Pregnant Mother:
My grandma, she was always looking out for us kids. She wanted us to grow up to be healthy and happy adults. That meant she scheduled her annual doctor checkups, stood over us until we drank our milk and ate our veggies, and she believed in lots of outdoor playtime. Those are the things she knew that we needed to be healthy. Well, grandma would be pleased because I’m doing my part to help kids through the National Children’s Study.
The National Children’s Study is the largest, long-term study of children’s health and development ever conducted in the United States. Thousands of moms, dads, and kids will participate, in the hopes of find out how genetic and environmental factors such as air and water quality may affect children. My husband and I decided to sign up. The previous generations were always looking out for us, and now we can make our contribution by being part of this valuable study that could help generations to come.
Father With Son:
It’s amazing to watch my son grow up and see the progress he makes every day. What’s also amazing is that what we learn from his life might help improve kids’ lives in the future. Joe’s mom and I signed up for the National Children’s Study before Joe was born, because we feel our participation could help our community and country gain a better understanding of children’s health and development.
What can you expect as a participant? Well, the Study starts before your child is actually born, and goes on until your child is 21 years old. Don’t worry, there are no medications or new treatments involved. Researchers will collect information like where you live and your education, biological samples such as blood and urine, and environmental samples such as water and dust. There will be some questionnaires, too; some of it will be done over the phone, during home visits, or in a clinic. There are a lot of resources and information to answer any questions or concerns you may have.
Be sure to talk it over with family members so that everybody knows what to expect. The visits and interviews happen periodically over the course of the Study, so the time commitment is manageable, plus they only schedule visits that are convenient times for us. When Joe is grown up, and looks back on his participation, I know he will be proud he was part of a study that can help future generations.
Dr. Yvonne Maddox:
Hello, my name is Dr. Yvonne Maddox, and I am Deputy Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Children’s health care professionals have seen, in certain areas, a decline in children’s health over the last decades and we have to ask ourselves why. For the first time ever we have the management tools, capabilities, and data management solutions to help answer that important question. Both environment and family history can influence a child’s health and development. This study will allow us to learn a lot more about that. Getting answer won’t be quick, but efforts are already under way.
Researchers are inviting participants to join the National Children’s Study. Moms and dads from diverse background across the U.S. are joining the Study even before their child is born. The Study is being led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. However, we need more participants like you. If you or someone you know is pregnant or may become pregnant, find out if you are eligible to join the study. For more information to find out if you live in a Study area and if you are eligible to participate, please visit us at nationalchildrensstudy.gov.
We all love kids. All of us want a healthy society, and I think that’s one of the reasons why parents would want to be a part of this. The National Children’s Study will give us more information than we’ve ever known, about how the environment and genetics affect children’s health and their development. And that can make a huge impact on the lives of children for generations to come.