ABSTRACT
WMS is a rare genetic disorder caused by abnormalities in chromosome 7, which regulates cortico-basal ganglia circuits responsible for motor control, emotion communication, and cognitive processes. Initially WMS was considered evidence of domain specificity as sociability and language development were thought to be intact, despite intellectual disability. Nevertheless, experimental and observational studies demonstrate that infants and toddlers with WMS exhibit atypical face processing, looking intensely at the communicative partner – especially strangers – at the expense of joint attention. Moreover, toddlers with WMS show less empathy, poor intermodal integration, and deficits in functional and symbolic play. Although individuals with WMS are highly responsive to music, they show serious deficits in rhythm perception. Impairments in synchronized interactions are associated with problems in early language development in this population. Vocabulary onset is delayed, and WMS children show an uneven comprehension-production profile. It is also noteworthy that the vast majority of WMS children show similar communication deficits to children with ASD.
