GB2171611A

GB2171611A - Medical teaching doll

Info

Publication number: GB2171611A
Application number: GB08503733A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Shamah
Original assignee: SHAMAH M
Current assignee: SHAMAH M
Priority date: 1985-02-14
Filing date: 1985-02-14
Publication date: 1986-09-03
Also published as: GB2171611B; GB8503733D0

Abstract

A medical teaching doll for use in illustrating the dangers of infant dehydration comprises a baby-shaped core 10 and a flexible skin 26 fitted over the core. Through a mouth inlet 18, water may be introduced into the volume between the skin and the core to give the appearance of a healthy baby. Exhausting the water through a normally closed valve 28 causes the skin to collapse onto the core and to make visible rib shaped formations on the core. In this way, the dangers of dehydration are made apparent. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Medical teaching doll This invention relates to medical education and particularly to a medical teaching doll which may be used to educate mothers in under-developed countries in the prevention of infant dehydration.

Dehydration is the cause of large numbers of infant deaths in the under-developed countries and, to a significant extent, those deaths could be reduced by educating mothers. The difficulty isthatthe instinctive reaction of a motherfacedwith a child with acute vomiting and diarrhoea isto reducethe fluid intake. With a dehydrated child this action will bring death closer.

It is an object of this invention to provide a medical teaching doll which will provide a dramaticvisual demonstration of the dangers of dehydration and help educate mothers in its prevention.

Accordingly, the present invention consists in a medical teaching doll comprising a core shaped in the form of a baby; a flexible skin fitted over the core and fluid inlet and outlet means, whereby fluid may be introduced into the volume between the skin and the core to force the skin away from the core and give the appearance of a healthy baby, discharge offluid from said volumecausing the skin to returntothe core giving the appearance of a dehydrated baby.

Advantageously, the core is formed with features such as pronounced ribs and wrinkles whereby in the absence offluid, a realistic dehydrated appearance is provided.

Preferably, the fluid inlet means is formed as a mouth ofthe doll and the outlet means comprises a normally closed valve at the back of the doll.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure lisa side view partly in section of a medical teaching doll according to this invention; and Figure2 is a partviewshowing a detail of Figure 1.

The medical teaching doll shown in the drawings comprises a body core part 10 and a head core part 12, these parts being separately moulded from rigid PVC material. The body part 10 includes arms and legs and is provided with features such as pronounced ribs and wrinkles to give the external appearance of a dehydrated baby. The top ofthe body part 10 is shaped as a neck portion 14which is received in a complementary recess 16 in the head part. Asuitableface is formed on the head part 12 including a mouth 18that communicatesthrough channel 20 with the recess 16. As shown in Figure 2, the neck portion 14 is formed with a series of grooves 22 the purpose of which will be described hereafter.

Askinforthedoll isformed in separate head and body parts from welded PVC of a thickness and quality which is selected to be both hard-wearing and similarto real skin in feel. The head skin part 24 is shaped as a close fit overthe head core part 12and includes an aperture which is in registerwith the mouth 18.Thefree edge ofthe skin part isturned into the recess 16 so asto be entrapped on engagement with the body core part 10. The skin body part 26 is again shaped asaclosefitoverthe body core part 10 and includes a normally closed flap valve 28. Thefree edge of the body skin part extends over neck portion 14 so as to be entrapped on engagement with the head core part 12.

The manner in which the described doll is used as a teaching aid is as follows. Prior to a demonstration, liquid is introduced into the doll through the mouth 18, the liquid passing intothevolume between the skin and the core. In this condition, with the skin forced away from the core, the general appearance is created of a healthy baby. The skin is relatively soft to the touch and none ofthefine detail ofthe core is apparent. To continue the demonstration, the valve at the back ofthe doll is actuated by squeezing causing fluid to be discharged in simulation of acute diarrhoea. As liquid is lost, the skin is seen to form wrinkles and the pronounced ribs and other details of the core become apparent.The general appearance is therefore created of a baby suffering from dehydration.

To demonstrate rehydration and consequent good health of the child, further liquid is introduced into the doll's mouth and the skin will begin to inflate to return the doll to the normal "healthy" appearance.

It should be understood that thins invention has been described by way of example only and a variety of modifications are'possible without departing from the scope ofthe invention. The core ofthe doll can, for example, take a variety of forms and the amount ofdetail can be altered as desired. In one particular modification, the flexible skin may extend only over the body core partwith a conventional softdoll's head being used. In another modification, the doll may be of single piece construction with the skin being fitted by welding or in any other suitable manner. The described use of PVC material is felt to be particularly convenient but other materials can of course be employed.

