“How do you tell your child their sibling is going to die?” That is a question I never expected to Google. In early November 2023, our oldest daughter, Cammy, was on a BiPAP machine in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) when she stopped breathing. The medical team rushed…
New recommendations support the use of the ready-to-use liquid formulation of trofinetide, sold as Daybue, as a first-line therapy for eligible people with Rett syndrome. A panel of 25 experts in managing the disease reached consensus on the recommendations. The panel endorsed early treatment initiation and an…
Discussion
Note: This column describes death and dying and may be triggering for some readers. Dec. 13, 2023, 4 a.m. I woke up around 4:17 a.m. to the sound of machines singing different pitches of beeps. I’d been in and out of sleep for the five hours I was actually able…
Discussion
Winter seems to be over at last here in New Jersey. Rats. Abby and I never did get to go swimming in the snow. Twelve years ago, my wife, Donna, and I realized that our daughter Abby, who has Rett syndrome, was a year away from turning 18, which…
Rett syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that mostly affects females. The disease is characterized by normal early development, followed by slowed growth and a loss of motor control. Learn more about the disease here.
Most cases are caused by a mutation in the MECP2 gene. Scientists have identified mutations in CDKL5 and FOXG1 genes in those who have atypical or congenital Rett. Learn more about what causes the disease here.
Rett syndrome is associated with problems in cognitive, sensory, emotional, and motor skills, and across the nervous system that controls involuntary (or autonomic) functions. Learn more about the symptoms of the disease here.
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