How to Diagnose Triple X Syndrome

Occurring when an extra X chromosome is attached to each cell in a female's body, Triple X syndrome affects approximately 0.1 percent of the population. While women with Triple X syndrome are not at increased risk for any other health problems, they typically have learning disabilities and complications that affect their sexual maturation. Read on to learn how to diagnose Triple X syndrome.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Know that the extra X chromosome passed down to girls born with Triple X syndrome comes from her mother and occurs at random. Nothing can be done, before or during pregnancy, to prevent the third chromosome from being passed along. For reasons that aren't entirely clear, mothers aged 38 and older are at increased risk for passing along the extra X chromosome that causes Triple X syndrome.
2. Familiarize yourself with amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS). These are pre-natal screening tests used to determine if your daughter will be born with Triple X syndrome. In amniocentesis, a sample of the fluid surrounding the fetus in the mother's uterus is evaluated by a laboratory. If your daughter has Triple X syndrome, a doctor can diagnose it based on evidence found in the amniotic fluid sample. In CVS, a small sample of the placenta is taken and analyzed in the same manner. These tests can be used to screen for a variety of inborn genetic disorders, not just Triple X syndrome.
3. Diagnose Triple X syndrome by having your doctor perform what's called a "heel test" on your newborn daughter. Typically conducted 24 to 48 hours after birth, a heel test consists of a blood sample taken from an infant's heel. The blood sample is screened for a wide variety of metabolic and genetic disorders, including Triple X syndrome.
4. Realize that a girl may not show any symptoms of Triple X syndrome until later in life--as late as the onset of puberty. Because speech and language difficulties, learning disabilities and impaired motor skills are the most common symptoms, Triple X syndrome can be difficult to diagnose if not detected through pre-natal or infant screening tests.
5. Understand that the prognosis for girls born with Triple X syndrome is very good. In many cases, sufferers show no outward signs of any disability. The vast majority of Triple X syndrome patients enjoy a quality of life that is virtually identical to healthy persons.

Tips & Warnings

• Girls born with Triple X syndrome frequently have trouble socializing with other children. Should a doctor diagnose your daughter with Triple X syndrome, consider enlisting the help of a pediatric psychologist or support group to help her overcome any potential social troubles.