The Lullaby Trust launches new Baby Check app
The app asks you to answer 19 simple questions about your baby's symptoms and advises what to do next based on your total score...
The first few weeks and months with a new baby at home can be really scary: they're so tiny and can't tell you what's up if they're not feeling too good.
And you'll have lots of questions of your own, like: are those spots normal? Should their poo really be that colour? ?
Well, now there's a great new app called Baby Check which will help you figure out exactly what's going on with your baby - and whether or not you should seek medical attention - simply by answering 19 set questions.
The app is based on a booklet that's been around for 30 years and has been produced by safe sleep charity The Lullaby Trust, with the help of Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust.
Basically, it uses a scoring system to help determine when you need to seek medical attention for your baby.
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The app will ask questions on topics including:
- your baby's nappy
- your baby's vomiting
- how your baby looks
- how they're breathing
- how aware they are
- their temperature
- their circulation
- if they're crying.
Generally you just click either yes or no, but sometimes you'll have a short list of options to choose from.
You will get a score once you've gone through all the questions, and will receive one of the following messages:
- 0-7: The baby is only a little unwell and should not need medical attention
- 8-12: The baby is unwell and you may wish to consult a doctor
- 13-19: The baby is ill and you should contact the doctor
- 20+: The baby is seriously ill and must be seen by a doctor straight away.
And so far, The Lullaby Trust has found that parents have considered the app to be really handy.
In home trials, 97% of the parents who used it (though we don't know how many this was) got a score lower than 7 and agreed that it stopped them taking their child to a doctor or A&E unnecessarily.
Testimonials have been pretty positive too, it seems, with mums loving the assurance it gives. Ellie said: "Having something in your pocket that you can pick up and turn to when you're unsure about your baby's health is really great."
Though we'd like to stress (as would the makers of the app) that an app or online symptom checker should never replace a parent's gut instinct about their baby's health.
We'd agree that if something really doesn't feel right, you should get your little one seen by a medical professional as soon as poss ?
You can download Baby Check for iPhone or Android by visiting your app store and typing Baby Check in
What do you think?
We really want to known what our very own MFMers think of the app though! Have you tried it? Did you find it useful?
Would you recommend it to other new mums and dads? We'd love to hear your thoughts. Tell us in the comments below or over on Facebook.
Images: Baby Check App screen grabs
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Authors
Tara is mum to 1 daughter, Bodhi Rae, and has worked as Content Editor and Social Media Producer at MadeForMums since 2015
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