The SENSE Study

Exploring how babies experience touch and how it shapes toddler development

🧠The SENSE Study is a collaboration between UCL, UCL Hospital, and Birkbeck, investigating how full-term and preterm babies (born before 37 weeks) respond to touch — one of the earliest ways we explore the world. We’re looking at how these early experiences influence brain development, behaviour, and sensory skills into toddlerhood.

👶 What’s involved?
Families visit us at the Birkbeck Babylab for a fun 3–4-hour session, where we use EEG (safe brainwave recording) and play-based tasks to learn about your child’s responses to touch, sound, and toys.

📅 Who can take part?
We’re inviting families with children who are around 18 months old, born full-term or preterm. We’ll follow up again at 30 months.

Some families were seen as newborns, but we’re also welcoming new participants! Equally, if you have a younger preterm born baby, get in touch to join for our 6- and 12-month questionnaire timepoints.

📬 Interested?
Email us at CBCD-sense@bbk.ac.uk — we’d love to hear from you!