– Eisai Inc. launches Ella the Jellyfish, the first Amazon Alexa skill designed for those affected by Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS), a rare and severe form of childhood-onset epilepsy.
– LGS can be characterized by frequent and unpredictable seizures, limited speech and mobility, cognitive impairment, and developmental delays.
– Available free of charge, , this unbranded Alexa skill provides comfort to children, families and caregivers through song, storytelling, meditation, and interactive games.
Eisai Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Eisai Co., Ltd., today announced the launch of Ella the Jellyfish, the first Amazon Alexa skill designed for those affected by Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS). Available free of charge, the Alexa skill was created with input from children living with LGS, a rare and severe form of childhood-onset epilepsy, their families and caregivers.
Impact of LSG on Children
When a child has a debilitating disease, everyday life for them, their families and caregivers can be challenging. LGS can be characterized by frequent and unpredictable seizures, limited speech and mobility, cognitive impairment, and developmental delays. Approximately 70 percent of patients with LGS will show cognitive impairment at diagnosis and more than 50 percent suffer behavioral issues including hyperactivity, sleep disturbances, aggression, and autistic symptoms.
As a result, some children with LGS feel isolated, even from their own family members. Given the need to provide 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week support, families, and caregivers also often feel isolated, exhausted and overwhelmed.
A growing and influential trend transforming healthcare and pharma is the promise and power of voice-enabled technologies such as Amazon Alexa – it often doesn’t provide a way for those in need to receive solace and support – until now. Designed in collaboration with the LGS community, this unbranded Alexa skill provides comfort to children, families and caregivers through song, storytelling, meditation, and interactive games. Available free of charge, it can be downloaded and easily activated on Alexa-enabled devices, including voice assistants, mobile phones and tablets.
Ella the Jellyfish: How It Works
Featuring capabilities such as interactive play, listening, and creative activities, Ella the Jellyfish was designed for easy and seamless daily use on Alexa-enabled devices, including voice assistants, mobile phones and tablets. By simply saying, “Alexa, open Ella the Jellyfish,” families, caregivers and children can instantly and easily interact with Ella and her underwater friends by listening to Ella tell a story, singing a song, listening to a relaxing meditation or playing such games as “Ella Says, Freeze Dance” and “Color Hunt.”
Parents and guardians can enable Ella the Jellyfish skill by searching for Ella the Jellyfish in the Alexa Skills Store online and through the Alexa app. Once enabled, caregivers and patients can start by telling their Alexa-enabled device to open Ella the Jellyfish. Caregivers and patients can also learn how to operate the skill by watching videos of caregivers and children using Ella the Jellyfish. Those videos can be found at ellathejellyfish.com.
“Ella the Jellyfish was born out of the countless, heartfelt experiences Eisai employees have had with the LGS community,” said Alexander Scott, Chief Strategy Officer, Neurology Business Group, Eisai Inc. “Staying true to our human health care mission to advance epilepsy care and help address the specific needs of patients and their families is what inspired us to develop Ella. Our goal is to relentlessly break through ordinary approaches so that we may provide innovative solutions that go beyond just the medicine.”
Impact of Leveraging Voice-Enabled Technology to Address LSG
“When I treat children with LGS, I am always looking for ways to better help support caregivers and families navigate the daily challenges of taking care of someone with this disease,” said Michael Chez, MD, Pediatric Epileptologist, Sutter Medical Group, Sacramento, CA. “Ella is a wonderful example of how technology can provide a new level of support and compassion.”
