National Children's Study

The National Children’s Study (NCS) Vanguard Study was a pilot for a planned cohort study of environmental influences on child health and development. Starting in 2009, recruitment strategies were tested in 43 counties across 31 states throughout the U.S. The study enrolled 5,600 birth families and followed them through 2014. At protocol-specified study visits, questionnaires and interviews, neuro-psychosocial and cognitive assessments, and physical examinations were collected, along with nearly 19,000 biological and 5,500 environmental primary samples from which a sample repository of over 250,000 items was created. Information and material available include study visit data from preconception to 42 months post birth. Biospecimens and environmental specimens are available through DASH.