Parents urged to use cystic fibrosis home monitor

PARENTS of children with cystic fibrosis (CF) must be encouraged to use advances in tele-health to monitor their development at home, Fine Gael’s Áine Collins said yesterday.

Ms Collins, whose daughter Lily, 3, has CF, is involved in piloting a home kit already used to check other health conditions.

The Cork North West deputy said the device, costing around €60, allowed recordings of oxygen levels in the blood to be taken at home.

“This form of monitoring enables parents to get ahead of the game, to accurately identify how their child is doing and to provide for their medical needs,” she said. “By screening CF patients in the home, an advanced warning system is put in place allowing parents to identify infections before they take hold.”