Communication skills among females with Rett syndrome.

The present study describes communicative behaviors of 42 Norwegian girls and women with Rett syndrome (RS) aged 2 1/2-47 years. Most of them did not seem to show behaviors which may be interpreted as indicative of an intention to communicate. Many did not use gaze shifts and the shifts of those who did were usually limited to 1-3 turns. The implication for intervention is a need to apply structured overinterpretation where significant people in the environment systematic interpret behaviors indicative of interests, needs and preferences as communicative, as well as structured total communication to provide non-speech means of communication. It is argued that although the use of these strategies often will not lead to intentional communicative behaviors in females with RS, they may contribute to a responsive and predictable environment for the females and to the establishment of a set of strategies which may be used by significant people in their environment.