Parents are not always able to understand why the baby is capricious and crying, what was the reason for fever or vomiting, and how dangerous certain manifestations of ill health are. Particularly anxious mothers run to the pediatrician at the first unpleasant symptom. The child is prescribed an analysis, and often it turns out that there is no reason for concern. Now you can avoid unnecessary running around doctors and laboratories. Diagnostic diapers have recently appeared on the market. With their help, the mother, without leaving the house, receives a baby's urine analysis for all basic indicators.
How a diagnostic diaper works
The diagnostic diaper does not look different from the usual / istockphoto.com
So far, diagnostic diapers are represented by the same brand. The manufacturer of the innovation is a Swiss company, which in itself inspires some confidence (“not China”). Diapers work according to the principle of express tests (for example, for pregnancy or acetone). There is a urine bag inside, it takes in the baby's urine in the amount necessary for analysis. This in itself is incredibly convenient - you do not need to be on duty near the baby with a jar. It is enough to put on a diaper and wait for the child to pee there: the indicator strips on the back of the smart "device" will tell you about this.
A tablet is included with the diaper, on which a full urine bag is attached. You need to place the reservoir of urine in the indicated place, press down slightly and wait for 60 seconds. After the urine has reacted with the reagents on the tablet, it needs to be scanned using a special program that is installed on the smartphone.
Analysis results are displayed instantly. Moreover, there is a setting that immediately transfers them to the smartphone to the attending physician. Of course, this option is unlikely to please the "family man" from the district clinic (especially if you carry out diagnostics in the middle of the night). However, you can simply take a screen shot of the screen and send the analysis to the doctor during office hours.
What the diaper test will show
Urine analysis is carried out in 8 components (photo from guarders.com.ua)
The analysis of urine in a diagnostic diaper is carried out according to eight basic components:
- Erythrocytes (their content in urine may be associated with various infections of the lower urinary tract, an acute shortage of vitamin C in the child's body, or hemorrhagic diathesis)
- Relative density of urine (shows if the kidneys are working properly in the baby and if he has a critical loss of fluid with diarrhea or vomiting)
- Leukocytes (their content is a model of the fact that there is some kind of infection in the child's body, and inflammation of the genitourinary system also contributes to an increase in leukocytes)
- Protein (the presence of protein in urine is considered abnormal and may indicate kidney or urinary tract disease)
- Nitrite (this marker indicates that the sterility of the child's genitourinary system is impaired, and there is a pathogenic flora or bacterial infection in it)
- Ketones (the presence of ketone bodies in the urine of a child is popularly called acetone, if the amount is much higher than the norm, specific therapy is needed)
- Glucose (the appearance of glucose in the urine may be a signal of excessive consumption of carbohydrates, or it may indicate diseases such as diabetes, kidney infections or poisoning)
- Acidity of urine (acidity or pH of urine depends on the age and nutrition of the baby, according to this marker, you can together with the doctor adjust the baby's complementary feeding, also urine pH may indicate inflammatory urinary diseases bubble)
The effectiveness of the "laboratory on the pope"
Not everything in the diaper is working properly (photo from guarders.com.ua)
The innovative development has just appeared on sale, and while it is undergoing the stage of "running-in" by Ukrainian mothers. Therefore, there are few reviews of diagnostic diapers, but you can already get some impression from them. Firstly, to take the analysis, you need to clearly track the time of "peep": urine, which is in the urine bag for more than three hours, is unsuitable for diagnosis. The urine bag itself is not held securely: some mothers complain that it comes off with the active movement of the child, and it has to be returned to its place.
Secondly, some buyers had difficulties in obtaining the test result: the program installed on the smartphone does not scan the results from the tablet. That is, the analysis itself is in fact, but it is impossible to decipher it. And the support service of the manufacturer cannot help in this situation. What could be the reason for such a technical failure is difficult to say. This is not a widespread problem, and many moms say the program works flawlessly.
Thirdly, the price of a diagnostic diaper is still openly "biting": in retail, one set of a mini-laboratory costs 195 UAH. At such a cost, our mothers are unlikely to be able to afford to analyze the child at the first unpleasant symptom (and this is the essence of innovation - so as not to drag the child to the doctor). The only plus: after you have done the manipulation with the analyzes, the diagnostic diaper can continue to be used for its intended purpose. But even this does not make it more "economical". It is hoped that over time the technology will have competitors, the price will decrease and the new product will become more affordable for Ukrainian families.
You will also be interested to read:
Blood and urine tests: indicators by age (table)
Scheduled examinations of the baby: which doctors should show a child under one year old
