Hair Biomarkers Study

Launched by STANFORD UNIVERSITY · May 30, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The Hair Biomarkers Study is looking at how early experiences, like stressful or positive events in childhood, can affect children’s health as they grow up. Researchers want to understand how things like parenting and living in poverty influence a child's ability to handle stress. They will measure stress levels in children by looking at cortisol, a hormone that can be found in hair. This study is open to healthy children aged 6 months to 24 months and their mothers or fathers living in certain counties in Northern California.

If you decide to participate, you will need to commit to regular check-ins every six months for two years. Your child must be healthy without any major scalp conditions or chronic illnesses, and they should not have had any chemical treatments on their hair recently. This study aims to find new ways to help children build resilience and cope better with life's challenges, which could benefit their long-term health.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Normal, healthy children aged 6 months to 24 months and their mothers (or father, if mother is not able to participate).
• • 2. Living in Santa Clara County, San Mateo County, or Alameda County in Northern California.
• • 3. Willing to give their home address (in order to receive the study kits at home).
• • 4. Committed to regular follow-up at 6-month intervals for the full study duration of 2 years.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Children with tinea capitis, alopecia areata, scalp eczema, dermatitis, or other scalp conditions.
• • 2. Children exposed to systemic steroid therapy for any diagnosis in the 3 months prior to study entry.
• • 3. Children receiving any other prescription drugs that alter HPA axis function or cortisol release, if the period of exposure is 2 weeks or longer within the 3 months prior to study entry.
• • 4. Children with chronic medical conditions such as cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, asthma, eczema, or other chronic conditions.
• • 5. Children with known developmental delay, Trisomy-21 and other chromosomal anomalies, seizure disorders, chronic pain, cerebral palsy, or other disabilities.
• • 6. Children whose hair has received chemical exposures (e.g., dying, bleaching, chemical straightening, perming) in the 90 days prior to study entry or for 90 days before each follow-up appointment during the 2-year study period.