Cognitive Characteristics of Children with Genetic Syndromes

This article presents the cognitive profile observed in children with one of several common genetic syndromes associated with “nonverbal learning disorders.” It introduces the concept of a cognitive endophenotype to help explain the similar pattern of impairments across the syndromes. It explores the explanation of diverse impairments in higher-order visual, spatial, temporal, numerical, and executive cognitive competencies deriving from origins in more basic attentional and spatial cognitive dysfunctions. The importance of a developmental approach to understanding dysfunction is stressed.