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Life can get pretty hectic when you have a young family. Between childcare and school, extracurricular and social activities and running a household, there is a lot to keep track of!
But one thing that should never be deprioritised? Your health. And the health of your entire family; from your kids, to your partner, through to elderly parents.
Increasingly, it's up to us to understand what's happening with our bodies, using data and technology, since doctors and hospitals aren't often with us when we wake, exercise, sleep, and throughout each day. Today, there are medical-grade technologies available in the comfort of our homes, to help get insights, decide whether to stay home, manage or prevent conditions, detect trends or share with your doctor. (Always seek a doctor's advice where you have a concern!).
Many of these devices allow you to share with your doctor straight from your smartphone, taking the hassle out of trying to describe how you're feeling, by using both your words and data.
Here are a few of the key areas of your health that can be easily monitored at home.
1. Ear health
Children are particularly prone to middle ear infections, with four out of five children estimated to experience a middle ear infection at least once. Traditionally an otoscope (a small medical device used to look into your ears) was a great way to monitor ear infections and blockages. But, newer, more modern otoscopes offer greater uses than that.
Two of the best options on the market are the Bebird Wireless Ear Otoscope with 6 LED Lights & Cleaning Tool and the Teslong Digital Ear Otoscope with 6 LED Lights.
The Bebird has a wireless endoscope with a 360°wide-angle professional grade lens and HD resolution, meaning images are crystal clear and it’s easier than ever to assess ear blockages and infections. The six LED lights on the device mean you can see into the dark ear canal with ease, and the built-in system controls the temperature constantly, no matter what environment you’re in.
The Teslong has many of the same features as the BeBird, and while it isn’t wireless the custom app is compatible with all iOS and Android devices, meaning you can send images and results straight from the Teslong to your phone and then on to your healthcare professional.
2. Sleep and blood oxygen levels
Sleep is a time for rest an a chance for our bodies to repair. Waking up tired, headaches and restlessness can be a sign of not getting enough oxygen, poor sleep or irregular heart activity while you sleep. Always consult your doctor or health professional, and consider other symptoms in the mornings such as:
shortness of breath.
headache.
restlessness.
dizziness.
rapid breathing.
chest pain.
confusion.
high blood pressure.
Monitoring oxygen levels is possible on a range of devices, from dedicated readers, to wearables like Fitbit and Apple. One simple device that can be shared easily for insight across the family, is the Oxylink™ Wearable Pulse Oximeter. Able to be worn as a ring on your finger, it continuously tracks your blood oxygen levels, heart rate, body motion, and perfusion index(PI) every second. As it is synced to your smartphone (or if you are concerned about an elderly parent, you can link their device to your smartphone remotely) any irregularities detected will cause an alarm to sound, both through the device and linked phone, bringing you peace of mind 24/7.
3. Heart health including Blood pressure
Speaking of your heart, your blood pressure is another vital component of heart health and overall wellbeing. If you experience high blood pressure (also known as hypertension) you can find yourself at risk of heart attacks, strokes or kidney disease — unfortunately high blood pressure often doesn’t show any symptoms.
Always consult your doctor and follow advice. If you'd like to keep a closer eye at home for your family, rather than relying on symptoms to detect issues or monitor a condition, consider the Wellue Smart Blood Pressure Monitor and ECG. The cuff easily wraps around your arm and reads your blood pressure and ECG, stores readings, and sends the information straight to your smartphone via Bluetooth. The data within the dedicated app is easy-to-understand, giving you colour-coded picture of your heart, which helps you understand what's happening, and the ability to share and sense-check with your doctor.
For more portable or regular monitoring and ECG assessment, for those in the family with a smartphone, you can attach the Kardia Heart Rate and ECG reader to your mobile. Now in its 4th generation, their proprietary technology converts electrical impulses from user’s fingertips into ultrasound signals transmitted to the mobile device’s microphone. Fast, efficient signal transmission results in minimal battery drain. This device is used by both family/consumers and health professionals.
4. Body temperature
Kids are renowned for picking up viruses at daycare or school, and in a COVID-19 age, being able to get an accurate, medical-grade reading of your temperature is more important than ever. Not only for health care concerns, but also to allow you to attend certain events or appointments.
A product like the Withings THERMO Smart Temporal Thermometer is a far cry from your old school thermometer. It’s a no-contact device that provides you with instant, medical-grade results, measured directly from your temporal artery, which is considered an ideal place to detect temperature changes, as the blood that circulates there comes from the core of the body.
Readings are instantly illuminated on the device itself, as well as being automatically sent to the app on your smartphone — which also gives you the ability to set reminders and input other tracking and data.
5. Sleep
Whether it’s yourself, your partner, sleep-troubled children or even an elderly parent who lives alone, being able to monitor sleeping patterns is a game-changer. Refer also Sleep and Blood Oxygen levels (above). As a busy parent, a solid night’s sleep can quickly become a pipe dream, but being proactive about improving the amount and quality of your sleep is critical for both physical and mental health.
A tool like the Withings Sleep Tracking Mat gives you a much deeper level of insight than your basic smartwatch or free sleep tracking app. Once inserted under the mattress, it offers sleep cycle analysis, snoring detection, heart rate tracking and breathing disturbances, as well as an in-app program designed to improve sleep health.
If sleeping disturbances are detected, the Sleep Tracking Mat can also help determine whether you are suffering from a specific medical condition like sleep apnoea. Around 5% of Australians have sleep apnoea, with around one in four men over the age of 30 affected. Yet surprisingly, about 80% of affected people don't even know they are apnoeic! Knowledge is power, as they say... Always consult your doctor.
6. Preventative, whole body wellness
If you want to keep a closer eye on a condition, or opt for a preventative approach to health conditions, monitoring your vital signs is a great way to go about it. As you age, this is more important than ever, both for time-poor parents wanting to look after themselves, but also as a way to stay on top of monitoring elderly parents who live alone.
The Checkme™ Pro Doctor Vital Signs Monitor is a unique all-in-one vital signs monitoring device with FDA approved accuracy, measuring all sorts of functions like ECG/EKC, ECG Holter, SpO2 test and more. But what makes it really unique is its detailed reporting capabilities and real-time data, which are displayed instantly on your smartphone when connected by Bluetooth (and can be sent straight through to your doctor).
The Checkme Pro provides constant monitoring, even when you’re going about other activities, so providing all is as it should be, nothing can slow you down!
Are you ready to say goodbye to stressing about your family’s health? Then say hello to helloEd. You can view all these smart home tech products and find out more about the range of technologies available across the world, in one place on our website.