SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING AN IMPACT OF AN ACTIVE SUB-STANCE ON AN INFANT

Abstract

A system (1) and corresponding method for determining an impact of an active substance on an infant comprises: a parameter providing unit (10) for providing age and weight of the infant, an intake estimation unit (20) for estimating the amount of intake of the active substance by a breastfeeding caregiver of the infant, a substance level determination unit (30) for determining a level of the active substance in breast milk at the time of breastfeeding based on a history of the estimated intake of the active substance, and an impact determination unit (40) for determining an impact of the active substance on the infant based on i) the determined level of the active substance in the breast milk at the time of breastfeeding, and ii) the age and weight of the infant. The system (1) allows a determination of the impact of an active substance on the infant.

Claims

1. A system for determining an impact of an active substance on an infant, comprising a parameter providing unit for providing age and weight of the infant, an intake estimation unit for estimating the amount of intake of the active substance by a breastfeeding caregiver of the infant, a substance level determination unit for determining a level of the active substance in breast milk at the time of breastfeeding and/or milk extraction of the breastfeeding caregiver based on a history of the estimated intake of the active substance, an impact determination unit for determining an impact of the active substance on the infant based on i) the determined level of the active substance in the breast milk at the time of breastfeeding and/or milk extraction, and ii) the age and weight of the infant, and an interface unit for interacting with a user and/or with a further device delivering the active substance, wherein the interface unit is configured to, based on the determined impact of the active substance on the infant, at least one of i) provide an appropriate moment to breastfeed and/or initiate milk extraction, ii) provide an indication to limit intake of the active substance, and iii) initiate a change in operation of the further device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the active substance comprises at least one psychotropic substance including caffeine, nicotine and alcohol.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the impact determination unit is configured to estimate the amount of intake of the active substance by the infant based on i) the determined level of the active substance in the breast milk at the time of breastfeeding and/or milk extraction and ii) an amount of breast milk taken by the infant, and to determine the impact of the active substance on the infant from the estimated amount of intake and the age and weight of the infant.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the impact determination unit is configured to track a level of the active substance in the infant based on i) the determined level of the active substance in the breast milk at the time of breastfeeding and/or milk extraction and ii) the amount of breast milk taken by the infant, and iii) a time of intake of the active substance by the infant.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the user is the breastfeeding caregiver and/or the further device is at least one of a coffee machine and an electronic cigarette.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the interface unit is configured to determine the appropriate moment to breastfeed based on the determined level of the active substance in the breastfeeding caregiver and the impact of the active substance on the infant.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the interface unit comprises a user input unit, preferably a smartphone, and wherein the user input unit is configured to receive input indicative of an amount of intake of the active substance by the breastfeeding caregiver.

8. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a monitoring unit for monitoring a sign of the infant, wherein the impact determination unit is configured to determine the impact of the active substance on the infant based on the monitored sign.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the monitoring unit includes at least one of a camera, a thermal camera, a microphone, an electrocardiograph, a photoplethysmograph and a ballistocardiograph, and/or the sign includes at least one of a noise, a movement, a sleeping pattern, a crying activity and a vital sign such as a heart rate, a breathing rate, a body temperature and a blood pressure.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the substance level determination unit is configured to determine an average level of the active substance in the breastfeeding caregiver for a predefined period of time, and wherein the impact determination unit is configured to determine the impact of the active substance on the infant based on a correlation of the average level of the active substance and the monitored sign.

11. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a milk intake determination device for determining the amount of breast milk taken by the infant, wherein the milk intake determination device comprises at least one of a bio-impedance measurement component, a breast pump, a strain gauge, a breast volume measurement system, a nipple shield including a flow sensor, and a feeding bottle.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the milk intake determination device comprises a breast pump and/or a feeding bottle, wherein the breast pump and/or the feeding bottle comprises a communication unit, and wherein the communication unit is configured to communicate at least one of a time and amount of the milk intake of the infant, in particular to at least one of the further units of the system.

13. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor for determining an amount of the active substance in extracted breast milk, wherein the impact determination unit is configured to be calibrated based on the amount of the active substance determined by the sensor, and wherein the sensor is preferably arranged in at least one of a funnel, a valve and a feeding bottle of a breast pump.

14. A method for determining an impact of an active substance on an infant using a processing unit, comprising providing, using a parameter providing unit, age and weight of the infant, estimating, using an intake estimation unit, the amount of intake of the active substance by a breastfeeding caregiver of the infant, determining, using a substance level determination unit, a level of the active substance in breast milk at the time of breastfeeding and/or milk extraction of the breastfeeding caregiver based on a history of the estimated intake of the active substance, determining, using an impact determination unit an impact of the active substance on the infant based on i) the determined level of the active substance in the breast milk at the time of breastfeeding and/or milk extraction, and ii) the age and weight of the infant, interacting, using an interface unit, with a user and/or with a further device based on the determined impact of the active substance on the infant, wherein the interaction is at least one of i) providing an appropriate moment to breastfeed and/or initiate milk extraction, ii) providing an indication to limit intake of the active substance, and iii) initiating a change in operation of the further device.

