¿Y en casa, qué pasa?: LENA y retroalimentación lingüística en niños con síndrome de Down

This study explores the use of LENA (Language ENvironment Analysis System) technology to objectify and analyze linguistic interactions in natural settings between children with Down syndrome (DS) and their caregivers. Down syndrome is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability and involves, among many other things, significant challenges in language development, particularly a discrepancy between receptive and expressive abilities. Interactions at home, particularly those that foster a rich and responsive linguistic environment, are fundamental to the language development of children with Down syndrome. LENA allows for detailed recording and analysis of linguistic interactions, providing data on their quantity and quality. The results of this study underscore that technology-based interventions can improve caregivers’ awareness of communicative practices and encourage active participation in conversational turns, thus contributing to children’s language development. The review highlights the importance of dyads, understood as the interaction between child and caregiver, in the language acquisition process and the need for early interventions to support families of children with Down syndrome in their language development.