'Smart Pills' Are Changing The Way Pediatricians Treat Their Patients

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- You may have heard of smart cars, smart phones, and even smart washing machines, but what about smart pills?

As CBS2's Dr. Max Gomez explained, the new technology is helping doctors and parents keep children healthy.

Riley Kinman, 5, has to take medication twice a day because of a kidney transplant. The pills keep her body from rejecting the kidney she got from her dad.

But they aren't just any pills. Each one also has a tiny sensor.

The sensor activates inside of Riley's stomach and transmits a signal to a patch that she wears.

The technology then sends data to her doctors and parents through a tablet, alerting them that she took her meds.

"If patients aren't taking their medications as prescribed or missing medication doses, we know they're at a higher risk for potential complication such as organ rejection or infections," Dr. Dev Desai, Surgical Doctor, Children's Health said.

Children's Health in Dallas is the first hospital in the country to use technology in kids. It's not just whether they take their meds, smart pills also keep track of patients in other ways that impact their health.

"It provides heart rate monitor functions, it gives us an idea of activity and sleep cycles," Dr. Desai explained.

Riley's parents hope the technology will give her independence.

"Right now, we're in charge, but 10, 15 years, now I'll know exactly when she took her medicine, and I don't have to nag her about it," Nicole Kinman said.

It's giving everyone peace of mind.

The smart pills are especially important when young patients hit their teenage years. That's when they often rebel against the regimented medication routine they have to follow, because medications only work when they're taken as directed.

It's a message most adults could also take to heart.