research

hearing language & literacy

summary

The ability to hear is critical for speech and language development, which are the most important developmental skills children master in the preschool years. Speech and language skills form the foundation for later educational and academic achievement and optimal social and mental health development.

Approximately two million Australians have significant hearing loss, with over 100,000 totally or almost totally deaf. One in 800 children in Australia is born with a persistent childhood hearing impairment, while another one in 800 young people develops hearing loss by adulthood. A progressive hearing loss occurring with age, otherwise known as presbyacusis, affects many more people, with more than 50% of people over the age of 75 having significant hearing loss. Our research focuses on understanding the causes of hearing loss, thereby allowing early detection, prompt intervention and improved counselling.

 

group leader(s)

  Professor Sheena Reilly MCRI_201002_100
  Theme Director, Health, Wellbeing & Policy
  Hearing Language & Literacy
  Speech Pathology Department
  Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
  Royal Children's Hospital
  Flemington Road
  Parkville Victoria 3052

  T +61 3 9345 6813
  E sheena.reilly@mcri.edu.au

  group leader biography

current research projects

Project 1: The Early Language In Victoria Study (ELVS)

ELVS is a longitudinal study spanning seven years funded by the NHMRC. The aim is to learn more about how language develops in young children and why language and literacy development is more difficult for some children. We will use this information to develop early intervention and prevention programs for children who are at risk of language impairment. The study began in September 2003 and since then, over 1900 families have participated in ELVS from when their babies were eight months of age. ELVS will continue to follow the children until they have all turned seven years old in August 2010. visit the site

Project 2: Let's Read

The Let's Read project commenced in 2002, and is funded by the Australian Research Council in partnership with The Smith Family. The study is a cluster randomised control trial of a primary care population-based intervention aimed at promoting language and literacy outcomes of children in disadvantaged communities. The intervention is delivered to parents by Maternal and Child Health nurses when their infants are aged four, 12 and 18 months, and at 3½ years old. visit the site

Project 3: State-wide Comparison of Outcomes (SCOUT)

SCOUT will be the first project in the world to find out the effectiveness of newborn hearing programs for all children. SCOUT will study children born in Victoria and NSW with bilateral hearing loss as they turn five years old. SCOUT will examine the benefits and costs of screening all babies, compared to screening only babies who are at high risk.

team members

  • Nadia Abdi - PhD Student (UoM Psych)
  • Dilukshi Attanayake - RESEARCH AFFILIATE
  • Sampada Bhide - RESEARCH ASSISTANT
  • Matthew Bisset - Research Assistant
  • Susan Block - HONORARY FELLOW
  • Leah Braganza - Research Assistant
  • Petrea Cahir - Research Assistant
  • Eileen Cini - Research Assistant
  • Gina Conti-Ramsden - HONORARY FELLOW
  • Laura Conway - Research Coordinator
  • Fallon Cook - VISITOR & VOLUNTEERS
  • Sam Denny - RESEARCH AFFILIATE
  • Fabrizio D'Esposito - HONORARY FELLOW
  • Anna Duncan - Research Assistant
  • Patricia Eadie - HONORARY FELLOW
  • Felicity Ebdon - RESEARCH ASSISTANT
  • Tamsyn Gilbertson - MPsych/PhD Student (UoM Psych)
  • Luigi Girolametto - HONORARY FELLOW
  • Julie Green - HONORARY FELLOW
  • Kristina Haebich - Research Assistant
  • Liza Hopkins - HONORARY FELLOW
  • Elaina Kefalianos - PhD Student (UoM Paeds)
  • Sonia Khano - Research Assistant
  • Jennifer Koplin - Research Officer
  • James Law - HONORATY FELLOW
  • Nina Lucas - RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
  • Jarrad Lum - HONORARY FELLOW
  • Sarah Mathews - Research Assistant
  • Angela Mayes - RESEARCH ASSISTANT
  • Cristina Mei - Research Assistant
  • Judy Moon - Administrative Assistant
  • Angela Morgan - Senior Research Fellow
  • Peta Newell - Research Assistant
  • Jan Nicholson - HONORARY FELLOW
  • Amy Niselle - HONORARY RESEARCH FELLOW
  • Mark Onslow - HONORARY FELLOW
  • Chantelle Otten - RESEARCH ADMINISTRATOR
  • Debra Page - RESEARCH COORDINATOR
  • Lauren Pigdon - Research Assistant
  • Anna Price - Research Officer
  • Jon Quach - Research Officer
  • Katherine Rowe - Supervisor
  • Elizabeth Schilpzand - Project Coordinator
  • Jemma Skeat - Senior Research Officer
  • Libby Smith - PhD Student
  • Ashlee Smith - RESEARCH ASSISTANT
  • Kylie Smith - RESEARCH ASSISTANT
  • Glenda Strong - HONORARY FELLOW
  • Nathaniel Swain - Research Assistant
  • Tina Tan - Research Assistant
  • Inge Timmerman - Personal Assistant
  • Kerry Ttofari Eecen - Research Associate
  • Samantha Turner - Research Assistant
  • Natasha Typuszak - Research Intern (CCH)
  • Karen Van Nugteren - RESEARCH AFFLIATE
  • Louise Wardrop - PERSONAL ASSISTANT
  • Amy Watts - PhD Student (UoM Paeds)
  • Elizabeth Westrupp - HONORARY FELLOW
  • Jackie Yamada - Research Assistant
  • Tsharni Zazryn - HONORARY FELLOW

