Control Group

ENHANCE | Control Group

Why is this study important? 

We are interested in how children with a condition called ‘cystic fibrosis’ (CF) grow and develop. In order to understand this properly we need to compare new-born infants with CF to a group of healthy new-born children who DO NOT HAVE CF. We want to conduct the study over 5 years, collecting data only ONCE PER YEAR. The two areas we want to compare between healthy children and those with CF are:

  1. Abdominal issues – collecting a sample of poo and a questionnaire once per year
  2. Mental health issues – collecting specific mental health questionnaires once per year

Why is this study being done?

Children with CF develop a number of medical problems as they grow, including abdominal disease (like pain, abnormal stools, failure to thrive), lung disease (recurring infections, lung damage) and mental health problems (anxiety, depression, mood disturbance). Things have been improving for children with CF over the years, but it still appears that they do not have the same levels of health that children without CF have. If we want to improve outcomes for children with CF we must first understand clearly how the disease still affects them. This is where research projects like ENHANCE come in – they allow us to paint a clear picture of the real life problems that children with CF have and help us to figure out how we might help.

What does this study involve for my child?

The study involves collecting a stool (poo) sample and some questionnaires once per year. We will also look to collect routine information such as weight and height annually. The ENHANCE team will organise collection and shipping of samples and questionnaires from your home. Some people may also want to volunteer for a related study called BUNNY (See below).

How do i get more information or volunteer?