Fragile X= Worst Autism?

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Im curious if anyone here knows of the condition Fragile X? We have a family friend with a son who has it. He seems to struggle quite a bit with life, can barely talk and is now living in a group home .

Does anyone know much about fragile X? Is it an autism comorbid, or is its own branch of autism?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002633/

It seems to be more that autism is a comorbid of fragile X, rather than fragile X being a comorbid of Autism. If you get what I mean?

I read the blog of a woman with two sons who have fragile X, might be useful if you're looking for a parental view of it?

http://lifewithmyxmen.blogspot.co.uk/

A friend of mine has a daughter named Brandy with Fragile X. Brandy is 32-ish and has the mental capacity of about 5 years old. One source said that Fragile X is the most common cause of mental disability -- fka mental retardation. There's lots about it on the web. Just google Fragile X and you'll find out all about it. I tend to think that Autism and Fragile X are two different condtions that can co-exist.

From the National Fragile X Foundation page:

Autism and fragile X syndrome

What Is Autism?
Autism or autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is a behavioral diagnosis. The range of symptoms in autism vary and are generally characterized by an impaired ability to communicate and interact socially with other people. Sometimes children will not meet the diagnostic criteria for autism but will have “autistic-like features.”

The diagnosis of autism is usually made by a developmental or general pediatrician, neurologist, psychologist, psychiatrist, or other specialist. The diagnosis is made after evaluating the child using a number of different behavioral tools and tests. There is no blood test for autism, and imaging studies such as MRIs don’t diagnose the condition; it is purely a behavioral diagnosis similar to ADHD, ADD, etc.

What Causes Autism?
Autism is caused by a number of different factors, some genetic and some non genetic. Much remains unknown about the condition—including what causes it in many individual cases. When a child is diagnosed with autism, blood tests are often ordered rule out the known genetic causes. Fragile X Syndrome is the most common known genetic (“single gene”) cause of autism. Other genetic causes include deletions of chromosome 15q, tuberous sclerosis, PKU and other rare genetic conditions.

Many times a child with autism will be tested or evaluated for all the known genetic causes of autism but no cause will be found. However, family studies have shown that in families with one child with autism there is an increased risk for another child to have the condition. This risk is not as high as in those families with an identified single gene cause, such as fragile X syndrome. It is more in line with “multifactorial” risks, similar to heart defects or cleft lip. This leads experts to believe there is a genetic component even in those without a “single gene” identified cause.

Many researchers are trying to determine both the genetic and non-genetic factors that contribute to autism.

Relationship Between Autism and FXS

Whereas autism is a behavioral diagnosis, fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a medical or more accurately, a genetic diagnosis. When associated with FXS, the autism is caused by the genetic change or mutation in the Fragile X gene. This is similar to other conditions such as Down syndrome. Individuals with Down syndrome can also have other conditions, including autism, hearing loss, diabetes and other behavioral and medical conditions. If a child is diagnosed with autism and then diagnosed with FXS, he or she still has autism, it is just that the cause of their autism is known. It is no different than someone with FXS also having ADHD or any other behavioral symptom of FXS.

How Many Children With FXS Have Autism?

Many studies have evaluated the FXS-autism link over the past decade. These studies have shown the percentage of children with FXS who have autism varying from 15 to 33 percent. This range may be due to the fact that the diagnostic criteria for autism have varied and the diagnostic tools used have changed.

Since many children with FXS are interested in social interactions, they may not meet the diagnostic criteria for autism, even as they exhibit autistic-like features such as poor eye contact, shyness, social anxiety, hand-flapping and sensory issues. Autism is much more common in boys with FXS than in girls with FXS.

How Many Children With Autism Have FXS?

Approximately 2-6 percent of children with autism are diagnosed with FXS. Given the possibility of a link, it is recommended that all children with autism, both male and female, be referred for genetic evaluation and testing for FXS and any other genetic cause of autism.

Autism’s Effect on Children With FXS

Studies show that individuals with FXS who have autism can have a more significant intellectual disability (lower IQ) than those with FXS who do not have autism.

I've met quite a few people with fragile-X, and they all seemed to be socially awkward in some sort of way.

Yeah, Fragile X is one of the few known genetic causes of autism. It causes much more than just autistic traits, so people with Fragile X have problems other than just their social awkwardness.

But I certainly wouldn't say Fragile X is the "worst" autism. That dubious honor probably goes to Rett syndrome, which causes such severe neurological problems that it shortens the lifespan considerably.

I know of one child who has it at my work, but didn't think it was that common.

It does, however, have a pretty awesome sounding name.