Health monitoring solutions company OMRON Healthcare has created the world’s first clinically-validated medical device that accurately detects the presence of wheezing in young children. By providing clear, reliable results, WheezeScan removes the uncertainty of potential misdiagnosis, ensuring children with asthmatic symptoms can access appropriate treatment plans. 

The device, which is recommended for use on children between four months and seven years, will be made available online in Germany and the UK and on selected online retailers in other European countries.

WHY IT MATTERS

Research has shown that, due to anxiety, doubt and miscommunication, at least 55% of parents do not detect wheezing in the same way as clinicians. WheezeScan provides the opportunity of accurately catching the signs of asthma in children early, potentially before the child suffers their first asthma attack but without subjecting them to the potential side effects of unnecessary medications. 

The durable medical device, which already has European CE Mark, unambiguously identifies whether a child is wheezing - the most common symptom of asthma in children under five. Users hold the device below their child’s collarbone for 30 seconds and the device will produce a “wheeze” or “no wheeze” reading. Using advance listening technology, an HD microphone and built-in noise cancelling, the device can detect wheezing which may be inaudible to users. 

The device also comes with the app Asthma Diary that helps users track wheeze episodes, potential triggers, responses to medication and help them identify possible trends.

THE LARGER PICTURE

COVID-19 has seen increased attention on COPD and respiratory health, as medical professionals explore the place of digital in this field. For instance, there has recently been an influx of digital inhalers to the market, including Teva’s new Digihalers that record inhalation data and the combination Propeller Health and AstraZeneca Symbicort inhaler. 

ON THE RECORD

The release of WheezeScan marks OMRON’s expansion of its Going For Zero mission towards the elimination of asthma attacks. Initially announced in 2016, it delineates the company’s pledge to work towards a world with zero heart attacks or strokes.

“Our Going For Zero promise tells us to do everything we can to enable people to get more out of life because they’re not controlled by their condition,” comments André Van Gils, CEO & President of OMRON Healthcare Europe. “With this in mind, we have developed the WheezeScan, which marks a new milestone in our quest to equip people with the best tools to achieve an accurate level of detection and monitoring when it truly counts. As the global leader in respiratory therapy, introducing preventative, highly portable healthcare technology to provide relief right when people need it, is amongst our biggest priorities.”

Marketing director Lucía Prada, adds: “As a mother of two, I know how stressful it is having a sick child, and how powerless this can make you feel when you cannot figure out how to help them. WheezeScan was designed to give parents confidence in the adequate management of their children’s asthmatic condition. As the first step towards our Zero Asthma attacks vision, it brings into concrete action our vision to do everything we can to minimise the impact that asthma has on patients, and particularly children.”