UAMS Doctor Creates 'Angel Eye' To Watch Over Newborns
By: Jocelyn Tovar, KARK 4 NEWS
Updated: February 16, 2013
However when a baby is born prematurely, it can often be difficult to spend long stretches of time in the hospital.
One local doctor has thought of a solution for that.
"He was born at 29 weeks," said Rikki Sholtt.
Little Oliver was born prematurely and as the first child for his mother, it was hard for her to let him leave her sight.
"I'd call every three hours," she said.
When she had to go back home to Conway to recover from a cold, away from Oliver, 'Angel Eye', a video system designed by a doctor at UAMS, let her watch her son while she was away.
"The nurses tell us what's going on but it's a lot easier when you can see it," she said.
"Mothers could maintain interaction with children even if they have to go back home," said Dr. Curtis Lowery the director of the 'Angel Eye' program.
He saw the need for the system after watching mothers spend grueling months away from their newborns.
"Women have to go home tend to other families and they feel isolated from their newborns," he said.
But the interaction from the system isn't limited to simply being able to watch the babies.
"There's a speaker built into the system so the mothers voice goes into bassinet so baby can hear mom's voice," Dr. Lowery said.
"It's really nice to be able to talk to him too," Sholtt said. "A lot of times I was afraid he'd forget me being gone so long."
She said she could tell little Oliver liked it too.
"He'll respond," she said. "He'll look around try and figure out where it's coming from."
Ensuring the bonding that's so important between a mother and her infant.
This equipment is also being used to let grandparents across the country see grand kids and even moms and dads who are deployed.
One local doctor has thought of a solution for that.
"He was born at 29 weeks," said Rikki Sholtt.
Little Oliver was born prematurely and as the first child for his mother, it was hard for her to let him leave her sight.
"I'd call every three hours," she said.
When she had to go back home to Conway to recover from a cold, away from Oliver, 'Angel Eye', a video system designed by a doctor at UAMS, let her watch her son while she was away.
"The nurses tell us what's going on but it's a lot easier when you can see it," she said.
"Mothers could maintain interaction with children even if they have to go back home," said Dr. Curtis Lowery the director of the 'Angel Eye' program.
He saw the need for the system after watching mothers spend grueling months away from their newborns.
"Women have to go home tend to other families and they feel isolated from their newborns," he said.
But the interaction from the system isn't limited to simply being able to watch the babies.
"There's a speaker built into the system so the mothers voice goes into bassinet so baby can hear mom's voice," Dr. Lowery said.
"It's really nice to be able to talk to him too," Sholtt said. "A lot of times I was afraid he'd forget me being gone so long."
She said she could tell little Oliver liked it too.
"He'll respond," she said. "He'll look around try and figure out where it's coming from."
Ensuring the bonding that's so important between a mother and her infant.
This equipment is also being used to let grandparents across the country see grand kids and even moms and dads who are deployed.
