Evoking communication in Rett syndrome: comparisons with conversations and games in mother-infant interaction

Girls with Rett syndrome retain a responsiveness with care-givers that corresponds in many respects with the preverbal communication observed with normal infants. This has characteristic rhythmic patterns and phrases, mutual imitation, reciprocal emotional phases and rudimentary oral, vocal and gestural expressions. After individuals with Rett syndrome have passed the critical stage in dissolution of their attention, co-ordination and voluntary control, they retain positive orientation to human faces and eyes with smiling. Video analyses show that they can engage with rhythms and phrases of conversation, sometimes showing a sense of humour and sensitivity to playful teasing. They respond to repeated patterns of expression in rhythmic/prosodic play and to certain forms in music. It is suggested that sensitive and appropriately attuned support for the rudimentary motives for human contact that survive in Rett syndrome can help stabilisation of self-regulatory states, alleviate panic and confusion and facilitate learning. The effects of the disorder may be a consequence of a genetic fault in the elaboration of an Intrinsic Motive Formation in the reticular core of the embryo brain, leading to dysregulation of differentiation in higher cognitive systems and learning, but leaving partially intact motive principles for human intersubjective response.