"Research may help, but..." is not a phrase that warms a scientist's heart, but it reflects the true sentiment of many parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who may believe that it is more important to work with what is at hand rather than waiting for research to provide the elusive magic bullet. However, while it is true that major advances are less predictable than we would like, research is sure to provide enormous payoffs. Using the discovery of fragile X syndrome as an example, this article illustrates how the principles of scientific research can lead to promising avenues of investigation and asks parents to renew their belief in the value of research on intellectual and developmental disabilities.