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Research on the social and mental skills and autism characteristics in children with Fragile X Syndrome.

Purpose of the investigation

The aim of this research is to gain a better understanding of the autism characteristics and the cognitive and social skills of children with Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), and the underlying biological causes thereof. We do this by comparing children with FXS with children who have similar characteristics (children without FXS, but with an autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disability) and unaffected control children. We compare these groups on the basis of their autism characteristics, social and cognitive skills, brain activity and eye movements. The information gathered during this research can help develop new treatment approaches for children with FXS. We also learn more about the development of autism spectrum disorders and which autism characteristics occur in different groups of children.

Who can participate?

For this study we are looking for children between 6 and 18 years old. Four groups of children are participating in the study:

• Children with Fragile X syndrome.
• Children with autism spectrum disorder.
• Children with intellectual disability.
• Children without Fragile X syndrome, autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disability.

The last group of children is also very important for our research. This group is called a control group. This allows us to compare the results of the children with the Fragile X Syndrome with the results of children who have no disorder.

In addition, we are asking mothers of children with FXS and mothers of children from the control group to participate in part of the study. With the research on mothers we want to gain more insight into the effects of the premutation of Fragile X Syndrome.

More information? Would you like to know more about this research? www.erasmusmc.nl/specialx or contact us via specialx@erasmusmc.nl.