A family was living in fear that their son's heart rate could drop so low when he went to sleep that he would never wake up.
But thanks to advances in medicine and technology, there' s now a wristband that monitors vital signs in real time.
The wristband sends alerts to 4-year-old Andrew Skidmore’s parents to get him help fast.
Andrew has already overcome many challenges after his family learned his adrenal glands don't properly regulate his essential functions.
"We are so lucky he's still with us – we are so fortunate and we love every minute with him. Every day with him is a blessing," said his mom, Kelli Skidmore.
She is always on high alert to ensure Andrew's vitals are in the normal range.
"There’s been so many times that he’s almost died. And there’s been mornings we’ve woken up -- and he's just not there and we have to give him a shot and go to the hospital," Skidmore said.
At 2, Andrew was diagnosed with nonverbal autism, so Skidmore said it’s critical she keeps a close eye on his health.
"He can't tell me he has a belly ache, he can’t tell me he has a headache, he can’t tell me that he’s tired."
A wristband called Helo monitors Andrew's blood pressure, heart rate and lifestyle behaviors, such as breath rate, mood and energy and step count, all in real time.
The advanced sensors inside this wellness band showcases a person’s vitals. If Andrew’s drop out of range when it comes to his vitals, Skidmore will get a notification on her cellphone.
The app helps Skidmore analyze and track Andrew’s health data.
"I have it set up to do automatic vitals on him every 30 minutes," Skidmore said.
There's also a panic button. If alerted, Andrew's parents will instantly get his GPS coordinates. It gives them peace of mind.
The family has set up a GoFundMe to raise money to help families who have children diagnosed with complex medical conditions. They want to make sure parents are able to constantly monitor their children.
Cox Media Group
