Infant Head Position Reminder

Abstract

A device and method to remind parents to regularly alternate the head position of a sleeping baby in order to prevent or minimize positional plagiocephaly. The device comprises a display area displaying a plurality of suggested head positions and at least one user-selectable indicator for selecting a first one of said plurality of suggested head positions. The user-selectable indicator is coupled with a source of illumination for maintaining visual indication of said first head position until the user manually selects a second head position or the device is turned off. The device further comprises a processor coupled with memory configured to store the user-selected head position which is visually indicated upon deactivation of said source illumination. The processor can then be configured to cause said source of illumination to blink indicating the user-selected head position stored in said memory upon the device being powered on.

1 : A device for regulating and monitoring infant head positions, the device comprising:
 a body;   said body having a display area displaying a plurality of suggested head positions for the infant;   said body including at least one user-selectable indicator for selecting a first one of said plurality of suggested head positions representing an actual head position of the infant at a first instance;   said user-selectable indicator being configured to maintain visual indication of said first one of said plurality of suggested head positions of the infant until the user manually selects, using the user-selectable indicator, a second one of said plurality of suggested head positions representing an actual head position of the infant at a second instance.   
     
     
         2 : A device as in  claim 1  wherein said suggested head positions comprise graphical icons representing left, right, and centered head positions. 
     
     
         3 : A device as in  claim 1  wherein said user-selectable indicator comprises a first object displaying said plurality of suggested head positions, and a second object with a window through which to view a suggested head position displayed on said first object, whereby the user can selectively indicate one of the plurality of suggested head positions displayed on said first object by moving one of the objects in relation to the other such that only the selected head position is visible through said window in said second object. 
     
     
         4 : A device as in  claim 1  wherein said visual indication comprises a source of illumination powered by a power source. 
     
     
         5 : A device as in  claim 4  further comprising a processor, a processor coupled with memory;
 said memory configured to store the user-selected head position which is visually indicated upon deactivation of said source of illumination; 
 said processor configured to cause said source of illumination to blink indicating the user-selected head position stored in said memory upon the device being powered on, said blinking to continue until the user manually selects a different head position. 
 
     
     
         6 : The device as recited in  claim 5  wherein the source of illumination deactivates after a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         7 : The device as recited in  claim 6  wherein said predetermined amount of time is less than 30 minutes. 
     
     
         8 : A method for regulating and monitoring infant head positions, the method comprising:
 displaying a plurality of suggested head positions for the infant;   selecting, using a user-selectable indicator, a first one of said plurality of suggested head positions representing an actual head position of the infant at a first instance;   and maintaining visual indication of said first one of said plurality of suggested head positions of the infant until the user manually selects, using the user-selectable indicator, a second one of said plurality of suggested head positions representing an actual head position of the infant at a second instance.