publications

  • Bayer JK., Ukoumunne OC., Lucas N., Wake M., Scalzo K., Nicholson JM. Risk factors for childhood mental health symptoms: National longitudinal study of Australian children. PEDIATRICS 128 (2011) PubMed
  • Cahir P. Examining culturally valid language assessments for Indigenous children. Acquiring Knowledge in Speech, Language and Hearing 13 (3) : 120 - 125(2011)
  • Gibbs L., Waters E., St Leger L., Green J., Gold L., Swinburn B. A settings-based theoretical framework for obesity prevention community interventions and research. AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH 35 (2) : 104 - 105(2011) PubMed
  • Goldfeld S., Napiza N., Quach J., Reilly S., Ukoumunne OC., Wake M. Outcomes of a universal shared reading intervention by 2 years of age: the Let's Read trial. PEDIATRICS 127 (3) : 445 - 453(2011) PubMed
  • Hiscock H., Roberts G., Efron D., Sewell JR., Bryson HE., Price AMH., Oberklaid F., South M., Wake MA. Children Attending Paediatricians Study: a national prospective audit of outpatient practice from the Australian Paediatric Research Network. MEDICAL JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIA 194 : 392 - 397(2011) PubMed
  • Liegeois F., Morgan AT., Connelly A., Vargha-Khadem F. Endophenotypes of FOXP2: Dysfunction within the human articulatory network. European Journal of Paediatric Neurology 15 (4) : 283 - 288(2011) PubMed
  • Liégeois FJ., Morgan AT. Neural bases of childhood speech disorders: lateralization and plasticity for speech functions during development. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (2011) PubMed
  • Lucas N., Neumann A., Kilpatrick N., Nicholson JM. State-level differences in the oral health of Australian preschool and early primary school-age children. AUSTRALIAN DENTAL JOURNAL 56 (1) : 56 - 62(2011) PubMed
  • Mei C., Morgan AT. Incidence of mutism, dysarthria and dysphagia associated with childhood posterior fossa tumour. CHILDS NERVOUS SYSTEM 27 (7) : 1129 - 1136(2011) PubMed
  • Mei C., Morgan AT., Reilly S. Assessing speech and language in children with cerebral palsy: A holistic approach. Acquiring Knowledge in Speech, Language and Hearing 13 (2) : 68 - 72(2011)
  • Morgan AT., Liegeois F., Liederkerke C., Vogel AP., Hayward R., Harkness W., Chong K., Vargha-Khadem F. Role of cerebellum in fine speech control in childhood: Persistent dysarthria after surgical treatment for posterior fossa tumour. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 117 (2) : 69 - 76(2011) PubMed
  • Nicholls R., Eadie P., Reilly S. Monolingual versus multilingual acquisition of English morphology: What can we expect by age three?. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders 46 (4) : 449 - 463(2011)
  • Nisselle A., Green J., Scrimshaw C. Transforming children's health spaces into learning places. Health Education 111 (2) : 103 - 116(2011)
  • Northam GB., Liégeois F., Chong WK., Baker K., Tournier JD., Wyatt JS., Baldeweg T., Morgan A. Speech and Oromotor Outcome in Adolescents Born Preterm: Relationship to Motor Tract Integrity. JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS (2011) PubMed