15. A computer program for determining an impact of an active substance on an infant, the computer program comprising program code means for causing a system as defined in claim 1 to carry out the method as defined in claim 14, when the computer program is run on the system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] In the following drawings:

[0052] FIG. 1 shows schematically and exemplarily an embodiment of a system for determining an impact of an active substance on an infant,

[0053] FIG. 2 shows schematically and exemplarily a flowchart of using the system according to FIG. 1,

[0054] FIG. 3 shows schematically and exemplarily a further flowchart of using the system according to FIG. 1, and

[0055] FIG. 4 shows a flowchart exemplarily illustrating an embodiment of a method for determining an impact of an active substance on an infant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0056] FIG. 1 shows schematically and exemplarily a system 1 for determining an impact of an active substance on an infant. The system 1 comprises a parameter providing unit 10, an intake estimation unit 20, a substance level determination unit 30, an impact determination unit 40, an interface unit 50, a user input unit 60, a monitoring unit 70 and a milk intake determination device 80. In the example of FIG. 1, all units of system 1 can communicate with each other via a symbolic hub 90.

[0057] Parameter providing unit 10 is configured to provide at least the age and a weight of the infant. Impact of the active substance significantly depends on age and weight of the infant, information which can be stored in parameter providing unit 10 itself, measured by a measuring unit comprised in parameter providing unit 10 or stored on a database, for instance within or associated with a user profile, and provided by parameter providing unit 10 from the database. In this example, parameter providing unit 10 is further configured to provide parameters related to the breastfeeding caregiver including at least one of her age and weight.

[0058] Intake estimation unit 20 is configured to estimate the amount of intake of the active substance by a breastfeeding caregiver of the infant, e.g. in most cases the infant's mother. The amount of intake can be estimated, for instance, using a user's input to interface unit 50. For instance, in case the active substance is caffeine, the user can input each time she consumes a cup of coffee, specifying details on the cup of coffee, such as type and size, and provide the time of consumption.

[0059] This information is taken by substance level determination unit 30, which is configured to determine a level of the active substance in breast milk at the time of milk expression. The time of milk expression can be the time of breastfeeding and/or a time of milk extraction using, for instance, a breast pump exemplarily depicted as comprised in milk intake determination device 80. Preferentially, substance level determination unit 30 determines the level further based on parameters of the breastfeeding caregiver, such as a weight, age, etc. Even further, substance level determination unit 30 preferentially determines the level of active substance based on a history of the estimated intake estimated by intake estimation unit 20.

[0060] Impact determination unit 40 is configured to determine an impact of the active substance on the infant based on multiple parameters. For instance, impact determination unit 40 can determine the impact based on the determined level of active substance determined by substance level determination unit 30, infant parameters provided by parameter providing unit 10 and/or an amount of breast milk taken by the infant as determined by milk intake determination device 80. Further, impact determination unit 40 can determine the impact based on signs monitored by monitoring unit 70.

[0061] Interface unit 50 is configured to interact with a user and/or a further device delivering the active substance. Interface unit 50 preferentially provides at least an appropriate moment to breastfeed and/or initiate milk extraction or an indication to limit intake of the active substance, for instance in case the determined level of active substance is relatively high or ready. Additionally or alternatively, interface unit 50 can initiate a change in operation of the further device, such as switching a coffee machine to decaffeinated coffee or setting an electronic cigarette into a nicotine-free mode. Interface unit 50 can comprise a display for providing information or an interface, which can be included in a web application and be accessible by well-known user interface devices.

[0062] In the example of FIG. 1, interface unit 50 comprises a user input unit 60, which is configured to receive input from the user. User input unit 60 is in this example drawn as a smartphone, but can of course be a different known input unit in other examples. User input unit 60 can receive input indicative of an amount of intake of the active substance by the breastfeeding caregiver, such as a quantity and type of cups of coffees consumed in case of caffeine as active substance. In further examples, user input unit 60 is further configured to receive parameters, such as age and weight of the infant or parameters related to the breastfeeding caregiver, such as also the age and weight.

[0063] Monitoring unit 70 is configured to monitor a sign of the infant and comprises in this example a camera, wherein in other examples different monitoring units, such as thermal cameras and/or microphones, can alternatively or additionally be used. The sign includes, without being limited, a noise, a movement, a sleeping pattern, a heart rate, a breathing rate and an a cry activity of the infant.

[0064] Finally, milk intake determination device 80 is configured to determine the amount of breast milk, which is taken by the infant. In this example, milk intake determination device 80 is illustrated as a breast pump, in other examples also different devices suitable for determining the amount of breast milk taken by the infant, such as components for carrying out bio-impedance measurements, can be used.

[0065] The connection via hub 90 is intended to express that each unit of system 1 can in principle communicate with any other unit of the system, while some connections are not necessary to be implemented in practice. Hub 90 is not necessarily a physical entity and is illustrated only schematically as a central node. Although all connections between two units are indicated as are linked via hub 90, also direct communication connections between two units of system 1 can be implemented additionally or alternatively. It must further be noted that some, several or all of the connections are wired or wireless connections, wherein one, more or all of the units can be provided in physical vicinity to each other, i.e. physically in the same device or as units of the same application running on the same device, or at different physical locations, such as at least in part on one or more servers.

