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In the present study, we assessed ELB assignments in three language domains (phonology, vocabulary, and grammar) for 53 young children with DS (CA range: 2.50\u20137.99 years) using standardized assessments. The participants were classified into one of four ELB levels (preverbal, first words, word combinations, and sentences) in each language domain. Associations with additional measures of language, chronological age, nonverbal cognition, and verbal short-term memory were considered. Analyses of individual ELB profiles indicated substantial variability across the three language domains, with six different patterns of variation across domains emerging. At the same time, the ELB categories were significantly associated with independent language measures and broader developmental domains. Moreover, ELB changes were observed in a small sample of children with DS reassessed 18\u201324 months after the initial visit. Results from the present study suggest the procedures outlined by Tager-Flusberg et al. for defining ELBs are a potentially useful tool for describing the language abilities of children with DS.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/brainsci12060743","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,6]],"date-time":"2022-06-06T10:08:24Z","timestamp":1654510104000},"page":"743","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["Defining Expressive Language Benchmarks for Children with Down Syndrome"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Angela John","family":"Thurman","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA"},{"name":"MIND Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lauren","family":"Bullard","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA"},{"name":"MIND Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Leona","family":"Kelly","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA"},{"name":"MIND Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Caitlyn","family":"Wong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA"},{"name":"MIND Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vivian","family":"Nguyen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA"},{"name":"MIND Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anna J.","family":"Esbensen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children\u2019s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA"},{"name":"Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jennifer","family":"Bekins","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children\u2019s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5309-339X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emily K.","family":"Schworer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children\u2019s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6208-456X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Deborah J.","family":"Fidler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Colorado State University Fort Collins, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lisa A.","family":"Daunhauer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Colorado State University Fort Collins, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4206-6115","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carolyn B.","family":"Mervis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"C. Holley","family":"Pitts","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Angela M.","family":"Becerra","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2311-7194","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Leonard","family":"Abbeduto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA"},{"name":"MIND Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2710","DOI":"10.1002\/ajmg.a.38402","article-title":"Estimation of live birth and population prevalence of Down syndrome in nine U.S. states","volume":"173","author":"Buckley","year":"2017","journal-title":"Am. 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