  • Ponsonby AL., Sun C., Ukoumunne OC., Pezic A., Venn A., Shaw JE., Dunstan DW., Barr EL., Blair SN., Cochrane J., Zimmet PZ., Dwyer T. Objectively measured physical activity and the subsequent risk of incident dysglycemia: the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study (AusDiab). Diabetes Care 34 (7) : 1497 - 1502(2011) PubMed
  • Prior M., Bavin E., Cini E., Eadie P., Reilly S. Relationships between language impairment, temperament, behavioural adjustment and maternal factors in a community sample of preschool children. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders 46 (4) : 489 - 494(2011) PubMed
  • Roberts G., Efron D., Price A., Hiscock H., Wake M. The Time and Practice Challenges of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics: An Australian National Study. JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICS 32 : 368 - 374(2011) PubMed
  • Roberts G., Quach J., Gold L., Anderson P., Rickards F., Mensah F., Ainley J., Gathercole S., Wake M. Can improving working memory prevent academic difficulties? a school based randomised controlled trial. BMC PEDIATRICS 11 (57) (2011) PubMed
  • Skeat J., Gold L., Wake M., Ukoumunne OC., Reilly S. The cost of preschool communication problems: Population study. The Medical Journal of Australia 195 (6) : 322 - 323(2011) PubMed
  • Turner KMT., Nicholson JM., Sanders MR. The Role of Practitioner Self-Efficacy, Training, Program and Workplace Factors on the Implementation of an Evidence-Based Parenting Intervention in Primary Care. JOURNAL OF PRIMARY PREVENTION 32 (2) : 95 - 112(2011) PubMed
  • Ukoumunne OC., Wake M., Carlin J., Bavin EL., Lum J., Skeat J., Williams J., Conway L., Cini E., Reilly S. Profiles of language development in pre-school children: a longitudinal latent class analysis of data from the Early Language in Victoria Study. CHILD CARE HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT (2011) PubMed
  • Veness C., Prior MR., Bavin E., Eadie P., Cini E., Reilly S. Early indicators of autism spectrum disorders at 12 and 24 months of age: A prospective, longitudinal comparative study. Autism (2011) PubMed
  • Wake M., Price A., Clifford S., Ukoumunne OC., Hiscock H. Does an intervention that improves infant sleep also improve overweight at age 6? Follow-up of a randomised trial. ARCHIVES OF DISEASE IN CHILDHOOD 96 (526) (2011) PubMed
  • Wake M., Tobin S., Girolametto L., Ukoumunne OC., Gold L., Levickis P., Sheehan J., Goldfeld S., Reilly S. Outcomes of population based language promotion for slow to talk toddlers at ages 2 and 3 years: Let's Learn Language cluster randomised controlled trial. BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL 343 (2011) PubMed
  • Westrupp EM., Northam E., Doyle LW., Callanan C., Anderson PJ. Adult psychiatric outcomes of very low birth weight survivors. AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY 45 (12) : 1069 - 1077(2011) PubMed