Doggone It … Mantras Are Great for Learning!
Mantras, like positive affirmations, really do have power. Mantras are short, positive, instructive statements full of action words. We use them to quiet the mind and focus on thinking and action.
A Holistic Approach to Toilet Training
The challenges of toilet training can be magnified for families of children with Fragile X syndrome. It's not simply that toilet training is delayed, it often requires specific behavioral techniques that address their physical and behavioral phenotypes.
Video Modeling
Therapy is a fun, creative process – one of the reasons that we have been at this for so long! One of the challenges of being a therapist is staying on top of the ever-emerging intervention techniques that come into our practice and making them work for individuals with FXS.
You Are Never Too Old to Wear a Pink Tutu . . . and Other Lessons Our Son Has Taught Our Family
Like many of you, I will always remember the day and time when I received the diagnosis of our son, Ian. Fragile X syndrome – never heard of it. These are the lessons my family has learned since that time.
Common Feeding Difficulties and How to Make Mealtime More Successful for Your Fragile X Family
Kristin Burgess Watson highlights some common feeding difficulties ranging from over-stuffing to picky eating that individuals with Fragile X struggle with and suggests some strategies to make mealtime more successful for your family.
Toilet Training the Older Child
Toilet training continues to be an important issue for families who have children with Fragile X syndrome. There is hope for older children, but they require a different approach to toilet training.
Prioritizing the Relationship with your Spouse while Raising a Special Needs Child
Raising a child with special needs is challenging enough for an individual. When you factor in a relationship, the challenges increase, and the consequences for not caring for yourself and your relationship are more significant.
Public or Private?
How do we prepare our children to access their communities, without the risk of their being exploited, showing affection in inappropriate ways, using sexual language that may be misconstrued, or touching body parts that could bring legal action or, at the very least, a disgruntled public?
Talking with Your “Typical” Children About a Sibling’s Fragile X Syndrome Diagnosis
When parents first learn about Fragile X, their primary focus is on the meaning of the diagnosis for their child with the syndrome. Once the dust settles though, they begin to think about the genetic implications for other family members, and in particular, for typically developing siblings who may or may not carry a Fragile X mutation.
Married … With (Fragile X) Children — Webinar
When children with FXS enter the relationship, married couples must adapt to their new roles while trying to stay connected as lovers and partners. Diane Smith gives us some pointers.
Letʼs Talk Fragile X Syndrome, Autism & Behavior — Webinar Replay
Developmental FX joins us to provide insight and advice on Fragile X and its connection to autism and behavior.
Teaching Your Child to Ask for Something
One of the most challenging things for my son, Ian, to do is ask another person (not mom or dad) for something — like a favor or request — in an appropriate way. This [...]
Get to Know Your Local Firefighters
Getting to know your local firefighters can help you and your children with Fragile X syndrome in so many more ways than you think. Read about how to engage with them and how it will help your family.
Understanding the Fragile X Learning Style for Better Results
We often remind fellow interventionists and educators time and time again about the many unique aspects of Fragile X syndrome as well as the resources available online and in print.
How to Encourage Play — and Why Itʼs So Critical for Your Child
One of the common sites we encounter when visiting a child's home is a play area chock-full of every toy known to man, yet they won’t play with any of them. This exasperation is likely familiar to many of you.