Currently Enrolling
Goodnight Screen Media Study
During the pandemic, children’s screen media use, and in particular tablet use, increased dramatically. Greater screen use is associated with less healthy sleep habits including shorter sleep duration, later sleep timing, difficulty falling asleep, and poorer sleep quality. One of the mechanisms through which screen use affects sleep is through the contribution of evening light exposure. Exposure to light at night sends an alerting signal to the circadian system, signaling that it is daytime, suppressing the release of melatonin, a hormone that signals to the body that it is time to sleep. To mitigate risks associated with TDM use and sleep problems, parents need practical guidance about the potential impact of TDM use on their children’s circadian rhythms and sleep, especially in the evening when children are most sensitive to the light emitted from screen devices. This study will systematically test the effect of the timing of tablet use before bed on the sleep, circadian phase, and executive functioning of 4-year-olds using a 3-group randomized controlled trial in which children are assigned to receive one of 2 experimental conditions (Group A:1 hour of tablet use in the hour before bed; Group B:1 hour of tablet use 2 hours before bed) or a control condition (no evening TDM use). Learn more on ClinicalTrials.gov or bcm.edu.
Sync-Duo
This study aims to design and build a mobile app to improve sleep, reduce sleep disturbances, and reduce cancer-related fatigue in children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and their caregivers. To do this, we will design the app in a subject-centered way, by conducting interviews both with children receiving maintenance chemotherapy for ALL and their caregivers. Phase 1 of the app design will focus on learning from children and their parents about what they would like in an app. Then in Phase 2 we will focus on testing the usability of the app. This study is a partnership between Arcascope and researchers at Baylor College of Medicine. This study is funded by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R41HL164294-01A1).
SCREENS - Sleep, Circadian Rhythms, and Electronics in the EveNing Study
An adequate amount of sleep (9 to 12 hours of sleep per night) during childhood is vital for the growth, health, and cognitive development of a child. However, over 1/3 of children do not get enough sleep. Tt use of electronic devices before bedtime may disrupt sleep patterns and contribute to shorter, poorer quality sleep.
One way that using screen devices before bed may impair sleep is through exposure to blue light. Screen devices emit a higher proportion of blue light which may send an alerting signal to brain, making it harder to fall asleep. Alternatively, exposure to screen devices may expose children to exciting content that may make it harder for them to fall asleep. This study aims to investigate whether a tablet’s media content and screen brightness levels affect sleep among 8- to 11-year-old children.
This is a 4-group randomized controlled trial. Participants will be assigned to one experimental group (Group A: tablet use with bright light and exciting content an hour before bed, Group B: tablet use with bright light and calming content an hour before bed, Group C: tablet use with dim light and exciting content an hour before bed, Group D: tablet use with dim light and calming content an hour before bed). Learn more on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Past Studies
i♥rhythm project
Children gain weight at a faster rate during summer compared to the school year. Later bedtimes and less regular circadian entrainment signals have been associated with greater increases in weight status during summer. The i♥rhythm project was developed to prevent summer weight gain among 5-8 year olds by optimizing circadian synchronicity though promoting consistent earlier bedtimes, exposure to light in the morning and decreased exposure to light at night, making sure the days are more active than the nights, and limiting eating before bed. This study is funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R00HD091396). This project is active but no longer recruiting participants (H-47369). Learn more
- Email iheartrhythm@bcm.edu
- NCT04445740
Fort Bend Longitudinal Study
This was five-year longitudinal study (kindergarten – 5th grade) which examined BMI changes during the school year and summer months among an ethnically diverse kindergarten cohort as they progressed through elementary school. Our results demonstrated that children increased their BMI at a faster rate during summer compared to the school year. This research was funded by the Oliver Foundation.
Understanding Childhood Obesity
This was a mixed methods study which explored parent’s perceptions of the causes of summertime increases in standardized body mass index among children. Funding provided by the Mullen Foundation.
School Summer Sleep Study
We conducted a longitudinal observation study in which we measured children’s sleep and physical activity during the school year and summer. Body mass index was measured at the beginning, end, and start of the next school year allowing us to examine the relationship between children’s sleep and rest activity patterns and change in BMI during the school year and summer. Funding provided by the Texas Children's Pediatric Pilot Research Fund.
Epidemiology of Childhood Obesity
This study will examine behavioral predictors of children’s weight gain (i.e., sleep, physical activity, sedentary behavior) using the school-summer paradigm in order to facilitate a better understanding of how to behaviorally target interventions to prevent child obesity. Supported by United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service CRIS 3092-51000-058.
