A description of adaptive and maladaptive behaviour in children and adolescents with Cri-du-chat syndrome.
Kids with Cri-du-chat already know how to follow rules, so use that strength to teach new skills instead of drilling only on problem behavior.
01Research in Context
What this study did
V et al. watched ten kids and teens who have Cri-du-chat syndrome.
They wrote down every time the kids followed rules, helped others, or showed problem behavior.
The team wanted to see which skills were strong and which ones needed help.
What they found
Every child showed lots of good behaviors like listening, sharing, and sticking to rules.
Problem behaviors popped up too, but they changed from kid to kid.
The steady good behaviors mean these kids can learn more when you build on what they already do.
How this fits with other research
Sarimski (2003) saw toddlers with the same syndrome get distracted and play less with toys.
That sounds opposite, but V et al. looked at older kids and watched different skills.
Together they show: early play may look weak, yet rule-following can still grow strong later.
Christensen et al. (2024) found lots of self-injury in SYNGAP1 kids, while Cri-du-chat kids mostly showed common rule-following.
The two rare syndromes need different plans: sensory tools for SYNGAP1, social praise for Cri-du-chat.
Why it matters
Start your session by naming the rule the child already knows.
Give praise the moment they follow it, then add one small new step.
This keeps the vibe positive and uses their best skill as the doorway to more learning.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Psychological tests can be useful to record adaptive and maladaptive behaviours of children with intellectual disability. The objective of this study was to describe the adaptive and maladaptive behaviour of children and adolescents with Cri-du-chat syndrome. METHODS: The sample consisted of 10 children and adolescents with Cri-du-chat syndrome (mean chronological age=11.3 years, mean mental age=18 months). The developmental quotient was calculated through the Psychoeducational Profile - Revised. An observational protocol was used to record adaptive and maladaptive behaviours. RESULTS: The number of maladaptive behaviours observed was different among participants. However, all of them had high rates of adaptive behaviours, such as rule-following. CONCLUSIONS: These results, though preliminary, justify that we continue to think about the need for psychoeducational interventions aimed at stimulating the repertoire of adaptive behaviours, in people with Cri-du-chat syndrome.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2011 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2010.01377.x