Language and Literacy in Turner Syndrome

Language problems can be associated with specific genetic syndromes, such as Klinefelter syndrome and fragile X syndrome, even in the absence of intellectual and developmental disabilities. Turner syndrome, a relatively common genetic disorder, is caused by the complete or partial absence of 1 of the 2 X chromosomes typically present in women. The syndrome is characterized by a distinct profile of physical and neuropsychological characteristics. The language characteristics of Turner syndrome have received considerably less attention than other cognitive domains, such as executive function and visual spatial ability. The present article focuses on describing the language and literacy characteristics associated with Turner syndrome, which are generally considered to be areas of relative strength. Related cognitive skills, such as executive function, and clinical implications are also discussed.