Validity and Reliability of a Smart Band for Monitoring Cardiorespiratory Parameters in Children and Adolescents with Severe Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a disorder frequently associated with respiratory and cardiac comorbidities, making the monitoring of heart rate (HR) and oxygen saturation (SpO2) essential. This study examined the reliability and validity of Xiaomi Mi Band 6, compared with a clinical pulse oximeter, for measuring HR and SpO2 in 35 children and adolescents with CP classified at GMFCS levels III–V. Mi Band 6 demonstrated good reliability for HR (ICC = 0.83), although the high measurement error (MDC90 = 19.57 bpm) limits its usefulness for small physiological changes. SpO2 results showed low reliability (ICC = 0.55) and substantial variability (MDC90 = 18.85%), exceeding the clinically acceptable error margin of ±2–3%. Validity analyses revealed poor agreement between Mi Band 6 and clinical pulse oximeter for SpO2, and moderate agreement for HR, with large variability in Bland–Altman analyses. Factors such involuntary movements, altered muscle tone, low body weight, and reflective sensors on the wrist may have affected the results. In conclusion, Xiaomi Mi Band 6 demonstrated good reliability and may be cautiously used for general HR monitoring, but it is not suitable for assessing SpO2 in this pediatric population. Further research is needed to identify cost-effective and accurate wearable technologies.