How to Identify Rett's Disorder

Certain disorders are developed in infancy, childhood or adolescence. Rett's Disorder is one such disorder. These types of developmental disorders can be difficult to discern, therefore the following article describes the symptoms which must exists for this diagnosis to be considered.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

How to identify Rett's Disorder.

1. Look for the following to occur through the first 5 months after birth:1. Apparently normal prenatal and perinatal development.2. Apparently normal psycho motor development through the first 5 months after birth.3. Normal head circumference at birth.
2. Look for a deceleration of head growth between the ages of 5 and 48 months. This is a requirement symptom in order to consider this diagnosis and it cannot begin to occur before 5 months of age or after 48 months of age. Therefore it is imperative that one know the ages of each symptom onset.
3. Look for a loss of previously acquired hand skills between the ages of 5 and 30 months with the subsequent development of stereotyped hand movements. Examples of these types of movements are hand wringing or hand washing. Once again, the exact age of symptom onset is essential for accurate diagnosis consideration.
4. Look for a loss of social engagement early in the course (although often social interaction develops later). If an infant within the specified age group begins to with drawl along with the other symptom requirements, this diagnosis can then continue to be considered.
5. Look for the appearance of poorly coordinated gait or trunk movements. Along with this, should be a severely impaired expressive and receptive language development with severe psycho motor retardation. These also cannot be visible prior to the age of 5 months for a diagnosis of Rett's disorder to be considered in a child.

Tips & Warnings

• All of the normal developments stated in step 1 must occur prior to the onset of the development problems listed in steps 2 through 5. The development problems cannot occur prior to the age of 5 months in order for Rett's disorder to be a considered diagnosis. Consult a physician who specializes on disorders of infancy and childhood for further clarification.