Infant Communication Lab at Boston University

Next up in our Meet the Team series is Audrey Lorence, our lab manager!

Audrey received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, where she worked as a research assistant in the Infant Communication Lab before it moved to BU! After graduating, Audrey joined the ICL team at BU.

When she’s not managing the lab, Audrey enjoys listening to music and podcasts, dancing Irish step, and spending time with family and friends.

This World Down Syndrome Day we’re reminded that connection begins earlier than we often realize; long before words, in movement, gestures, and shared moments.

At the Infant Communication Lab, our work centers on understanding how communication, language, and movement develop together, and how early differences in development can shape the way children connect with the world around them.

For many children with Down syndrome, early motor and communication differences can influence how they engage socially. That’s why building pathways to connection—early, intentionally, and inclusively—matters. Because loneliness isn’t just about being alone; it’s about barriers to being understood, included, and supported.

Our research takes an interdisciplinary, family-centered approach, developing home-based, parent-mediated interventions that empower caregivers to support communication in everyday interactions.

Today, we stand with the Down syndrome community in recognizing that inclusion starts in these earliest interactions. By supporting communication from the very beginning, we help build a world where every child is seen, heard, and knows they belong. 💛💙