Take Part in the Study

Click on this link to send an email to the study coordinator: Contact :: BILD-Cohort
 

Who can participate?

All healthy term and preterm newborns of Central European descent are eligible to participate. Registering prior to birth is particularly helpful as it enables the study nurses to be fully prepared. We are particularly interested to register babies born to mothers with asthma. 

What would my participation involve?

  • Your participation would consist of brief weekly telephone interviews with a study nurse during the first year of your child’s life.
  • A visit to Basel or Bern Children's Hospital at the ages of 5 weeks, 6 years, and 12 years for a lung function test.
  • The collection of nasal secretion during the first lower airway infection, and then 3 weeks following the infection.  (Home visit by the study nurse)
  • An allergy skin prick test (performed on both the mother and child) when the child is 6 years of age.
  • (Only if you live in Bern). A visit to Bern Children' s Hospital at the ages of 12 months and 3 years, for a study visit of approximately 2 to 3 hours' duration.
  • (Only if you live in Bern). Questionnaire at ages 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 years.  
The tests are not painful

 

All tests and examinations performed on you and your child over the course of the study are painless. The lung function test will be conducted during your baby’s natural sleep, using state-of-the-art equipment and methods. The measurements taken at 3 and 5 years-of-age will be done in a playful way, and be clearly explained to your child. 

 

You can find more information about the research methods  here .

 

How does the study benefit my child?

It is possible that your participation in this study will not bring any direct and obvious benefits to you or your child. But we are certainly hopeful that the results of this study will lead to new and better-developed prevention and treatment measures for airway diseases in the future.

For any questions related to the health of your child outside the scope of this study, please contact your paediatrician.

Will the findings be shared with me?

We will share the lung function test results with you immediately after the test completion. You can also take these to your paediatrician. You will be informed in writing about the environmental analysis. The urine, blood and nasal secretion test results are not significant on an individual basis, but we will publish the overall (anonymised) research results online. 

Should there be any new findings that may have an impact on the benefit or the safety of the study and as such may influence your willingness to participate, the doctor responsible for the study will inform you regarding this. You will receive such information in written form.

Are we allowed to leave the study?

Yes. You can leave the study at any time and you do not have to give your reasons. Your child's participation in our study is extremely valuable to us; however, your cooperation is at all times voluntary.

If you abstain from participating in the study, there will not be any negative consequences in terms of subsequent medical treatment and care of you or your child in the hospital.

Is there financial compensation?

We are able to compensate you for travel costs to the hospital; we can compensate the cost of the transport ticket or, if coming by car, Fr 0.60/km + parking costs.

We are not able to compensate you for your time spent being involved in the study.

What about Data Protection?

All investigations and results are handled confidentially. All data is anonymised.