Summary of needs and disabilities

Fragile X syndrome is the most commonly inherited cause of learning disabilities. The name is used to refer to a family of three genetic conditions.

Usually nearly all boys with the conditions will have a learning disability but only a third of the girls with Fragile X will. Fragile X tends to have a more pronounced effect on males than females, but everyone can be differently affected.

Someone with Fragile X might have a short attention span, be easily distracted and feel restless, and have heightened senses. But no two people are the same, many people with Fragile X will act in a similar way to a person with autism.

People with Fragile X share some physical features including a long narrow face with prominent jaw bones and ears.