The ENRICH Study Overview: Info for Parents

By taking part in the ENRICH Study you and your baby are helping us to know more about the incredible lives of babies and we can use that knowledge to make things better and easier for parents all around the world.

What would I do in the ENRICH Study?

Taking part in the ENRICH study will mean 4 meetings with the research team – the first meeting, when your baby is born, to discuss the study and answer any questions; the First Appointment when your baby is approx. 2 weeks old; the Second Appointment when they are 4 months old; and a Final Appointment when they are 18 months old.

All of the appointments are booked at a date and time to suit you.

Each of the appointments are described below:

Initial Meeting

At the initial meeting, when your baby is born, we will discuss the study, what’s involved and our research nurses can answer any questions you might have.

If you would like to participate, we will ask you to sign a consent form.

We will then take a small and painless measurement from your baby’s arm, which will measure the trans epidermal water loss – how much water is lost through your baby’s skin.

   

First Appointment

When your baby is approx 2 weeks old, we will phone you to make a convenient appointment and let you know which side of the study you have been assigned to.

When you come to the appointment, over 30 minutes, we will:

  1. Ask you to Ask you to complete a questionnaire
  2. Take your baby’s measurements (weight, length & head circumference)
  3. Show you how to record your baby’s sleep and baths – this can be on the ENRICH App for smart-phones, or we can give you a paper diary – whichever you prefer!
  4. If you are assigned to the massage side of the study, we will arrange training for you in baby massage with a fully trained physiotherapist instructor. This takes approx 1 hour when undertaken.

   

Second Appointment

When your baby is 4 months old, we will phone you again to make a convenient appointment time. We will again:

  1. Ask you to complete a questionnaire
  2. Take your baby’s measurements (weight, length & head circumference)
  3. Take another painless measurement from your baby’s arm (trans epidermal water loss)
  4. Carry out a development assessment with your baby (the Griffiths III assessment with a trained psychologist)
  5. Carry out an EEG and video recording of your baby while they take a nap onsite at the hospital

This appointment will take approx. 3 hours, depending on how long your baby sleeps.

What is EEG?

Electroencephalography (EEG) is a way to monitor and record the electrical activity of the brain. The EEG reads your baby’s brainwaves. These are measured by applying a number of soft pad sensors to your baby’s head. This recording is painless and will not distress your baby.

We use the EEG to record your baby’s sleep patterns. Similar to older children and adults, babies have different types of sleep, both dream-sleep with rapid eye movements (REM) and non-REM sleep. Babies move between the two different types of sleep with a complete cycle of both REM and non-REM lasting 1 hour. During the video EEG test when they are 4 months old, we want to capture 2 sleep cycles if possible. We will liaise with you on the best time capture your baby’s sleep – preferably after a feed.

   

Final Appointment

When your baby is 18 months old, we will phone you again to make a convenient appointment time.

We will again:

  1. Ask you to complete a questionnaire
  2. Take your child’s measurements (weight, length & head circumference)
  3. Carry out a development assessment with your child (the Griffiths III assessment with a trained psychologist)