Children with Rett Syndrome

Children with Rett syndrome face many challenges throughout their lives. The disorder affects males and females differently, with females having normal life expectancy for people with autism and boys dying shortly before or immediately after birth. Childhood for children with Rett's disorder differs from one individual to another.

Alternative Treatments for Autism

Female infants with Rett's disorder appear to develop normally but lose previously mastered skills. The problems occur in behavioral, communicative, social, and physical realms. The onset of the syndrome differs from one child to the next, but there are four stages of Rett syndrome that each experiences on some level. As with other pervasive developmental disorders, the severity of the symptoms has a wide range.

Behavioral and social problems involve many of the symptoms of autism, and include:

• Social and behavioral problems
• Avoiding eye contact
• Not responsive to name
• Does not appear to notice others
• May seem to have difficulty hearing
• Does not play with toys appropriately
• Self-stimulatory behaviors
• Irritability, especially during transitions
• Crying or tantrums for no apparent reason

The onset of the behavioral and social symptoms of Rett syndrome vary from one child to another, with subtle signs appearing during infancy and into toddler years, and more pronounced problems appearing between one and four years of age, during the rapid destructive stage.

Children with Rett syndrome typically hit a plateau that can begin between the ages of 2 and 10 years of age, and may last for the rest of their lives. During this pseudo-stationary stage, a child may show an increased interest in her surroundings while displaying fewer behaviors associated with autistic disorders. The child may continue in this stage throughout her life or progress to stage four.

Rett's disorder is a neurological condition that manifests in behavioral and physical ways. Physical problems involve both gross motor and fine motor movements. Children who have Retts may show the following physical symptoms of the condition during infancy and throughout their childhood years.

• Infancy
  • Delayed motor skills, as in crawling, sitting and walking
  • Decreased head growth
  • Unusual hand movements
• Toddler years
  • Fine motor skills diminish
  • Waking apnea as opposed to sleep apnea
  • Hyperventilation
  • Slowing head growth
  • Unusual gait when walking or running
  • Difficulty with gross motor activities
• Childhood years
  • Significant motor problems
  • Seizures
  • Apraxia

Each child is different, with some showing significant improvements in social and behavioral skills as early as two years of age while others may not enter this stage until they are 10 years old. The combination of symptoms may differ as well, with some children experiencing relatively mild signs of Retts and others having profound problems in motor, social and communication.

Rett syndrome treatment varies according to the child's specific symptoms. For example, a child who displays few problems with communication while demonstrating significant delays in gross motor skills should have a different treatment plan than a child who has severe apraxia with relatively little motor skill challenges.

Speech Therapy Ideas for Autistic Children|Speech therapy]] and occupational therapy are among the most popular treatments for Rett disorder. Each approach can be catered to the needs of the child as a treatment team works together to develop an individualized plan of action.

Many autism therapies used to treat other pervasive developmental disorders are appropriate for Retts. Systematic approaches like applied behavioral analysis and structured environments can be very beneficial. Social skill activities are important aspects of many treatment plans, and addressing self stimulatory behaviors through sensory integration therapy for autism can be effective in redirecting repetitive movements.

Medication may be used more often in cases of Retts because the condition is closely linked to seizures, breathing and muscle movement problems that can be helped with medicine therapy. New medical developments are looking to help repair problems that stem from the disturbance on the X chromosome, but the approach is still being researched.

It is difficult to determine the outcome for any child with Rett's disorder. Those who enter the late motor deterioration stage later in life may experience significant physical problems without necessarily having any deterioration in cognitive or social realms. The rare condition is still under investigation and little information is available for middle-aged women with Retts.

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