Children convalescing in an Oxford hospital are being given portable monitors which enable them to move around more.

The John Radcliffe, in Headington, is the first place in Europe where the personal CD player-sized Micropaqs are being used on patients under 18.

Up until four weeks ago, children were forced to be wired up next to their beds if nurses wanted to keep checks on their heart rate, pulse rate and oxygen levels.

Now the level five paediatric area has a wireless system, leaving patients free to move around as long as they are attached to one of the packs. These come with a carry belt and bag, and weigh less than 1lb. The children can even go outside into the courtyard play area.

Information from the £3,300 packs is sent back to a computer at the ward nursing station, allowing staff to monitor patients. They are alerted to problems by a bleeping alarm on the computer and the patient's Micropaq.

Dr Anne Thomson, a paediatric respiratory consultant, said: "Getting back to normal activity, including play, distracts children from their illness and speeds up recovery.

"With the Micropaq they don't have to be attached with wires to a large monitor by their bed.

"We can see what's happening to patients and the advantage is that children get more freedom and it makes them less cranky!

"Children don't like to be in one place, so the system is very beneficial.

"We can also see the effects of normal activities in terms of a patient's heart or oxygen levels, allowing us to make sensible decisions about when they can go home." Dr Thomson said all very sick children were monitored, but the Micropaqs were ideal during the recovery stage.

Children on certain medications, or with heart problems, or coming off oxygen, may need constant observation.

At the moment, the John Radcliffe has four Micropaqs, which have all been funded by the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Charitable Funds.

Dr Thomson said staff hoped to get more in the future.

Although the system is used on adults in other hospitals, it is the first time it has been used in a paediatric unit.