Abstract
Promoting language abilities, including early word learning, in children with neurogenetic
disorders with associated language disorders, such as Down syndrome (DS) and fragile
X syndrome (FXS), is a main concern for caregivers and clinicians. For typically developing
children, the quality and quantity of maternal language input and maternal gesture
use contributes to child word learning, and a similar relation is likely present in
DS and FXS. However, few studies have examined the combined effect of maternal language
input and maternal gesture use on child word learning. We present a multidimensional
approach for coding word-referent transparency in naturally occurring input to children
with neurogenetic disorders. We conceptualize high-quality input from a multidimensional
perspective, considering features from linguistic, interactive, and conceptual dimensions
simultaneously. Using case examples, we highlight how infrequent the moments of word-referent
transparency are for three toddlers with DS during play with their mothers. We discuss
the implications of this multidimensional framework for children with DS and FXS,
including the clinical application of our approach to promote early word learning
for these children.
Keywords
Down syndrome - fragile X syndrome - maternal language input - maternal gesture use
- word learning
