Welcome to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Study Center for the National Children’s Study. The CHOP Study Center, along with six other Study Centers across the country, has been selected to lead the implementation of the National Children’s Study. The Study will examine the effects of environmental and genetic influences on the health and development of more than 100,000 children across the United States, following them from before birth until age 21. The Study defines “environment” broadly, taking a number of natural and man-made environmental factors into account, such as: air, water, and house dust; what children eat; how they are cared for; the safety of their neighborhoods; how often they see a doctor; and other factors. By following children through the age of 21, Study researchers hope to better understand the causes of health conditions like autism, asthma, pregnancy-related problems, obesity, mental health disorders, and others.
The CHOP Study Center is responsible for conducting the National Children’s Study in several locations in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and southern New Jersey. These include:
- Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
- Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
- New Castle County, Delaware
- Burlington County, New Jersey
Local staff from the CHOP Study Center will begin visiting homes in Montgomery County in April 2009, to invite eligible women to join the National Children’s Study. We hope that you can join us as we celebrate with our Launch Event on April 22, 2009. Eventually, the Study will include over 1,200 children and their families from throughout Montgomery County.
In the future, Study staff will begin visiting homes in the four other CHOP Study Center locations to invite women to join the Study.
Please contact us for more information about the CHOP Study Center, the Montgomery County location, or to find out about participating in the Study.
Phone: 1-877-NCS-2345 (1-877-627-2345)
E-mail: ncs@email.chop.edu
Mailing Address:
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
34th Street and Civic Center Boulevard
CHOP North – Suite 880
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Please also contact us if you are interested in hosting an informational presentation with a member of the CHOP Study Center staff or if you are interested in hosting a Study researcher at a conference or symposium.