fragile x how ti manifest over the course of the child's developmental life span

by Ms. Lue Bode 3 min read

Do girls with Fragile X have trouble with learning and development?

While most boys with fragile X have trouble with learning and development, girls usually don't have these issues. Girls with fragile X sometimes have trouble getting pregnant when they grow up. They might also go into menopause earlier than usual.

What are the chances of passing fragile X to a child?

A mother with the FMR1 gene change has a 50% chance of passing it to any of her children. A father can only pass it to his daughters. Boys are more likely to have fragile X than girls, and they have more severe symptoms.

How does the number of repeats affect the severity of Fragile X?

In families that exhibit Fragile X, both the number of repeats and the length of the chromosome increase with succeeding generations. The severity of the symptoms increases with the increasing length of the repeated region. Fragile X exhibits X-linkage.

What are the physical characteristics of Fragile X?

In addition to intellectual disability, some individuals with Fragile X display common physical traits and characteristic facial features, such as prominent ears. Children with Fragile X often appear normal in infancy but develop typical physical characteristics during their lifetime.

How does Fragile X syndrome affect development?

Children and adults with full mutation fragile X may have problems with memory, abstract thinking, problem solving, and planning. Social and behavior problems, difficulty with learning, developmental delays, and autism spectrum disorder are common, as are anxiety and depression.

Does Fragile X affect lifespan?

None of the symptoms of fragile X syndrome are life-threatening, so the life expectancy for someone with fragile X syndrome is the same as for the average person.

Does fragile X syndrome get worse with age?

Fragile X itself does not get worse over time. However, how it affects a person may be different at different points in the person's life. Behavioral symptoms can get better, worse, or stay the same during the course of a person's life. Certain complications, such as tremor may develop in adulthood.

What is the course of fragile X syndrome?

Fragile X syndrome is a genetic condition that causes a range of developmental problems including learning disabilities and cognitive impairment. Usually, males are more severely affected by this disorder than females. Affected individuals usually have delayed development of speech and language by age 2.

Common Behaviors Seen

Image
Children and adults with Fragile X syndrome (FXS) have a variety of behaviors. Some behaviors you may initially see: 1. Hand flapping or biting 2. Hyperactivity/short attention span 3. Easily distracted 4. Difficulty making eye contact 5. Shyness/anxiety 6. Impulsive behaviors
See more on fragilex.org

Behavior Strengths

  • People with FXS also have many strengths when it comes to behaviors. They: 1. Have excellent imitation skills 2. Have strong visual memories 3. Like to help others 4. May be social and friendly 5. Want to please others 6. Have a wonderful sense of humor People with FXS can also display challenging behavior at various times in their lives, but they also respond well to behavior manag…
See more on fragilex.org

Causes of Challenging Behavior

  • Common causes of challenging behaviors in individuals with FXS include: 1. Anxiety 2. Sensory processing issues: overload from noise, lights and tactile sensitivity 3. Limited communication skills 4. Desire to escape from an activity/request 5. Transitions Note that research has shown that the anxiety levels of those with FXS often rise faster and stay high longer than those withou…
See more on fragilex.org

Steps to Positive Behavior

  • There are many steps parents can take to help children with FXS develop appropriate behavior. The basic concepts of behavior can be considered using the ABC model: A = Antecedent (what happens before the behavior) B = Behavior (what the child does or says) C = Consequence (what happens after the behavior occurs) The ABC model is the basis for all behavioral interventions. …
See more on fragilex.org

Options For Special Interventions

  • When children exhibit challenging behavior, most parents respond with techniques familiar to them. These might include stern reminders of consequences, redirection, and time-out. (Please note the NFXF does not support corporal punishment.) While these interventions may benefit a child with FXS, it may be necessary to utilize special techniques and/or specialists trained to und…
See more on fragilex.org

The Role of Medication

  • Medication can play a role in helping children acquire appropriate behavior. For example, medications that target anxiety can help individuals manage their behavior under stressful conditions. The appropriate use of medication is not intended to “drug” a child into compliance, but to allow behavioral interventions to be more effective. All individuals are capable of improve…
See more on fragilex.org