What is Rett
Syndrome?
Rett Syndrome describes the disability of a person
who suffers from a very early and specific failure in brain
development.
Most of the people known to have Rett disorder are
girls but it can also occur in boys. At least 1 in 10,000 girls
is affected but the number of boys is not yet known.
A person with Rett
Syndrome has difficulty in walking and in using her hands, even to feed
herself, and her joint movements are apt to become restricted. Only a
few have words and epileptic seizures may occur. In spite of these
difficulties people with Rett Syndrome are alert, attractive people,
smiling, enjoying company and wanting to communicate.
Research is
continuing into ways to prevent and treat the disorder which leads to
the Rett Syndrome and families make important contributions to this
work through sharing their knowledge and through fund raising.
Alison Kerr,
September 2000
RSAS is a Scottish Registered Charity No. SCO16645