Video
See video of amazing asthma app which could save lives
Dr Simon Rudland from Stowmarket, who has worked with Orbital Media to develop the new app MySpira to help teach child asthma sufferers to use inhalers more effectively. Picture: SUFFOLK GP FEDERATION - Credit: SUFFOLK GP FEDERATION
If you have a child with asthma, this new app created by a Suffolk-based firm could help to save their life should the worst happen.
An image from MySpira, a new app developed by Stowmarket company Orbital Media, which helps children with astha learn better techniques for using inhalers through game play. Picture: ORBITAL MEDIA - Credit: Archant
In a £250,000 project, Stowmarket-based Orbital Media has built an app which uses augmented reality to reduce the likelihood of serious or fatal asthma attacks.
It is estimated that 97% of children do not use their inhalers correctly, meaning that less than 5% of the medicine reaches the lungs when it is needed.
MySpira, which has also been developed with the help of the University of Suffolk, is a game where children have to land a rocket while learning about asthma symptoms, so they can use inhalers correctly in future.
Doctor Simon Rudland, from Stowmarket, said it could help save young lives.
A new app, MySpira, has been developed by Suffolk company Orbital Media to help teach young asthma sufferers how to use inhalers better, and help save lives. This is Dr Woozo from the app. Picture: ORBITAL MEDIA. - Credit: Archant
He said: "There are still too many preventable deaths from asthma every year in the UK.
"I have personally been involved in caring for a young person who died from asthma and it is desperate.
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"Anything we can do to improve education, in a fun way, to use their inhalers effectively is a good thing.
"Asthma can be a life-threatening condition but managing it properly can help keep sufferers symptom free. It is important that children are taught from a young age so they can take control of their asthma.
"The initial results of this research are extremely promising, improving both technique and compliance.
"Not only does this lead to better health long-term, but if adopted nationwide, could dramatically reduce the number of emergency cases, resulting in fewer hospitalisations.
"We are looking at integrating this app into our existing asthma support services in the future."
Peter Brady, chief executive of Orbital Media, said: "Asthma affects 5.4million people in the UK, 1.1m of whom are children, and costs the NHS £1.1billion per annum.
"Our vision was to develop an application to improve educational content, which would ultimately cut the number of preventable child deaths."