1. A medical teaching doll comprising a core shaped intheform of a baby; aflexibleskinfitted overthecoreandfluid inlet and outlet means whereby fluid may be introduced into the volume between the skin and the core to force the skin away from the core and givethe appearance of a healthy baby, discharge offluid from said volume causing skin to return to the core giving the appearance of a dehydrated baby.

2. A doll according to Claim 1, wherein thefluid inlet means is formed as a mouth of the doll.

3. A doll according to Claim 1 or Claim 2wherein the fluid outlet means comprises a normally closed valve at the back of the doll.

4. A doll according to any one ofthe preceding claims wherein the core is formed with features such as pronounced ribs and wrinkles whereby in the absence of fluid the volume between the skin and the

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Medical teaching doll This invention relates to medical education and particularly to a medical teaching doll which may be used to educate mothers in under-developed countries in the prevention of infant dehydration. Dehydration is the cause of large numbers of infant deaths in the under-developed countries and, to a significant extent, those deaths could be reduced by educating mothers. The difficulty isthatthe instinctive reaction of a motherfacedwith a child with acute vomiting and diarrhoea isto reducethe fluid intake. With a dehydrated child this action will bring death closer. It is an object of this invention to provide a medical teaching doll which will provide a dramaticvisual demonstration of the dangers of dehydration and help educate mothers in its prevention. Accordingly, the present invention consists in a medical teaching doll comprising a core shaped in the form of a baby; a flexible skin fitted over the core and fluid inlet and outlet means, whereby fluid may be introduced into the volume between the skin and the core to force the skin away from the core and give the appearance of a healthy baby, discharge offluid from said volumecausing the skin to returntothe core giving the appearance of a dehydrated baby. Advantageously, the core is formed with features such as pronounced ribs and wrinkles whereby in the absence offluid, a realistic dehydrated appearance is provided. Preferably, the fluid inlet means is formed as a mouth ofthe doll and the outlet means comprises a normally closed valve at the back of the doll. The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure lisa side view partly in section of a medical teaching doll according to this invention; and Figure2 is a partviewshowing a detail of Figure 1. The medical teaching doll shown in the drawings comprises a body core part 10 and a head core part 12, these parts being separately moulded from rigid PVC material. The body part 10 includes arms and legs and is provided with features such as pronounced ribs and wrinkles to give the external appearance of a dehydrated baby. The top ofthe body part 10 is shaped as a neck portion 14which is received in a complementary recess 16 in the head part. Asuitableface is formed on the head part 12 including a mouth 18that communicatesthrough channel 20 with the recess 16. As shown in Figure 2, the neck portion 14 is formed with a series of grooves 22 the purpose of which will be described hereafter. Askinforthedoll isformed in separate head and body parts from welded PVC of a thickness and quality which is selected to be both hard-wearing and similarto real skin in feel. The head skin part 24 is shaped as a close fit overthe head core part 12and includes an aperture which is in registerwith the mouth 18.Thefree edge ofthe skin part isturned into the recess 16 so asto be entrapped on engagement with the body core part 10. The skin body part 26 is again shaped asaclosefitoverthe body core part 10 and includes a normally closed flap valve 28. Thefree edge of the body skin part extends over neck portion 14 so as to be entrapped on engagement with the head core part 12. The manner in which the described doll is used as a teaching aid is as follows. Prior to a demonstration, liquid is introduced into the doll through the mouth 18, the liquid passing intothevolume between the skin and the core. In this condition, with the skin forced away from the core, the general appearance is created of a healthy baby. The skin is relatively soft to the touch and none ofthefine detail ofthe core is apparent. To continue the demonstration, the valve at the back ofthe doll is actuated by squeezing causing fluid to be discharged in simulation of acute diarrhoea. As liquid is lost, the skin is seen to form wrinkles and the pronounced ribs and other details of the core become apparent.The general appearance is therefore created of a baby suffering from dehydration. To demonstrate rehydration and consequent good health of the child, further liquid is introduced into the doll's mouth and the skin will begin to inflate to return the doll to the normal "healthy" appearance. It should be understood that thins invention has been described by way of example only and a variety of modifications are'possible without departing from the scope ofthe invention. The core ofthe doll can, for example, take a variety of forms and the amount ofdetail can be altered as desired. In one particular modification, the flexible skin may extend only over the body core partwith a conventional softdoll's head being used. In another modification, the doll may be of single piece construction with the skin being fitted by welding or in any other suitable manner. The described use of PVC material is felt to be particularly convenient but other materials can of course be employed. CLAIMS

4. A doll according to any one ofthe preceding claims wherein the core is formed with features such as pronounced ribs and wrinkles whereby in the absence of fluid the volume between the skin and the core, a relastic dehydrated appearance is provided.

5. A medical teaching doll substantially as herein before described with reference to as shown in the accompanying drawing.