Peer-reviewed article
Co-creating care: Involving children, young people, and families in paediatric medical device innovation.
Preston J, Wheeler G, Howsley P, McNeill J, Dimitri P ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This paper describes how children, young people, and families can be involved in developing medical devices for pediatric healthcare through a co-creation approach. The authors use three case studies from a UK research centre to show how patient input can be incorporated from early concept stages through prototype testing. The work applies rights-based frameworks to guide participation and identifies practical factors that enable or hinder meaningful involvement.
Key points
- Co-creation with children, young people and families can improve the relevance and usability of paediatric medical devices
- Three illustrative case studies demonstrate involvement at different innovation stages
- Lundy's Model of Participation and the 3Ps framework (Provision, Protection, Participation) were used to assess involvement quality
- The paper provides recommendations for embedding child and family involvement in innovation governance and processes
- Co-creation fostered trust, equity, and empowerment among participants
Limitations
This is a methodological paper about participation processes rather than an evaluation of child health outcomes or well-being impacts. It does not measure whether involving children and families in medical device design actually improves health results or children's lives.
Abstract
Innovating in paediatric healthcare requires more than technological advancements; it demands meaningful collaboration with children and young people (CYP) and their families. This practice-focused paper demonstrates how co-creation can be embedded within paediatric medical device development by applying a rights-based approach to guide and inform the involvement activities. Drawing on three illustrative case studies from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) HealthTech Research Centre in Paediatrics and Child Health (HRC-PCH), we show how CYP and their families contributed at various stages of innovation, from early concept development to prototype refinement. Each case is examined using Lundy's Model of Participation and the 3Ps framework (Provision, Protection, and Participation), allowing us to identify practical enablers and barriers to inclusive, ethical, and rights-based involvement. The cases highlight how co-creation can enhance the relevance, usability, and acceptability of paediatric medical technologies while fostering trust, equity, and empowerment among participants. We conclude by outlining actionable, practice-based recommendations for embedding CYP and family involvement within the culture, governance, and day-to-day processes of paediatric innovation. This offers a practical roadmap for teams engaged in research, healthcare, and industry.