Rett Syndrome

Rett’s Disorder is included as a Pervasive Developmental Disorder because there is some potential confusion with autism – particularly in the preschool years. Otherwise the course and onset of this condition is very distinctive.

Children with this pervasive developmental disorder appear to develop normally at first, but their head growth slows, they lose social “engagement” and hand skills, and they develop stereotyped movements of the hands and poorly coordinated gait or trunk movements. There is also psychomotor retardation and impairment of language development.

Like CDD, Rett Syndrome is also relatively rare, affecting almost exclusively females, 1 out of 10,000 to 15,000. After a period of normal development, sometime between the age of 6 and 18 months, autism-like symptoms begin to appear. The little girl’s mental and social development regresses – she no longer responds to her parents and pulls away from any social contact. If she has been talking, she stops; she cannot control her feet; she wrings her hands. Some of the problems associated with Rett syndrome can be treated. Physical, occupational, and speech therapy can help with problems of coordination, movement, and speech.

Scientists sponsored by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (USA)have discovered that a mutation in the sequence of a single gene (a mutation in the gene encodingmethyl-CpG-binding protein-2 (MECP2)) can cause Rett syndrome. This discovery may helpdoctors slow down or stop the progress of the syndrome. It may also lead to methods of screening for Rett syndrome, thus enabling doctors to start treating the children much sooner, and improving the quality of life these children experience.

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Rett syndrome
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Autism Guide
Asperger's Syndrome in Laymens Terms. Aspergers Checklist