There are two types of contests or Kangaroo-a-thons in The Zaky® app:
In a One-Team Contest, the team leader only creates a contest for their team. It does not require a Contest Code because the team members participate automatically.
The Host-Team Leader of a Multi-Team Contest is assigned a Contest Code that is shared with the Leaders of other teams so they can join. Ask the leader of the "Host-Team" of the Contest to share the Contest Code. It has a C and six digits (i.e., C438433)
Here you will find the contest codes for Kangaroo-a-thons that are open for others to join:
(There are no open contests currently)
]]>Visit the Kangaroo.care website for resources to download and print.
]]>The Zaky ZAK®, is the most effective safety device for holding babies (skin-to-skin or clothed) that weigh from 1 to 15 lbs.
The Zaky ZAK® is the only evidence-based device engineered to hold babies (skin to skin or clothed) in the hospital and then at home. It was engineered by Yamile Jackson, a Ph.D. in ergonomics engineering and [kangaroo] mother of Zachary who was born at 28 weeks and spent 5 months in the NICU.
It provides an ergonomic micro-environment for safety, warmth, love, healing, nutrition, development, growth, and protection for babies weighing 1 to 15 lbs.
The simple, adjustable, quiet, easy to use, strong, and practical design with zippers:
What is a Kangaroo-a-thon?
The Kangaroo-a-thon is a friendly and fun competition that recognizes babies that are held the longest and the coaches that are the most supportive of kangaroo care in a period of time.
It acknowledges and celebrates babies, parents, and coaches around the world. It started by creative NICU staff as one way to celebrate, share, and engage during the International Kangaroo Care Awareness Day (May 15th).
A kangaroo care coach creates and manages a team within their own group or hospital unit using the web application. The team leader may then join or create a contest (for his/her own team only or multi-team contest). Neonatal Intensive Care Units have participated in Kangaroo-a-thons for years and now The Zaky app is here to do the calculations so that more teams can participate.
Visit www.kangaroo.care to find more information about kangaroo care, the kangaroo care awareness day, and the events happening around the world that celebrate kangaroo care.
What is The Zaky® app (mobile and web app)?
The Zaky app is engineered to expand the practice of kangaroo care in hospitals and homes globally. You will be an active participant in improving the quality and state of the science for kangaroo care.
The Zaky app streamlines the time and effort of doing the calculations to determining performance (and the winners!). It improves accuracy, reduces errors, displays data in real time, and increases participation and satisfaction. No more long days of manual calculations to determine who was held, for how long, and who was the coach (coach is anyone that helps the parent/baby do kangaroo care).
Make sure all the sessions are logged in and let The Zaky app display the daily, cumulative progress, and final results of each team member and each team in a contest.
All coaches login in this web app to join or create a team, and join or create a contest.
Parents download the The Zaky mobile app, register their baby, and then select COMPETE in the lower bar to join a team:
https://tinyurl.com/TheZakyiOS |
https://tinyurl.com/TheZakyAndroid |
The Zaky app is engineered by Nurtured by Design and funded by a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
What information can I see from The Zaky app?
- To be able to compete when there are teams of different sizes, the duration is normalized by calculating the average of kangaroo care of a team; that is, the duration of kangaroo care by all the babies in the team, then divided by the number of babies registered, then divided by the number of days in the contest. It is important that all the babies are registered in the team so they can be counted.
- See each baby’s username duration and average in kangaroo care, and the leaderboard of the babies in your team (daily and in the dates of a contest).
- Each kangaroo care coach (a coach is anyone that supports the parents and babies) and leaderboard of the duration of the sessions where the parents select them as “most supportive” (daily and in the dates of a contest).
- The kangaroo care average (duration per baby per day) for each team, and all the teams in your contest (daily and in the dates of a contest).
- The number of babies, number of coaches in your team and in all the teams in the contest, and many more!
What about privacy?
To protect everyone’s privacy, only parents may decide to log and share their baby’s kangaroo care sessions with the team in The Zaky mobile app.
Only the kangaroo care activity is shared from the parents’ account (not feeding, sleep, growth, hygiene, journal, etc.).
Only screen names (set by parents and coaches) and city/state/country are shared with other parents and outside a team.
All data is de-identified when shared outside the team, contest, or the app (see our privacy policies)
Let’s hold babies around the world, have some fun, and let The Zaky app support your efforts to make kangaroo care and skin-to-skin contact a sustainable practice!
We are inviting you to participate in a study Nurtured by Design is doing in collaboration with Dr. Ashley Weber and the PREEMIE PROGRESS Lab at University of Cincinnati College of Nursing, Ohio, United States
All information used in research is provided without any identifiers such as names, usernames, city, etc.
Please take the time to answer after every session and thank you for contributing to science.
]]>To find a Team, ask the baby's nurse or visit this page that lists the teams whose leader is accepting members.
If you are a Team Leader
To find a Contest, visit this page that lists the contest codes and dates whose Contests are open and accepting teams.
]]>Keep in mind:
Here you will find the team codes that are open for others to join:
(There are no open teams currently)
]]>
Acknowledgements
Developing The Zaky app is another way Nurtured by Design shows its commitment to kangaroo care, its safety, and global implementation. This has been an amazing journey that took the combined efforts and time of hundreds of people, some that have supported us throughout the years. As always, thanks to Zachary Jackson for the inspiration and his hard work.
]]>This project was developed by Nurtured by Design with a grant by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
In partnership with the The University of Queensland - Centre for Children's Health Research, South Brisbane Australia, Mothers, Babies and Women’s Health Program, Mater Research Institute.
In collaboration with Dr. Ashley Weber and the PREEMIE PROGRESS Lab at University of Cincinnati College of Nursing, Ohio, United States
]]>
The birth of our son Zach, was life changing in many ways,
A preemie, weighing less than two pounds had come to stay.
While still so tiny, helpless, and incubator bound,
A flood hit Houston; no electricity to be found.
I held him skin to skin to my chest while others gave him breath,
If it were not for my husband and the NICU staff Zach was headed for death.
Transferred to another hospital we finally got a break,
We knew his life was special and there was so much at stake.
I wanted Zach to feel me, even when I was not there,
I made The Zaky to simulate my hands, so Zach would know we cared.
With our scent wrapped around him, Zach would not fear human touch,
He would learn that human hands did not always mean it would hurt so much.
My four degrees in engineering empowered me to develop The Zaky line,
Parents all around the world, now connect with their children and sleep fine.
The Zaky ZAK, HUG, ZEN, and now the APP, all nurture them to relax and not feel alone,
For every baby everywhere, to love, to comfort, and to get them home.
Let me hear from you!
Yamile Jackson, PhD, PE, PMP
CEO, Nurtured by Design