Book Description
This digital document is an article from Family Practice News, published by International Medical News Group on June 1, 2005. The length of the article is 644 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Fragile X carrier men face syndrome in later life.(Clinical Rounds)
Author: Linda Little
Publication: Family Practice News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 1, 2005
Publisher: International Medical News Group
Volume: 35Issue: 11Page: 62(1)

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Pediatric News, published by International Medical News Group on February 1, 2004. The length of the article is 519 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Psychopharmacologic interventions for fragile X: Prader-Willi, Angelman's syndrome.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
Author: Ben Van Houten
Publication: Pediatric News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2004
Publisher: International Medical News Group
Volume: 38Issue: 2Page: 30(1)

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Product Description
Mary Beth Busby and Megan Massey have something in common--they are both mothers of two sons with Fragile X syndrome (the most common form of inherited mental retardation and the most common cause of autism). When Mary Beth Busby's sons, Robert and Jack, were born in 1964 and 1965, Fragile X had not even been identified as a genetic abnormality. By the time Megan Massey's sons Jack and Jacob were born in 1989 and 1991, a few researchers had identified it, but few pediatricians knew it existed. Today it is known that Fragile X affects 1 in 4000 males and 1 in 6000 females of all races and ethnic groups. Mary Beth and Megan met when they both became active in the Fragile X Research Foundation (FRAXA). They wrote "Dear Megan" to offer hope and support to the millions of parents who care for and love their disabled children. Written in the form of intimate letters between the two authors--who are separated in age by a generation--the book reveals the personal side of parents struggling with the challenges of school systems and health systems, marriage, and life to care for their disabled sons. It also shows the joy and love they find through these special children and adults. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Living with Fragile X: Two Mothers, Four Sons
Every parent of a newly diagnosed child with Fragile X should read this book. Mary Beth and Megan each have two sons with Fragile X. Their letters tell the story of two families' lives: the heartbreaking experience of searching for and finally finding a diagnosis, the simple joys of appreciating these children and their individual accomplishments, and the stories of husbands and wives adapting to their own kind of "normal." The difficulty of raising 2 children with Fragile X cannot be overstated. The coping methods shared by these two women are sometimes difficult to read, and sometimes just hilarious. But the overarching message is that you can find and new "normal", and that life gets better. When you think no one has experienced what you are going through, pick up the book and read about how alone these women once felt and what they each did to connect to other Fragile X families. Their individual accomplishments are astounding.

a book a parent of affected children must read
It is simply a WONDERFUL BOOK.
Many thanks to the authors for their courage to share with the readers their inmost feelings and unique personal experience of fragile x challenges.

Dear Meagan review
Dear Meagan was an interesting read regarding Fragile X.The form of the book is through letters written by two women, both of whom have two sons with Fragile X.It is very personal, and the letters give information and research-based facts regarding Fragile X; however, it is intimate as it describes family situations, concerns, and details.

Revealing and inspiring look at what it means to parent a disabled child
I've just listened to Mary Beth and Megan on the Diane Rehm Show and was very moved by their openness in describing their sons with Fragile X and their life with them, how they parent these sons, searched for the best education and medical care for them, and how they have found meaning and joy in their sons, despite their severe disabilities. Their book is an inspiration to all parents with disabled children.

A "must read" for all Fragile X families!
This is the book that all of the families in the Fragile X community have been waiting to read.These letters between two women tell us the story of their personal griefs and triumphs; but they tell us so much more.The chapter called Dropping Bread Crumbs explains Fragile X for the layman more clearly than you've ever heard it explained before.We will all relate to the devastating news of the diagnosis in the chapter called Diagnosis and Dealing.And we will admire the courage of Kelly Randels' chapter on the hearbreak of facing an abortion.These women have the courage to tell us what we need to know; and the talent to keep you riveted throughout their journey in a world that has been defined for them by Fragile X.A extraordinary accomplishment. ... Read more

Book Description
A medical memoir and poetic meditation on raising a child with a genetic disorder

Clare Dunsford is the mother of a twenty-one-yearold son with Fragile X syndrome, the most common inherited cause of mental retardation. Spelling Love with an X is the first literary memoir about living with Fragile X, which affects the lives of over a million people in the U.S., including those with the full mutation, their families, and treatment professionals.

When her son was first diagnosed, at age seven, Dunsford received the devastating news that she and three of her four siblings carry the Fragile X premutation and had therefore unknowingly passed on the full mutation to several of their children. An English professor by training, Dunsford draws on classic poetry to explore her new identity as a genetically "flawed" individual and reflect on her life with J.P., a colorful young man with great verbal dexterity and a lovably cheeky streak. "My instinct to find order and consolation in literature," she writes, "lends a distinct voice to the story of my family's DNA." Brimming with warmth and intelligence, Spelling Love with an X shares the disarming insights of a compassionate scholar on motherhood, literature, and genetic inheritance.

"Part poetry, part scientific inquiry, this wonderful memoir is, above all, the story of being complexly human in a world filled with fragility and strength, shadow and light. Clare Dunsford navigates the X that has mapped her own and her son's paths with humor, honesty, and clear-sighted intelligence—and in prose that sings."
—Elizabeth Graver, author of The Honey Thief and Awake

"Clare Dunsford does much more than inform us concerning a disorder we know too little about. Through a prose both lucid and beautiful, she is able to communicate the strangeness, even the poetry, of fragile X."
—Clara Claiborne Park, author of The Siege: A Family's Journey into the World of an Autistic Child and Exiting Nirvana: A Daughter's Life with Autism

"Spelling Love with an X is a beautifully written journey of a woman toward understanding—of herself, her son, and the twists of fate and DNA that bind them and all of us. Clare Dunsford's powerful and moving memoir is rich with humor, poetry and, most of all, love."
—Mitchell Zuckoff, author of Choosing Naia: A Family's Journey ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

A Mother's Story Told with Great Courage
As a parent of a son with Fragile X who is a couple of years younger than Ms. Dunsford's son, J.P., we've experienced the despair as well as the joy she writes of. Her story is beautifully written and shines with the love we have and hope we need for the future for our adult children. She is able to describe the charming, witty character of her son in a way that rings true for parents ofchildren with Fragile X. It's her own story as well. Life as a carrier of Fragile X has its own challenges - ones you might believe are your own character faults - until you find out, at whatever age, that you are a carrier and that the personal battles you've fought for so long are the result of a genetic defect you were born with. The science is helpful. The research is hopeful. Parents, family, carriers, friends should read this book to get a good look at life with Fragile X.

Every Parent and Child
This book is still with me. Those are the best kinds of books, I think, the ones that you remember well after reading them. I think it's because "Spelling Love With An X" resonates beyond its specific circumstances. It's not just about Clare Dunsford and her son, but in some way every parent and child. Or, really, every relationship. As Dunsford wonders aloud at one point in the book, since her family carries the gene, is it possible this or that relatives slight eccentricity is really just an extremely mild manifestation of Fragile X. In other words, most brain disorders are merely exaggerations of characteristics we all understand to some degree. We are all on a spectrum of varying consciousness and need. As a result, Dunsford's exploration of the extreme challenges she faces with her son are more than just a faceless "case study." They do what literature should do at its best. They make her and her son's situation universal.

Touching and Intelligent
Clare Dunsford's book is an unusual blend of personal memoir and scientifically researched information drawn from a mother's poignant journey raising a child with Fragile X.Dunsford's book blends poetic elegance with important up to date information about her son's genetic condition,a useful read for anyone living or working with children or adults with any developmental disorder. As a special educator who is also an avid reader I was fascinated. Further, I learned of the relationship that this disorder may have to autism which has touched my extended family and of the hope that the future of medical research holds for all those affected by developmental conditions. Ms Dunsford tells her story with strong emotion and wonderfully crafted writing but does not stray from her goal of sharing the knowledge base she has been accumulating over the 21 years of her charming and interesting son's life.