[0066] More specifically, at least one of parameter providing unit 10, intake estimation unit 20, substance level determination unit 30 and impact determination unit 40 can be implemented as an application, which can be installed on a mobile phone, for instance. However, in other examples, one, more or all of the previous determination units can be implemented on a server and be accessed, for instance, via a web interface using a mobile phone, a portable and/or stationary computer device and the like.

[0067] FIG. 2 shows schematically and exemplarily a flow chart 200 of using the system 1 according to FIG. 1. A first input 210 and a second input 220 are merged to evaluate in a step 230 an impact of active substances on an infant.

[0068] In this example, user interface unit 50 is provided with input, such as a drug intake, for instance, coffee, a weight of the mother and further parameters, such as lactation activity, to estimate the amount of intake and determine a level of the active substance in breast milk as first input 210.

[0069] The second input 220 relies on monitoring unit 70 and includes, for instance, a sleep pattern, a heart rate and/or a crying activity of the infant. Based on the input, motion and behaviour of the baby are measured.

[0070] In step 230, for instance by means of impact determination unit 40, the impact on the infant is estimated from inputs 210 and 220. Preferentially, parameters of the infant provided by parameter providing unit 10 are further employed in this step.

[0071] Finally, in step 240 the user is provided with a personalized advice, such as a counseling on intake of the drugs. The personal advice can include a most appropriate moment to breastfeed, to extract milk or to limit drug intake for limiting the impact on the baby and/or to improve milk production by anticipation to a breastfeeding session.

[0072] FIG. 3 shows a further flow chart of using a system 1 according to FIG. 1 schematically and exemplarily. Flow chart 300 is described with caffeine as an example for the active substance, wherein caffeine can be substituted by other active substances in other examples. Flow chart 300 illustrates the conditional and/or input based processing as interconnected nodes.

[0073] In node 305 parameters of the mother are provided and together with caffeine intake by the mother in node 310 provided to a determination node 315, in which the caffeine level in the caregiver's plasma is determined. Parameters of the mother include, for instance, age and weight and the caffeine intake can, for instance, be determined through user interface unit 50 and intake estimation unit 20.

[0074] Based on the caffeine level in plasma of node 315, a caffeine level in the breast milk is estimated in node 320. Based on the estimated caffeine level, and an occurring milk expression event in node 325, a caffeine level in the expressed milk and the milk volume is determined in node 330.

[0075] Based on the estimated caffeine level in node 330, the baby caffeine intake is estimated in node 335.

[0076] Based on the caffeine intake of node 335 and a feeding time in node 340, a caffeine level of the infant is estimated in node 345. The feeding time corresponds to the milk extraction time of node 325 in the case of breastfeeding, and corresponds to the time of feeding in the case of extracted milk, since the level of caffeine in the extracted milk will remain constant. In node 345, the caffeine level is estimated taking in account also a cumulative effect. Since the half-time of, for instance, caffeine highly depends on the age of the infant, baby parameters provided in node 350 are input to the caffeine level estimation in node 345. With node 360, a monitoring of signs of the infant is indicated. The estimated caffeine level and the monitoring signs are input to node 370, in which the signs are correlated with the estimated caffeine level. These information are then used for comparing the effect with an estimated effect of caffeine on the infant. Finally, in node 380, in this example a milk expression time and caffeine intake time/quantity advice for the mother is estimated using information from the caffeine level in the mother of node 320, the caffeine level in the baby of node 345 and the impact of caffeine on the baby derived from the correlation of node 370.

[0077] FIG. 4 shows a flow chart exemplarily illustrating an embodiment of a method 400 for determining an input of active substance on an infant.

[0078] In step 410, an age and weight of the infant is provided.

[0079] In step 420, the amount of intake of the active substance by a breastfeeding caregiver, such as the mother, of the infant is estimated.

[0080] In step 430, level of the active substance in breast milk at the time of breastfeeding and/or milk extraction is determined based on a history of the intake of the active substance estimated in step 420.

[0081] In step 440, an amount of breast milk taken by the infant is estimated, for instance by means of a milk intake determination device 80.

[0082] In step 450, an impact of the active substance on the infant is determined based on the level determined in step 430, the amount of breast milk taken by the infant determined in step 440, and the age and weight of the infant provided in step 410.

[0083] Finally, in step 460, an appropriate moment to breastfeed and/or initiate milk extraction or an indication to limit intake of the active substance is provided to user based on the determined impact of the active substance, determined in step 450, for instance by means of user interface unit 50.

[0084] A computer program may be stored/distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or a solid-state medium, supplied together with or as part of other hardware, but may also be distributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems including being downloadable or purchasable via an app store.

[0085] Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims.

[0086] In the claims, the word comprising does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article a or an does not exclude a plurality.

[0087] A single unit or device may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.