A linguagem em jovens e adultos com síndrome de Down

Abstract

The phenotype of Down syndrome (DS) includes delayed language development and various language impairments, which may involve deficits in pragmatic, semantic, phonological, and morphosyntactic aspects. Considering that the life expectancy of people with Down syndrome has increased in recent generations and that language is essential for autonomy and social inclusion, it becomes fundamental to investigate how it manifests in the youth and adult life of these individuals. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate language in young people and adults with Down syndrome, in order to deepen knowledge about aspects of oral language, as well as written language. This study consists of a literature review, in which articles addressing aspects of oral and written language in young people and adults with DS, published between 2013 and 2025, in Portuguese, Spanish, and English, were selected. Articles addressing language in young people and adults with Down syndrome were included, investigating linguistic aspects at the phonetic-phonological, semantic, syntactic, pragmatic, and written language levels in this population. The analysis demonstrated interdependent impairments in all language subsystems: in the phonological domain, multifactorial articulatory difficulties are observed, aggravated by challenges in speech motor programming and phonological working memory; in the syntactic domain, simplified linguistic production is observed, with reduced sentence structures and inconsistent application of grammatical rules; in the semantic aspect, slower lexical expansion and limitations in the use of inferences are identified. In the pragmatic sphere, significant challenges are found in initiating and maintaining conversations, as well as in the effective alternation of communicative turns. These linguistic limitations directly reflect on the process of acquiring written language, where deficits in phonological awareness and working memory emerge as fundamental barriers to literacy.