Eisai launches first Amazon Alexa skill for children with rare form of epilepsy

Pharma company Eisai has launched a digital health solution on Amazon Alexa designed for those affected by a rare and severe form of childhood-onset epilepsy.

It marks the first time Eisai has moved beyond medications and into digital health. The company’s Amazon Alexa skill – Ella the Jellyfish – has been developed for children with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) and was created with input from patients, their families and caregivers.

The tool features a range of features including interactive games, audio stories and other creative activities all designed to be interacted by patients with LGS. By simply saying, "Alexa, open Ella the Jellyfish," families, caregivers and children can instantly interact with features such as sing-a-longs, meditation and games.

Eisai designed the skill to be used easily on Alexa-enabled devices including voice assistants, mobile phones and tablets.

"Having a special-needs child can be isolating and exhausting because it's so difficult to find help or a community that understands our needs and most of the time we are struggling to just keep our heads above water," said Kayleigh Keen, a caregiver to a child living with LGS. "When we attended the LGS Foundation conference this year, it was fun to watch my son have the opportunity to sample the skill and see my son's face light up as he easily interacted with Ella the Jellyfish during several activities."

LGS is one of the most severe forms of childhood-onset epilepsy and is characterised by multiple seizure types, cognitive impairment or developmental delays and distinct brain electrical patterns. Approximately 70% of patients with LGS will show cognitive impairment at diagnosis and more than 50% suffer behavioural issues including hyperactivity, sleep disturbances, aggression and autistic symptoms. 

"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, Paediatric Epileptologist, Sutter Medical Group, Sacramento, CA. "Ella is a wonderful example of how technology can provide a new level of support and compassion."

"Ella the Jellyfish was born out of the countless, heartfelt experiences Eisai employees have had with the LGS community," added 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."