US EditionSmartwatch alerts help parents manage children's tantrums
The smartwatch system cut severe tantrum duration by 11 minutes and sped parent response to about 4 seconds, aiding children with behavioral disorders during therapy.
- Dec. 15, 2025, Mayo Clinic researchers reported in JAMA Network Open that smartwatch alerts enabled parents to intervene within four seconds of an impending tantrum.
- Against a backdrop of rising pediatric behavioral crises, Mayo Clinic enrolled 50 children aged 3 over 16 weeks in a trial testing smartwatch alerts during Parent-Child Interaction Therapy.
- Worn by the child, the smartwatch detects stress signals and sends data to an AI-enabled smartphone app, with children wearing it about 75% of the time demonstrating feasibility.
- Monitored children experienced measurable reductions in tantrum severity, with alerts shortening outbursts by an average of more than half, researchers reported Dec. 15 in JAMA Network Open.
- Future studies will refine the system's accuracy and test it in larger groups, with researchers planning to assess long-term benefits and Arjun Athreya, Ph.D., saying `This work shows how basic science and clinical research can come together to transform patient care`.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Smartwatch alerts help parents manage children's tantrums
Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a smartwatch-based alert system that signals parents at the earliest signs of a tantrum in children with emotional and behavioral disorders - prompting them to intervene before it intensifies.
Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a smartwatch-based alert system that signals parents the first signs of a tantrum in children with emotional and behavioral disorders—allowing them to intervene before the situation escalates. In a new study published in JAMA Network Open, these alerts helped parents intervene within four seconds and reduced severe tantrums by an average of 11 minutes—about half the duration observed with standard therapy.
Mayo Clinic Study: Wearable Tech Aids Kids Mental Healthcare
Mayo Clinic researchers developed a smartwatch system that alerts parents to early signs of tantrums in children with emotional and behavioral disorders, enabling intervention within seconds. This technology shortened severe tantrums by an average of 11 minutes, demonstrating a potential bridge in pediatric mental healthcare when professional help isn’t immediately accessible.
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