Early Language in Victoria Study (ELVS)
Synopsis
The Early Language in Victoria Study (ELVS) has been following the speech and language development of a large group of children (>1900) born in the surrounds of Melbourne, Victoria (Australia) since they were 8 months of age. ELVS continues to follow this same group of children as they transition from middle childhood to adolescence. There are a number of ELVS sub-studies investigating different areas of communication development including: stuttering, autism and bilingual language development.
Summary
| Study name | Early Language in Victoria Study |
| Study abbreviation | ELVS |
| Current principal investigator/s | Professor Sheena Reilly |
| Current project manager |
Penny Levickis Bibi Gerner |
| Cohort representative (study contact) | Penny Levickis Bibi Gerner |
| Phone | 0480 263 911 |
| elvs-team@unimelb.edu.au | |
| Primary Institution | Murdoch Childrens Research Institute |
| Collaborating Institution/s |
Griffith University Murdoch Children’s Research Institute LaTrobe University Deakin University |
| Major funding sources | National Health and Medical Research Council |
| Study website | https://www.mcri.edu.au/research/projects/early-language-victoria-study-elvs |
| Key reference | Reilly, S., Cook, F., Bavin, E.L., Bretherton, L., Cahir, P., Eadie, P., Gold, L., Mensah, F., Papadopoullos, S. and Wake, M. (2017). Cohort Profile: The Early Language in Victoria Study (ELVS). International Journal of Epidemiology, doi: doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyx079 |
| Study focus | How language develops from infancy (8 months) to adolescence. |
| Data availability | Yes, in collaboration on a case by case basis and subject to ethics approval. |
| Sampling frame | Maternal and Child Health Nurses approached all parents of babies aged 8-10 months of age, within six Local Government Areas of Melbourne, Australia. |
| Year commenced | 2003 |
| Commencement sample | 1910 |
| Intergenerational | No |
| Imaging | MRI (sub-study, 2014 – ) |
| Linkage | NAPLAN – grades 3, 5 and 7 |
| Biosamples? | Saliva |
| Ethics approval | This project only (Specific consent) Future research related to this project (Extended consent) |
Waves
| Wave | Year | Age (mean, range) | Eligible sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2003 – 2004 | 8.5 months (5-11.3) | 1910 |
| 2 | 2003 – 2004 | 12.1 months (10.7-19.9) | 1759 |
| 3 | 2004 – 2005 | 24 months | 1741 |
| 4 | 2005 – 2006 | 3 years | 1647 |
| 5 | 2006 – 2007 | 4 years | 1623 |
| 6 | 2008 | 5 years | 1002 |
| 7 | 2009 | 6 years | 1047 |
| 8 | 2009 – 2010 | 7 years | 1189 |
| 9 | 2011 – 2012 | 9 years | 1166 |
| 10 | 2013 – 2014 | 11 years | 871 |
| 11 | 2015 – 2017 | 13 years | In progress |
| 12 | 2020 – | 17-18 years | In progress |
| 13 | 2020 – | 17-19 years | In progress |
| 14 | 2020 – | 18-20 years | In progress |