Functional skills of individuals with fragile x syndrome: a lifespan cross-sectional analysis

Am J Intellect Dev Disabil. 2009 Jul;114(4):289-303. doi: 10.1352/1944-7558-114.4.289-303.

Abstract

Parents of 1,105 male and 283 female children with fragile X syndrome described functional skill attainment in eating, dressing, toileting, bathing/hygiene, communication, articulation, and reading. The majority of adult children had mastered many skills independently. Most adults were verbal, used the toilet, dressed, ate independently, bathed, and used a towel independently. However, some skills were not as well-developed, such as using complex sentences, reading, or speaking at a typical rate. As expected, significant differences were found between males and females. The findings highlight major skill attainments, identify skills that should be the target of specific intervention programs, suggest variable trajectories to be tested more precisely through direct assessments and longitudinally, and provide baseline data for treatment studies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Activities of Daily Living / classification*
  • Activities of Daily Living / psychology
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cognition Disorders / diagnosis
  • Cognition Disorders / epidemiology
  • Cognition Disorders / psychology
  • Comorbidity
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Developmental Disabilities / diagnosis
  • Developmental Disabilities / epidemiology
  • Developmental Disabilities / psychology
  • Female
  • Fragile X Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Fragile X Syndrome / epidemiology*
  • Fragile X Syndrome / psychology
  • Health Surveys
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Intellectual Disability / diagnosis
  • Intellectual Disability / epidemiology
  • Intellectual Disability / psychology
  • Language Development Disorders / diagnosis
  • Language Development Disorders / epidemiology
  • Language Development Disorders / psychology
  • Male
  • Mental Disorders / diagnosis
  • Mental Disorders / epidemiology
  • Mental Disorders / psychology
  • Middle Aged
  • Sex Factors
  • Social Adjustment
  • Young Adult