Early communication, symbolic behavior, and social profiles of young males with fragile X syndrome

This study examined the communication and symbolic behavior profiles of 22 males with fragile X syndrome (FXS) developmentally younger than 28 months and the relationship of these profiles to the children's communication skills one year later. The boys, ranging in age from 21 to 77 months, were tested using the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales and the Reynell Developmental Language Scales. The children showed significant delays and substantial individual variability in their profiles. Overall, they showed relative strengths in verbal and vocal communication and relative weaknesses in gestures, reciprocity, and symbolic play skills. Children who scored higher in communicative functions, vocalizations, verbalizations, and reciprocity scored higher in verbal comprehension one year later. Children with higher scores in verbal communication also scored higher in expressive language development when tested one year later.