Communication skills in girls with rett syndrome

Theresa E. Bartolotta, Genevieve P. Zipp, Susan D. Simpkins, Barbara Glazewski

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

40 Scopus citations

Abstract

Rett Syndrome (RS) is an X-linked, neurodevelopmental disorder that occurs primarily in females and causes significant impairment in cognition, motor control, and communication. Teachers and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) encounter girls with RS with increasing frequency as awareness of the disorder increases, yet the literature on clinical interventions with this population is limited. Parents, teachers, and SLPs were surveyed regarding the communication abilities of these girls. Respondents reported that girls with RS use multiple modalities to communicate, with eye gaze the most frequently used modality, followed by picture/symbol systems and body movements. This study provides clinical information for professionals working with girls with RS, and supports the need for additional research on strategies to improve communication in RS.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)15-24
Number of pages10
JournalFocus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities
Volume26
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2011

Keywords

  • Rett Syndrome
  • communication modalities
  • survey
  • treatment

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
  • Neurology
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Communication skills in girls with rett syndrome'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this