Retts Disorder - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Rett Syndrome often exhibit autistic-like behaviors, such as repetitive hand movements, prolonged toe walking, body rocking, and sleep problems. Rett syndrome is a relatively newly identified disorder and therefore longitudinal studies are yet to be carried out.Rett syndrome is a progressive neurological disorder in which individuals exhibit reduced muscle tone, autistic-like behavior, hand movements consisting mainly of wringing and waving, loss of purposeful use of the hands, diminished ability to express feelings, avoidance of eye contact, a lag in brain and head growth, gait abnormalities, and seizures. Although Rett syndrome is a genetic disorder - resulting from a faulty gene or genes - less than 1 percent of recorded cases are inherited or passed from one generation to the next. Most cases are sporadic, which means the mutation occurs randomly, mostly during spermatogenesis, and is not inherited.

Causes of Retts-Disorder

Common causes and risk factors of Retts-Disorder:

• Nonhereditary,
• Acquired changes.
• Mutations in the Rett syndrome gene on the X chromosome.

Signs and Symptoms of Retts-Disorder

Sign and symptoms of Retts-Disorder

• Loss of speech
• Balance and coordination problems, including losing the ability to walk in many cases
• Stereotypic hand movements, such as hand wringing
• Breathing problems, such as hyperventilation and breath holding, or apnea when awake
• Anxiety and social-behavioral problems
• Intellectual disability/mental retardation

Treatment of Retts-Disorder

Common Treatment of Retts-Disorder

• Medication is another Treatment of Retts-Disorder such as, Anticonvulsants to control seizure activity Stool softeners or laxatives if constipated Drugs to help with breathing.
• Physical therapists, who can help patients improve or maintain mobility and balance and reduce misshapen back and limbs
• Occupational therapists, who can help patients improve or maintain use of their hands and reduce stereotypic hand movements.
• Speech-language therapists, who can help patients use non-verbal ways of communication and improve social interaction.
• Speech therapy aids in building communication skills.
• Social workers help a family cope with caring for a child with Rett syndrome. Counselors help parents learn to manage behaviors.
• Fluids and high-fiber foods to help control constipation