Rett syndrome

An A to Z glossary of disabilities

A rare condition which affects brain development during the early years of childhood in girls. The disability can be broken down into four stages. During the first six – 18 months the child may have difficulty feeding, no interest in toys, floppiness, lack of co-ordination and abnormal hand movements. Stage Two – known as ‘regression’ will see problems sleeping and eating, abnormal breathing patterns, deterioration in hand movements, loss of balance, social withdrawal, slowing of head growth and distress for no apparent reasoning.

As the condition progresses when the child is aged between two and 10 Stage Three – ‘Plateau’ may include symptoms including a lack of weight gain, grinding of the teeth, further deterioration of hand movements and floppiness of the limbs. Most children will develop seizures around this stage although there behaviour should start to show signs of improvement. The fourth and final stage will see deterioration in movement.