Triple X syndrome, also known as Trisomy, is a genetic disorder affecting females only. In this syndrome, the girl gets three chromosomes from parents. Normally, every girl has two chromosomes. Many females do not undergo any changes or face abnormalities of any kind. But this genetic condition has physical and mental effects on others with this condition.
This is not inherited though it is a genetic disorder. It is a rare condition in which girls either have an extra chromosome in every cell or a few. It is believed that the Triple X syndrome affects 1 out of every 1,000 females in the world. But one cannot be sure of this fact. It is because many women do not have any symptoms, making it difficult to accurately ascertain the figure.
Causes Of The Triple X Syndrome
Triple X syndrome is a genetic error that arises when an extra chromosome is inherited. As we all know, everyone has 46 chromosomes in every cell. They are organized in a set of 23 pairs, each having two sex chromosomes. One chromosome is inherited from the mother, while the other is from the father.
The sex of the child is determined by the pair of sex chromosomes- either XX or XY. While the mother contributes the X chromosome, the father can give either of the two chromosomes- X and Y. The child is female if the chromosome inherited from the father is X, to form XX chromosome. On the contrary, the child is male when the father contributes the Y chromosome to form the XY chromosome. This condition is caused by one extra chromosome, i.e. 47. It is known as the XXX syndrome due to the additional chromosomes in every cell instead of the normal 46 chromosomes.
In females, the Triple X syndrome can occur because of the following reasons: 1. Mosaic
This error occurs when there is a problem in the cell division caused due to any random occasion in the development of the embryo. In this case, the child experiences the Triple X syndrome with the X chromosomes in a few cells only. The females suffering from this syndrome are likely to have little to no obvious symptoms.
2. Nondisjunction
This error occurs when either the father’s sperm cell or the mother’s egg cell divides incorrectly to form an extra chromosome X in the child. If this is the case, the child has the Triple X syndrome with X chromosomes in every cell of the body.
Symptoms Of Triple X Syndrome
While some females experience mild symptoms of this genetic disorder, others have no noticeable effects as such. This is why experts believe that this condition is underdiagnosed.
One of the most common and widely prevalent symptoms of this condition is being taller than the average height for girls. While some girls diagnosed with this condition may experience delayed sexual maturing, others have a slightly lower range of intellect. The signs, as well as symptoms, can vary differently in diverse individuals.
Some of the symptoms of this genetic disorder include:
- Flat feet
- Very long legs
- Above-average height
- Seizures
- Abnormal shape of the breastbone
- Epicanthal folds
- Kidney problems
- Irregularities of the heart
- Early failure of the ovaries
- Infertility problems
- Curved or bent pinky fingers
- Widened space between the eyes
- Hypothyroidism
- Small head circumference
- Decreased muscle tone
- Abdominal cramps
- Constipation
- A malformed kidney
- Single kidney issues
Women with this syndrome may also face an increase in risk of learning, developmental, cognitive, and psychological problems. These include:
- Females inflicted with this disorder may face disabilities in learning. They may face difficulties in reading or understanding. They are prone to face problems in Mathematics.
- Psychological problems like anxiety and depression are likely to affect women.
- Delayed or prolonged development of speaking and language skills affects the females inflicted with this genetic condition. They may also face difficulties in sitting up or walking.
- One suffering from this disorder can face issues with both fine as well as gross motor skills. Their ability to recollect, perceive, and process information is likely to be affected too.
- They may also face a lot of issues and abnormalities in their behavior. Some problems like Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum disorder are likely to be diagnosed.
The Bottom Line
There are no treatments for Triple X syndrome. Also, this disorder is not harmful to females. However, the fact that in some cases, there are little to no symptoms of this disorder makes most women unaware that they are afflicted with the same.
