DIAMONT: a bilingual Android-based application to assist parents in the home-based management of childhood diarrhea – a concept

Abstract

AbstractDiarrhea, defined as passing watery stool for three times or more per 24 h, may affect children’s growth and development and possesses a high mortality rate, particularly among children under 5 years old. Those poor outcomes result from water and electrolyte imbalance and poor nutrition status in children suffering from diarrhea. Management of childhood diarrhea, aiming to prevent dehydration and malnutrition, encompasses those covered in LINTAS DIARE (“Lima Langkah Tuntaskan Diare”) – guidance from the Ministry of Health of Indonesia to overcome childhood diarrhea in five steps. A concept of an Android-based application is designed in both English and Bahasa versions to guide parents as users in a home-based approach to recognize the dehydration status and danger signs of children with diarrhea. The application may also allow users to monitor water balance as well as management adequacy during the diarrhea period. Data such as child’s birth date, weight, and height; stool’s characteristics and frequency; and dehydration and warning signs are required to be input by users to allow the program to classify the dehydration status and suggest recommendation of actions. The advice provided is based on the LINTAS DIARE principles.