AsianScientist (Sep. 22, 2017) – Scientists in Japan have created a smartphone application that parents and caregivers can use to consult pediatricians on their children’s sleeping habits.
In Japan, people tend to sacrifice sleep to study or work. Even toddlers in Japan have some of the shortest sleep times in the world. However, sleep is of utmost importance in childhood development, and sleep deprivation is a risk factor for the development of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Despite being diagnosed in 40 to 50 percent of children living in Japan, sleep problems are not viewed as serious enough to warrant consultation with an expert, and are often ignored.
In this study, a research group led by Professor Masako Taniike, Dean of the United Graduate School of Child Development in Osaka University, Japan, used its clinical experience to develop a first-in-the world application dedicated to sleep problems, called the ‘NEN-NE Navi’. Using this application, parents were able to consult with and receive advice from experts on their toddlers’ sleeping habits. In addition, this group created easy-to-understand sleep literacy education videos for caregivers. The application also recorded sleep data to better tailor advice to the needs of users.
Before promoting the use of this application in local communities, a preliminary test-run of the application was conducted with ten caregiver-toddler groups. The toddlers were 18 to 28 months old. There were no problems with the application, and caregivers gave positive feedback, praising its ease of use. After just one round of consultation with experts, caregivers reported improvements in the sleep habits of their wards.
The researchers noted that with sufficient sleep, the occurrence of hyperactive or impulsive behavior in children can be reduced. In the future, they plan to expand the reach of the application using machine learning so that more local communities can benefit from consultation and customized sleep advice.
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Source: Osaka University; Photo: Shutterstock.
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