The tool is designed to provide a safe and controlled way for children to learn meal management and insulin administration, thereby easing the transition for new patients and their families into diabetes care.
The app, named T1Dcoach, features virtual avatars, Gabi or Miki, who guide children through daily diabetes care routines, such as eating, drinking and taking insulin to maintain proper blood glucose levels. Users earn points for correct management, which helps to reinforce positive behaviors.
Tomasz Nowicki, a researcher from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Lublin University of Technology, explained that the app employs a mathematical algorithm to simulate the physiological responses to meals and insulin similar to those of a real patient.
"The idea was to replace a living patient with a mathematical algorithm that reacts in exactly the same way to meals and administered insulin," he said.
If a mistake is made, the avatar may end up in a virtual hospital, which does not have real-world consequences for the patient. Seeing that their management plan failed, the patient can then adjust their actions in real life.
Type 1 diabetes typically manifests between the ages of 10 and 14 and accounts for about 10 percent of all diabetes cases.
Dr. Grzegorz Nowicki from the Medical University of Lublin highlighted the drastic lifestyle changes required upon diagnosis, not just for the child but for their entire family. This includes stringent meal planning, regular blood glucose monitoring and appropriate responses to glucose levels.
The T1Dcoach app has undergone numerous clinical trials at the University Children's Hospital in Lublin and is available for free download from the Google Play store.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP