Late Adolescence: Daily Living Skills

The problems at this stage are an extension of many issues discussed in the previous sections. The transition to adulthood is difficult for all individuals but particularly so for individuals with severe learning disabilities or with mental retardation. Usually an adult program for individuals with developmental disabilities provides minimal to more extensive supervision so that the adult with FXS can live in an apartment setting and perform a job each day. Daily living skills are taught in school and in most adult programs. Some adult males learn how to drive, but the majority learn to use public transportation to travel to jobs or visit family and friends. Vocational training is important for utilizing cognitive abilities most optimally at work, and this training should be started in high school (Bodine et al. 2001; chap. 10). Wiegers et al. (1993) demonstrated that adaptive behaviors in FXS continue to improve even into adulthood, with particular strengths in daily-living skills. The physician can provide ongoing support for programming in the vocational area. Behavior problems in the workplace should be discussed with the patient's physician and therapist.

 The stress of the transition from childhood to adulthood often intensifies emotional or behavioral problems in males or females with FXS. Individual counseling can be very helpful to the adolescent or young adult, particularly regarding sexuality issues and problems associated with separation from family (Brown et al. 1991; chap. 11).

Late Adolescence: Continued

• Aggressive Behavior
• Physical Examinations

This article is not intended to give medical advice for individual cases.  Any change in medical treatment should be done in consultation with appropriate medical personnel. This article is written for medical professionals.  Some of the terms will be unfamiliar to those who are not trained in medical fields. *This article is from the chapter on treatment in the 3rd edition of Fragile X Syndrome: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Research edited by Randi Jenssen Hagerman, M.D. and Paul Hagerman, M.D., Ph.D., to be published May 2002.  It is included with permission from The Johns Hopkins University Press. References to other chapters refer to chapters in the book which are not included as part of this website. The complete 3rd edition of Fragile X Syndrome: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Research can be ordered from the National Fragile X Foundation by calling 1-800-688-8765 or from The Johns Hopkins University Press at 1-800-537-5487.

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References: A, B, C, D, EF, G, H, IJ, K, L, M, NOP, QR, S, T, UVWXYZ
 

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