Fragile X Syndrome
DEAL works with people
with Fragile X Syndrome
"Fragile X is wide ranging in its effects, from subtle learning problems with an average IQ, to severe intellectual disability. Although there are many symptoms of fragile X that have educational implications for children with fragile X and their teachers, it is important to remember that any one child may present only a few of the problems or may present a range of symptoms but in a relatively mild form.
Speech and language are almost always affected, and indeed, delayed development here is often one of the earliest presenting features."
That's progress, but we can go further. The people with Fragile X who are regarded as having "severe intellectual disability" are the ones who have more physical involvement and whose speech is worse. At DEAL we'd be very reluctant to conclude anything about the intelligence of a person with Fragile X (or any person with a diagnosis of intellectual disability) until we'd seen what measures could be taken to improve their physical abilities or their communication methods.


