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There are several physical and behavioral characteristics that are associated with Fragile X, however, not every individual has all the characteristics. The following is a list of the most common traits:

mental impairment, ranging from learning disabilities to mental retardation

attention deficit and hyperactivity

anxiety and unstable mood

autistic-like behaviors

long narrow face, large ears, prominent forehead, flat feet, and very flexible joints (hyperextensible)

Large testicles, usually post puberty (macroorchidism)

high narrow palate

low muscle tone (hypotonia)

repeated ear infections

Heart murmur (mitral valve prolapse)

Seizures effect about 25% of people with fragile X

Speech and language delays, in particular perseverative speech & echolalia

hand flapping and chewing on hands, clothing, or objects

obsessive-compulsive tendencies

difficulty adjusting to change

strong imitation skills

sense of humor

Boys are typically more severely affected than girls. While most boys have mental retardation, only one-third to one-half of girls have significant intellectual impairment; the rest have either a normal IQ or learning disabilities. Emotional and behavioral problems are common in both sexes.