Comparative Language Performance in Children and Adolescents with 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome and Down Syndrome

This study compared language abilities across receptive and expressive domains in 40 children/adolescents each with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and Down syndrome, matched for age and nonverbal cognition. Results showed 22q11.2DS had relatively stronger receptive vocabulary and syntax but weaker pragmatic skills with age-related improvement, while Down syndrome showed lower overall performance across domains with limited developmental gains.