Rett Syndrome Is Not Tourettes Syndrome

Added: (Sun Feb 05 2006)

Pressbox (Press Release) - Rett Syndrome Is Not Tourette's Syndrome

People often confuse the two syndomes but they are actually completely different.

West Hills, California (KIMPR) Feb 05, 2006 -- Too many people get confused when they hear the words "Rett Syndrome" and they get it confused with "Tourette Syndrome". Tourette Syndrome is a childhood onset condition that is associated with attributes of many other conditions. In the movies and in jokes, it is usually depicted with a person swearing or shouting obscenities involuntary but there are other aspects of it as well. Without meaning to oversimplify it, it is a syndrome where people do compulsive behavior.

Rett Syndrome, without meaning to simplify that as well, is a genetic condition where 1 out of 15,000 girls are born and they cannot walk, lose the ability to walk or talk and are generally distinguished by hand-wringing. There is a genetic test that can tell if a girl has Rett Syndrome. Most boys born with the gene die at birth.

Both conditions require understanding, compassion and patience. Caregivers who are unfamiliar with Rett Syndrome are advised to learn the differences because girls diagnosed with Rett Syndrome usually cannot take care of themselves. They require somebody to feed them, care for their functions and learn to communicate with them.

One of the differences between the syndromes is that Rett girls lose the ability to speak. In some cases, they can learn to communicate with sign language (if they can develop the motor skills), eye communication or with electronic helper devices.

For more information on Rett Syndrome check out "YOUR DAUGHTER HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH RETT SYNDROME" available at Barnes and Noble stores, Barnes and Noble online and soon to available at Amazon.com and Amazon.uk.

The author, Kim Greenblatt, has a daughter Arianna Greenblatt who has Rett Syndrome and often has to explain that Rett Syndrome is totally different than Tourette's.

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