Information for parents and carers

About EEPRIS

The EEPRIS study is interested in the normal coughs, colds and ear infections that children develop, collecting information about the symptoms of these illnesses going round in the local community and how long they last. We also wanted to find out what the actual bugs are by looking at nasal and saliva swabs taken from the children when they were ill and comparing these with swabs taken when they were well again.

This study could help doctors better manage these common illnesses in children, and help target antibiotic prescribing to the children that really need it. It can help parents to better understand how to manage their children’s illnesses too.

The study was set up to collect information on the symptoms of these common infections and identify the viruses that cause them. Previous research tells us a good deal about respiratory infections when seen by doctors, but not so much about how they develop in the community.

One main point of doing this work is to see if it would be possible to roll this out on a bigger scale to feed the information on illnesses going around in the community into an online resource. This type of ‘real-time’ illness information could help parents and GPs know what common bugs are going round in the area and how best to manage them – with a special interest in:

  • helping parents know whether to take their child to the doctor, and 
  • helping GPs give antibiotics only to children who really need them.

We recruited children aged between 3 months and 14 years (inclusive), with a parent/carer willing and able to answer questions online (via smartphone, tablet or computer).

We asked for a response (simple Yes/No) to a weekly email.

  • If a child picked up a cough, cold or ear infection before the end of July 2016, we asked parents to provide information online and have a nurse visit their child. 
  • We then asked for three sets of saliva and nasal samples from the child.(Nasal samples were taken from just inside the nostril so as not to be uncomfortable for children)

The study is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Evaluation of Interventions. The HPRU is a partnership between universities across England and Public Health England (PHE) which supports high quality research to protect our health.

All research is looked at by an independent group of people, called a Research Ethics Committee to protect your child’s safety, rights, wellbeing and dignity. The South West - Frenchay Research Ethics Committee approved this study considering it to be worthwhile and safe whilst preserving the wellbeing of your the participating children.

  • Air Balloon Surgery
  • Gloucester Road Medical Centre
  • Kingswood Health Centre
  • Lodgeside Surgery
  • Malago Surgery
  • Montpelier Health Centre
  • Nightingale Valley Practice
  • Pembroke Road Surgery
  • Shirehampton Group Practice
  • The Wellspring Surgery

How do I get involved?

** Recruitment has now closed **

For more information, please read our information sheets: 

Consent forms:

If you have any questions or are unclear about any aspect of your taking part in the EEPRIS study, please give us a ring or email us (see contact page).

For information about common children's viruses and how to manage these, please read: Virus information for parents (PDF, 261kB)