Research opportunities for schools

Elsa: Early Surveillance for Autoimmune diabetes

The ELSA study screens children aged 2-15 years to find those at risk of insulin dependent diabetes. Education and monitoring can then be offered to at-risk children and their families. This is to stop children from getting too unwell, offer treatment sooner and offer further research which aims to delay or prevent diabetes. 

The screening test is a simple fingerstick blood test that can be done at home, at school or in the community and is sent back to the study team for testing. Testing in schools means we can offer this research to even more children and young people.

The study team will arrange a date for an ELSA clinic to be held in a school. A team of nurses will come and take the fingerstick test from children, with support from the NIHR Research Delivery Network if needed.

Requirements: 

• room availability for ELSA clinics

• enough space to accommodate 4 clinical staff, 2 children to be tested, 5 tables & chairs

• good Wi-Fi access

• crash mats, chairs, and water to support a child if an event occurs during the test