Daily Health Symptoms of Mothers of Adolescents and Adults with Fragile X Syndrome and Mothers of Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Published in: Journal of autism and developmental disorders 2012-09, Vol.42 (9), p.1836-1846
• Main Authors: Smith, Leann E., Seltzer, Marsha Mailick, Greenberg, Jan S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescence; Adolescent; Adolescents; Adult; Adults; Aged; At Risk Persons; Autism; Autism Spectrum Disorders; Autistic adolescents; Autistic spectrum disorders; Behavior Problems; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child and School Psychology; Child clinical studies; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Children; Comparative Analysis; Daughters; Developmental disorders; Diaries; Disabled children; Etiology; Fatigue; Fatigue - diagnosis; Female; Females; Fragile X Syndrome; Genetic Disorders; Headache; Health Conditions; Hot Flashes - diagnosis; Humans; Infantile autism; Integrated Services; Life span; Male; Medical sciences; Mental Disorders; Mental Health; Middle Aged; Mother-Child Relations; Mothers; Muscles; National Norms; Neurodevelopmental disorders; Neurosciences; Original Paper; Pain - diagnosis; Parents; Pediatrics; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Physical Health; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Public Health; Sons; Surveys and Questionnaires; Symptom Assessment; Symptoms; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Teenagers; Youth
• ISSN: 0162-3257; 1573-3432
• DOI: 10.1007/s10803-011-1422-7

Health symptoms of mothers of adolescents and adults with fragile X syndrome (FXS; n = 112) were compared to a nationally-representative sample of mothers of similarly-aged children without disabilities (n = 230) as well as to a sample of mothers of adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD; n = 96). Health symptoms experienced in the previous 24 h were recorded during 8 consecutive days of a daily diary study. Both mothers of a son or daughter with FXS and mothers of a son or daughter with ASD had a higher proportion of days with headaches, backaches, muscle soreness, fatigue, and hot flashes than mothers of children without disabilities. Mothers of children with disabilities appear to be at particular risk for health problems, highlighting a need for comprehensive services for families across the lifespan.