People With Triple X Syndrome

Triple X syndrome, also known as trisomy X, is a genetic disorder in which a female carries an extra copy of the X chromosome.

Cause

• Triple X is caused by an error in cell division at the time the mother's egg or father's sperm is being formed. A female with three X chromosomes in all body's cells has typical triple X syndrome, while a female with triple X in only some body cells has mosaic triple X syndrome.

Identification

• Females with triple X syndrome tend to be taller than their peers, and may have minor physical characteristics such as a skin fold at the inner eyelid, small head size, and increased width between their eyes.

Effects

• Seventy percent of females with triple X syndrome have learning disabilities, half have delays in speech and language, and some have delayed motor skills. Their IQs are typically 10 to 15 points below their siblings', but still within the normal range, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Considerations

• A woman with triple X syndrome is typically fertile. There's only a slight chance that her children will have a chromosomal abnormality, according to Access DNA.

Potential

• While females with triple X syndrome are often introverts who have trouble with social relationships, seem physically awkward and struggle with learning disabilities, they function well at home and in the community, according to the University of Michigan Health System.