Fragile X Syndrome: Waisman Center Activities

Fragile X syndrome is the leading inherited cause of intellectual disability, as well as the source of many cases of learning disabilities and autism. The syndrome affects both males and females, although males are typically more severely affected. In addition to learning difficulties, children with fragile X often suffer from hyperactivity, social anxiety, hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli, and autism and autistic-like behaviors, all of which limit their social and academic progress, create challenges for teachers, and are a source of stress and uncertainty for their families.

Fragile X is caused by a repetitive genetic error on the long arm of the X chromosome. The mutation is in a single gene called FMR1. A small set of nucleotides (the building blocks of DNA) are repeated excessively, disrupting the structure of the gene and preventing the production of its normally encoded protein (FMRP). The mutation is passed through families and can occur more frequently or severely in future generations.

Cerebral Palsy News

Resources & Services

Waisman Resource Center
For more information about Waisman Resource Center please contact:
800-532-3321 or 608-265-8610
wrc@waisman.wisc.edu

Community Outreach for Children with Challenging Behaviors 608.265.9438; cow.waisman.wisc.edu/ties
Community Training, Intervention and Evaluations Services (TIES) is an outreach program for children and adults with developmental disabilities who present various challenging behaviors, including withdrawal, aggression and self-injury. The mission of Community TIES is to address behavioral, psychological, and emotional needs using therapeutic approaches that insure continued participation in the community. TIES provides counseling, crisis response, psychiatric consultation, parent education and support, and training for personnel and program consultation in local human service agencies. Directed by Josh Lapin, MSW, and funded by Dane County, this program maintains an active caseload of approximately 250 children and adults in Dane County.