Developmental and behavioural characteristics were assessed in 27 children with cri du chat syndrome using the Society for the Study of Behavioural Phenotypes questionnaire, which gave information on prenatal and perinatal conditions, neurological problems, and developmental and behavioural difficulties. The findings suggest that the behavioural profile of children with cri du chat syndrome incorporates selfinjurious behaviour, repetitive movements, hypersensitivity to sound, clumsiness, and obsessive attachments to objects. In terms of a developmental profile, children with cri du chat syndrome were able to communicate their needs, socially interact with others, and have some degree of mobility. (Arch Dis Child 1996;75:448-450)

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This study is the first attempt to assess systematically the cognitive functioning in children diagnosed with typical cri du chat syndrome (CDCS) using neuropsychological test measures. Twenty‐six children aged between 6 years 4 months and 15 years 5 months (mean 8 years 3 months) completed a battery of tasks measuring IQ level, receptive and expressive language skills, and articulation. Twenty‐four children were in the severe learning‐disability range with no specific verbal or performance profile. Using more finely tuned measures of cognition, however, a clear discrepancy in the pattern of language functioning was found with better receptive than expressive language skills. One implication of these findings is that parents and professionals should be more optimistic about the capacities of children with CDCS to understand more complex verbal commands than their expressive language skills would suggest.