Caring for a newborn baby can be stressful under any circumstance, but for first-time parents every cry or action can seem like a mystery at first, including the first bowel movements. To help parents decipher any surprise they may find in their baby’s diaper, experts at the John’s Hopkins Children’s Center developed a free app called “Poop M.D. Plus.”
The app, which is meant for infants under six months old, collects information about the baby’s stool color and offers free guidance for parents on whether their child is experiencing healthy bowel movements or if they may be suffering from a health issue like biliary atresia, an end-stage liver disease.
About 400 newborns are diagnosed with the disease each year in the U.S., and with early detection being a key factor in treatment, the app’s color-recognition software works to alert parents to any possible warning signs. Parents are able to send an email of a photo of their child’s stool to their doctor through the app, and store photos and health history information.
The app is available for free download on Android and iPhones.