Developmental profile of speech-language and communicative functions in an individual with the Preserved Speech Variant of Rett syndrome. (August 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Marschik, Peter B.; Vollmann, Ralf; Bartl-Pokorny, Katrin D.; Green, Vanessa A.; van der Meer, Larah; Wolin, Thomas; Einspieler, Christa
• Is Part Of: Developmental neurorehabilitation. Volume 17:Number 4(2014:Aug.)
• Page Start: 284
• Page End: 290
• Publication Date: 2014-08
• Subjects: Children with disabilities -- Rehabilitation -- Periodicals; Developmentally disabled children -- Rehabilitation -- Periodicals; 615.542
• DOI: 10.3109/17518423.2013.783139
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-8423

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Objective</italic>: We assessed various aspects of speech-language and communicative functions of an individual with the preserved speech variant of Rett syndrome (RTT) to describe her developmental profile over a period of 11 years.</p> <p> <italic>Methods</italic>: For this study, we incorporated the following data resources and methods to assess speech-language and communicative functions during pre-, peri- and post-regressional development: retrospective video analyses, medical history data, parental checklists and diaries, standardized tests on vocabulary and grammar, spontaneous speech samples and picture stories to elicit narrative competences.</p> <p> <italic>Results</italic>: Despite achieving speech-language milestones, atypical behaviours were present at all times. We observed a unique developmental speech-language trajectory (including the RTT typical regression) affecting all linguistic and socio-communicative sub-domains in the receptive as well as the expressive modality.</p> <p> <italic>Conclusion</italic>: Future research should take into consideration a potentially considerable discordance between formal and functional language use by interpreting communicative acts on a more cautionary note.</p> </abstract>