Language and Communication Across the Lifespan in Down Syndrome
Zoom Saturday Seminar
Date: Saturday, October 18, 2025
Time: 10 AM - 11:00 AM
Language and Communication Across the Lifespan in Down Syndrome
UC Davis MIND Institute Research
The presentation will focus on describing the development of language and communication in people with Down syndrome from infancy into adulthood. Dr. Leonard Abbeduto and Dr. Angela John Thurman will describe areas of relative challenge and relative strengths in different aspects of language and in various developmental periods. They will also describe new ways in which language and communication can be assessed clinically and present some ideas for how parents can support their children’s language development. In addition, they will also briefly discuss some of the issues associated with the risk for Alzheimer’s disease in adults with Down syndrome.
Guest Speakers:
Leonard Abbeduto, Ph.D.Dr. Leonard Abbeduto is a researcher at the UC Davis MIND Institute. His research is focused broadly on the development of language across the lifespan in individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and on the family context for language development. Current projects focus on understanding differences in language outcomes in various conditions associated with intellectual disability, the measurement of treatment effects in clinical trials, and the use of distance technology to deliver behavioral treatment. Dr. Abbeduto also co-directs the UC Davis Redwood SEED Scholars program, which is a 4-year, residential, inclusive college program for individuals with intellectual disabilities, including those with Down syndrome.
Angela John Thurman, Ph.DDr. Angela Thurman is a researcher at the UC Davis MIND Institute who studies how language and other skills develop in individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions like autism, Down syndrome, and fragile X syndrome. Her work focuses on understanding development among individuals and groups to inform more inclusive and effective assessment and intervention strategies. The long-term goal of her work is to enhance access to care, support individuals and providers, and foster shared learning to ensure that research is responsive to real-world needs.
