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QUALITY IMPROVEMENT REPORTS: Zulfiqar A Bhutta, Iqtidar Khan, Suhail Salat, Farukh Raza, and Husan Ara Reducing length of stay in hospital for very low birthweight infants by involving mothers in a stepdown unit: an experience from Karachi (Pakistan) BMJ 2004; 329: 1151-1155 [Abstract] [Full text]

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To the editor

John Zeal, David Morley CBE   (24 November 2004)

To the editor 24 November 2004
John Zeal, Patient Temperature Specialist Camborne Consultants, David Morley CBE Send response to journal: Re: To the editor	The articles by Bhutta Z A, Costello A and Ruiz-Pelaez J G in the BMJ 2004; 329 13th November edition prompt us to report upon a simple inexpensive device which is currently being used widely in developing countries. This consists of a self-adhesive re-usable disc (shown below) which can be used successfully to empower illiterate mothers to maintain the body temperature of their infant. It will constantly monitor the newborn’s body temperature by colour and with a smiling face indicating “all is well” on a bright green background when their temperature is in “the safe zone” of 36.5 to 37.5 Deg Celsius. Should the onset of hypothermia occur then this bright green background will begin to fade and should the temperature drop to 35.5 Deg Celsius and below, then, the smiling face will disappear and a black background appear. Appropriate action can then be taken by the mother to re-warm her baby Kangaroo Mother Care style. This device has been well validated and well accepted by the mothers.1,2,3 We believe that this device (ThermoSpot) will contribute towards reducing neonatal mortality where ever it is introduced and enable health professionals to educate mothers on the essential need to keep their babies warm at all times. Furthermore, it has been shown that the ThermoSpot can also be used in the prevention of hypothermia in older children with severe malnutrition.4 The ‘safe zone’ (36.5 to 37.5 Deg Celsius) Below 35.5 Deg Celsius References; 1. Kennedy N, Gondwen L, Morley D. Temperature monitoring with ThermoSpots in Malawi. The Lancet. 2000: 355. 1364. 2. Morley D, Kennedy N. – hypothermia: Prevention at community level. Tropical Doctor. 2002: 32.22-24. 3. Pejaver K R, Nisarga R, Gowda B, - Temperature Monitoring in Newborns Using ThermoSpot. Indian Journal of Pediatrics. 2004: 71. 795-796. 4. Morrice J S, Manda L S T, Kacheche A – Hypothermia and the use of ThermoSpots. Tropical Doctor (Letter to the Editor). 2003: October. 33. 253. A sample is available from Talc (NGO) at P O Box 49. St. Albans, Herts AL1 5TX Tel No: +44 (0) 1727 853869; Fax No: +44 (0) 1727 846852; E-mail: info@talcuk.org; Web page: www.talcuk.org Professor David Morley, CBE. Teaching-Aids at Low Cost (Talc) david@morleydc.demon.co.uk John Zeal. Patient Temperature Specialist; Camborne Consultants. temperaturedoc@aol.com Competing interests: JZ is originator and designer of ThermoSpot. DM is overseas distributor for ThermoSpot.