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Developmental profile of speech-language and communicative functions in an individual with the Preserved Speech Variant of Rett syndrome |
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| Authors: | Peter B Marschik Ralf Vollmann Katrin D Bartl-Pokorny Vanessa A Green Larah van der Meer Thomas Wolin |
| Institution: | 1. Institute of Physiology (IN:spired;2. Developmental Physiology and Developmental Neuroscience), Center for Physiological Medicine, Medical University of Graz GrazAustria;3. Department of Linguistics, Karl-Franzens-University of Graz GrazAustria;4. Department of Educational Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington WellingtonNew Zealand |
| Abstract: | Objective: 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. Methods: 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. Results: 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. Conclusion: 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. |
| Keywords: | Communication language preserved speech variant Rett syndrome speech |