Presented by Holly Harris, MD, FAAP and Dinah Godwin, LCSW
Puberty and adolescence can be hard for any teen. Biology is changing, self-care and hygiene are becoming important, peer relationships are changing, and teens are managing complex and intense emotions. One can imagine that this stressful time of change might present additional unique challenges for youth with Fragile X syndrome. This session discusses specific challenges that arise during puberty and adolescence while also providing youth and their caregivers with some strategies and resources to assist in navigating the teenage years.
Runtime: 1:05:20
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About the Speakers
Holly Harris
Texas Childrens Hospital
Holly Harris, MD, FAAP, is an assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and a developmental-behavioral pediatrician at the Texas Children’s Hospital’s Meyer Center for Developmental Pediatrics and Autism. She serves as associate program director for the DBP Fellowship. She participates in research involving autism spectrum disorder and neurodevelopmental outcomes of genetic disorders. She serves in the Angelman Syndrome Clinic, the SYNGAP-1 and SHANK3 clinics, and as director of the Fragile X Clinic.
Dinah Godwin
Director of Social Work, Meyer Center for Developmental Pediatrics and Autism, Texas Children’s Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine
Dinah Godwin is the director of social work at the Meyer Center for Developmental Pediatrics and Autism, at Texas Children’s Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine.
Additional Resources
Fragile X and Puberty & Sexuality
Depending on their age, it’s necessary to approach teaching children about relationships, the difference between public and private, body changes, feelings and emotions, reproduction, STDs, birth control, and how to keep themselves safe. You may even find you need a refresher for yourself before approaching the subject with them.