Australian researched develop app for diagnosing child’s cough

Australian researchers have developed a “highly accurate” smartphone app that could soon be able to help parents diagnose their sick children.

A CHILD with a nasty cough can be diagnosed using only a smartphone, thanks to innovative new technology built by Australian researchers.

The study, published in journal Respiratory Research, found the smartphone app could analyse the sound of a child’s cough and was able to diagnose asthma, croup, pneumonia, lower respiratory tract disease and bronchiolitis.

Researchers from the University of Queensland and Curtin University say the app has between an 81 and 97 per cent accuracy in diagnosing childhood respiratory disorders.

The app analysises the sound of a cough to diagnose illness.

The app was developed by researchers using similar technology to the speech recognition used for Siri and Alexa. Researchers then tested the app on almost 600 children and found the results were “highly accurate” when compared to diagnosis by a panel or paediatricians.

“It can be difficult to differentiate between respiratory disorders in children, even for experienced doctors,” corresponding author of the study Dr Paul Porter said.

“The study demonstrates how new technology, mathematical concepts, machine learning and clinical medicine can be successfully combined to produce completely new diagnostic tests utilising the expertise of several disciplines.”

Authors of the study said this app could be useful particularly for remote families by removing the need for a clinical examination and allowing treatments to begin sooner.

The app was tested on almost 600 children.

“As the tool does not rely on clinical investigations, it can be used by health care providers of all levels of training an expertise,” Dr Porter said.

“However, we would advise that where possible the tool should be used in conjunction with a clinician to maximise the clinical accuracy.”

Dr Porter said the app was fully developed, but as they wanted it to be a medical diagnostic tool used by doctors and nurses it was being put through the full regulatory process.

He said it was “very possible” parents might use the app in the near future.

“For a parent to work out when their child has asthma as against a cold or pneumonia would be a big relief and help with care,” he said.