A Remarkable Memoir
Clare Dunsford's book is a moving, beautifully written story about her and her son JP's journey with Fragile X, the most common inherited cause of mental retardation.Dunsford defly weaves science, poetry, and wit through her personal story.This book will resonate with anyone who has a child touched by Fragile X, autism or any other cognitive or genetic disorder. But this book's reach goes far beyond the world of Fragile X.Anyone who loves memoir or who is interested in exploring the depths of a mother's love, a family's interconnectedness, and the human soul will discover they can't put this book down.

full disclosure: a father reviews a daughter's book
Even if I weren't the father of the author (and grandfather of the irresistible subject) I would still recommend this book for its exquisite writing, touching story, and breadth of comprehension of the human condition.Fragile X is a reference of many different applications, applicable to us all.This book will be read in many different acadmic venues.Jack Dunsford ... Read more

Product Description
Elizabeth Griffin's son Zack has fragile X syndrome-the most common known cause of inherited mental impairment-and is among the 20 percent of people with fragile X who have autism. Whether you are a parent of a child with special needs or you struggle with unresolved grief, chronic stress, or depression, "Fragile X, Fragile Hope" shows without a doubt that you can survive, and more than survive, you can find your way back to a joy-filled life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not Just for Special Needs Parents
First off, I'm a bit biased as Elizabeth is my sister-in-law and Zack is my nephew. But even so, I was wasn't expecting to relate much with Elizabeth except in terms of family history and common experiences. I found however that my wife and I had shared many of the same frustrations, worries and anxieties with our own three kids, albeit on a much smaller scale. My point is that I think all parents and even would-be parents would get something out of this book. They will relate to much of Elizabeth's story and at the same time will gain valuable perspective on special-needs families. I'd also say this book is a must for any child care professional. Finally, it's a great read! Elizabeth has a very rich, dynamic and engaging writing style that draws you in. I could barely put it down and finished it in two sittings. Get a copy for yourself and one for a freind! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Fragile X Child in 1992
This 1992 piece of work was a landmark for the understanding of this tragic gene mutation.Very little was understood about it and there is still much to learn.Schopmeyer and Lowe explore many aspects of the Fragile X Syndrome including its history, genetics, symptoms, and therapy techniques.As this book was published in 1992 it does contain outdated information such as the use of facilitated communication which was found through double blind studies to not truly work.Despite the improvements that have been made, I would still recommend this book for anyone of whom this syndrome has affected their lives.It gives one a much better understanding of the life of a Fragile X Child. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Science News, published by Thomson Gale on December 22, 2007. The length of the article is 515 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Limiting damage: fragile X symptoms modulated in mice.(This Week)
Author: P. Barry
Publication: Science News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 22, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 172Issue: 25-26Page: 387(2)

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Family Practice News, published by International Medical News Group on March 1, 2004. The length of the article is 684 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: New fragile X condition affects males over age 50: develops a pseudo-Parkinson's disease.(Clinical Rounds)
Author: Timothy F. Kirn
Publication: Family Practice News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2004
Publisher: International Medical News Group
Volume: 34Issue: 5Page: 50(1)

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Book Description
This digital document is a journal article from Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, published by Elsevier in 2005. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
Fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), which is absent in fragile X syndrome, is synthesized in vitro in response to neurotransmitter activation. Humans and mice lacking FMRP exhibit abnormal dendritic spine development, suggesting that this protein plays an important role in synaptic plasticity. Previously, our laboratory demonstrated increased FMRP immunoreactivity in visual cortex of rats exposed to complex environments (EC) and in motor cortex of rats trained on motor-skill tasks compared with animals reared individually in standard laboratory housing (IC). Here, we use immunohistochemistry to extend those findings by investigating FMRP levels in visual cortex and hippocampal dentate gyrus of animals exposed to EC or IC. Rats exposed to EC for 20 days exhibited increased FMRP immunoreactivity in visual cortex compared with animals housed in standard laboratory caging. In the dentate gyrus, animals exposed to EC for 20 days had higher FMRP levels than animals exposed to EC for 5 or 10 days. In light of possible antibody crossreactivity with closely related proteins FXR1P and FXR2P, FMRP immunoreactivity in the posterior-dorsal one-third of cerebral cortex was also examined by Western blotting following 20 days of EC exposure. FMRP levels were greater in EC animals, whereas levels of FXR1P and FXR2P were unaffected by experience. These results provide further evidence for behaviorally induced alteration of FMRP expression in contrast to its homologues, extend previous findings suggesting regulation of its expression by synaptic activity, and support the theories associating FMRP expression with alteration of synaptic structure both in development and later in the life-cycle. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Science News, published by Thomson Gale on November 17, 2007. The length of the article is 512 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Flawed stem cells yield fragile X clues: researchers study genetic disorder via discarded embryos.(SCIENCE NEWS This Week)
Author: B. Vastag
Publication: Science News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 17, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 172Issue: 20Page: 310(1)

