Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Semester of Degree Completion

1998

Thesis Director

Brenda M. Wilson

Abstract

Children with Fragile X syndrome (FXS) have significant speech/language difficulties. Additional information is needed regarding the demographics and speech/language characteristics of this population. Participants in this study were parents of children with FXS. Contact persons for three FXS support groups were notified of this study and were asked to provide surveys to parents of children with FXS. The survey was completed by 50 parents of children with FXS who answered questions concerning their child's demographics and speech/language characteristics. Information on speech/language characteristics was gathered through use of a severity rating scale. This severity rating scale was used to rate the severity of 15 speech/language characteristics as occurring never, occasionally, or frequently.

Analysis of these speech/language characteristics, according to age of diagnosis, suggested that it is important to diagnose a child with FXS as soon as possible. When assessing a child with FXS it is important to look at the child's age and the presence of additional diagnoses of autism and/or ADD/ADHD as they have an impact on the type and degree of severity of speech/language difficulties a child with FXS displays. Use of a severity rating scale and a checklist of speech/language characteristics may supplement standardized testing of children with FXS. Parents play an important role in gathering information on their child's speech/language behaviors, as they can provide information about their child across all settings.

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