The merging of technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) with traditional healthcare systems opens many new doors for fundamental discussions that could pave the way for the implementation of necessary habits and systems.
As the world hastens towards a technologically empowered and enhanced future, numerous industries and lines of business are being revolutionized on a daily basis. We see how innovative and modern inventions coupled with the wonders of technology are taking individuals and organizations to whole new levels of productivity and performance, limited only by the extent of their imagination. Another industry that is being reimagined and enhanced by the convergence of technology, experienced physicians, scientists and entrepreneurs is “Digital Health Technology for Children”.
Pediatric digital health technology should be updated, and there are several aspects of this industry that can be improved for children’s long-term health. First, improving access to quality healthcare and the affordability of pediatric healthcare services. The merging of technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) with traditional healthcare systems opens many new doors for fundamental discussions that could pave the way for the implementation of necessary habits and systems. One such topic of discussion is the regular health screening of children for early detection of current or potential health problems.
New innovations, supported by intelligent technology, can help organizations and individuals to understand the enormous amount of information or complexities that otherwise would not be easy to understand. For example – Our company SKIDS uses advanced artificial intelligence to merge and compare multiple data sources to arrive at an accurate and reliable diagnosis. This is one such real-world application of the union of technology and healthcare.
Timely and regular health screenings further support the process of developing healthy habits based on the conclusions of the screening. This can empower parents to be proactive about their children’s well-being and help them develop long-term beneficial habits to address any underlying health issues identified during the regular check-ups.
Although the future of the industry looks bright, with the implementation of such digital innovations, the current problems of our country’s children will also be addressed to a great extent. Currently –
Visual impairment is found in 26% of school-age children in India. 1 in 2 children in upper secondary school has myopia/hyperopia. In India, 1.5 million children aged 0-19 live with hearing impairments (the highest in the world). 25% to 35% of children with single-sided hearing loss are at risk of missing at least one grade.
India alone accounts for 46% of the global CHD (congenital heart disease) population. Almost 10 out of 100 children in India have CHD.
35% of school-age children suffer from poor lung health.
1 in 3 children who wear glasses have abnormal vision, indicating that regular screening is not done. 60% of children with learning difficulties have an undetected vision problem.
These astounding numbers highlight the urgent need for timely health screening, preventive care and proactive involvement in children’s health. As the saying goes; “Prevention is better than cure,” but one must first be able to identify what they are preventing. This is where Pediatric Digital Health Technology plays a key role.
The author is chief scientist and co-founder of SKIDS.
