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Escambia County Middle School is getting smart with detecting illnesses.

The county school is one of 1,400 schools that has been accepted into the Kinsa Smart Thermometer program.

ECMS School Nurse Alice Stewart said so far, 128 families have registered in Atmore.

“I think it’s a good number for the first year,” Stewart said.

Stewart said the thermometer works via bluetooth to a user’s phone.

“They can take their child’s temperature with the thermometer,” she said. “It’ll go to their phone, and will ask you for symptoms and list them.”

The smart thermometer takes accurate oral and underarm temperature readings in a form factor that is light, comfortable, portable & easy to use. And it keeps each family member’s health details in your pocket for you or your pediatrician.

Stewart said the thermometer app will take it to the next step for parents, whether it suggests giving Tylenol, Ibuprofen and other medicines. Additionally, the app takes into consideration the child’s age, weight and other factors, she said.

Stewart said the thermometers allow her to accumulate information about what school illnesses are present. She said the school has a message center to keep parents apprised.

Stewart said she found out about the thermometer over last summer.

“During my summer break, I started reading up on it,” she said. “This is through Kinsa, and I thought ‘how do I get this to my school?’ We got accepted into the program.”

The program is a free service. Kinsa and Lysol are working in partnership. If teachers sign up for the program, they’ll receive free cans of Lysol, Stewart said.

Stewart said this program is a great service for the school.

“The last couple years has been really hard for the county schools,” she said “It keeps us connected with parents so we can tell them what is going on.”