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Clinical Psychiatry News, published by International Medical News Group on March 1, 2004. The length of the article is 670 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: New fragile X often misdiagnosed as Parkinson's.(Across Specialties)
Author: Timothy F. Kirn
Publication: Clinical Psychiatry News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2004
Publisher: International Medical News Group
Volume: 32Issue: 3Page: 84(1)

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Human Biology, published by Thomson Gale on February 1, 2005. The length of the article is 6862 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the author: KEY WORDS: FRAGILE X DYNAMIC MUTATION, CGG REPEAT, FMR1 GENE, INTERMEDIATE-LENGTH ALLELES, DXS548, FRAXAC1, ATL1, FMRb, HAPLOTYPE ASSOCIATIONS.

Citation Details
Title: Haplotype study of intermediate-length alleles at the fragile X (FMR1) gene: ATL1, FMRb, and microsatellite haplotypes differ from those found in common-size FMR1 alleles.
Author: Yvette Curlis
Publication: Human Biology (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 77Issue: 1Page: 137(15)

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Book Description
Angina pectoris with normal coronary arteriograms is a commonentity which has puzzled cardiologists almost since the advent ofcoronary arteriography. Despite major advances in the understanding ofthe pathophysiology of angina in recent years and a multitude ofstudies on the subject, the cause and mechanisms underlying thesyndrome of angina with normal coronary arteries remain unknown.Indeed, results of investigations are controversial and speculationstill prevails regarding the nature of the so called `Syndrome X'.Almost every important aspect of Syndrome X has been tackled in thebook and the reader is exposed not only to the cardiologists' opinion,but also to the authoritative views of the gastroenterologists,gynaecologists and psychiatrists, extremely well represented in thismonograph. The book deals with `cardiologists' Syndrome X' and not themetabolic entity termed `Syndrome X'. The possible connection betweenthe two, however, is discussed. Angina with Normal Coronary Arteries: Syndrome X contributes tothe understanding of Syndrome X and helps clinicians manage theirSyndrome X-patients better and investigators to open new avenues forresearch. ... Read more

Book Description

Information on many genetic disorders, and the frequent new findings on them, has been extremely difficult to come byuntil now. The Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders addresses the need for current, hard-to-find facts on emerging discoveries. The two-volume Encyclopedia, presented in a single alphabetical sequence, provides clear, complete information on genetic disorders, including conditions, tests, procedures, treatments and therapies, in articles that are both comprehensive and easy to understand, in language accessible to laypersons. The articles are arranged in a standardized format for quick comparison and ease of use, while non-disorder topics are covered in detail with extended entries. Students will want to consult the Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders for useful information on a range of well known disorders, including Down Syndrome, Trisomy, Hemophilia and Tourette Syndrome, and rarely seen diseases such as Meckel Syndrome, Neuraminidase Deficiency and Phenylketonuria.

Book Description

Information on many genetic disorders, and the frequent new findings on them, has been extremely difficult to come byuntil now. The Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders addresses the need for current, hard-to-find facts on emerging discoveries. The two-volume Encyclopedia, presented in a single alphabetical sequence, provides clear, complete information on genetic disorders, including conditions, tests, procedures, treatments and therapies, in articles that are both comprehensive and easy to understand, in language accessible to laypersons. The articles are arranged in a standardized format for quick comparison and ease of use, while non-disorder topics are covered in detail with extended entries. Students will want to consult the Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders for useful information on a range of well known disorders, including Down Syndrome, Trisomy, Hemophilia and Tourette Syndrome, and rarely seen diseases such as Meckel Syndrome, Neuraminidase Deficiency and Phenylketonuria.