‘Smart sock’ monitors baby with heart failure diagnosis
ISTANBUL
Diagnosed with heart failure before birth, a baby boy named Aras is now monitored around the clock through a “smart sock” that tracks his oxygen levels and heart rate.
When his mother, Duygu Çağlar, was 22 weeks pregnant, doctors detected signs of heart failure in her unborn baby.
Treatment began while Aras was still in the womb under the supervision of Associate Professor Öykü Tosun, head of pediatric cardiology at Istanbul Medeniyet University, and Associate Professor Reyhan Ayaz Bilir, a perinatologist at an Istanbul hospital.
For 90 days, the medical team applied an intensive treatment program to both mother and baby.
After the successful procedure, baby Aras was born healthy and is now 3 and a half months old.
To closely monitor his condition, doctors fitted him with a device known as a “smart sock.”
The device continuously measures the baby’s heart rhythm, oxygen level, breathing rate and sleep pattern, transmitting the data to the mother’s phone.
“For babies like Aras who have rhythm irregularities, we use specially adjusted socks. If the device detects any issue, it immediately sends an alert to the mother, even if the baby is asleep and shows no signs of distress,” Tosun explained. “The family then contacts us right away, and we assess whether a potential problem is developing. If necessary, we intervene quickly.”
Tosun added that the sock has triggered an alarm once so far while Aras was sleeping and a quick medical response successfully stabilized him.
She said doctors will continue monitoring Aras with the device until he turns 2 years old, and the treatment process will be documented in scientific publications.
Speaking on the process, Bilir emphasized the importance of family cooperation, praising the dedication of baby Aras’ parents.
“The more the parents follow our guidance, the easier our work becomes. Aras’ parents have been incredibly supportive throughout the process. We fought together and achieved success,” the expert said.
