Young children with Velo-Cardio-Facial syndrome (CATCH-22). Psychoiogical and language phenotypes

This is the first clinical description of a detailed psychological, speech, and language phenotype of four young children (<5 years) with Velo-Cardio- Facial syndrome (VCFS) due to a deletion on chromosome 22 (22q11.2). The re ported elevated risk of developing schizophrenia or bipolar disorder in ado lescence for individuals with this chromosomal deletion led us to examine t he psychiatric and cognitive status of young children with VCFS. Our observations suggest a phenotype comprised of a borderline to mildly re tarded level of intellectual functioning, a language delay, a general defic it in social initiation, difficulties with attention/concentration, and a p erturbed train of thought.