ABSTRACT
E xamining language development in syndromes with identifiable genetic causes isparticularly helpful for identifying the ways in which language and cognition caninfluence one another. By examining relationships between various aspects of language ability and other domains of psychological and behavioral functioning within a particular syndrome, we can learn about the behavioral consequences of particular genetic variations. In addition, cross-syndrome comparisons can help us to determine whether challenges to language development are due to mental retardation and cognitive delay, more generally, or are syndrome-specific (i.e., a direct or indirect consequence of the genetic anomalies in question). This type of comparison is particularly interesting for the three genetic syndromes that we consider in the current chapter: Down syndrome (DS), fragile X syndrome (FXS), and Williams syndrome (WS).
