As a teacher, I’ve learned that not every child loves summer and holiday breaks. Not every child goes on vacation, enjoys fun, experiential trips to nearby cities, museums, and ball parks, or hangs out with friends. Some children prefer to be in school because that is where they socialize…

Some of my pet peeves in the typical world in which I live are people who incorrectly use the word “literally,” or refuse to wait for others to exit an elevator before entering, or try to get off an airplane before it even arrives at the gate. There are also…

When I was in middle school, I had sleepovers with my friends every weekend. My 11-year-old neurotypical daughter, Ryan, has had sleepovers with her cousins since she was a toddler, and now she has them with her friends. But my 13-year-old daughter, Cammy, who has Rett syndrome, has…

When my daughter Cammy was diagnosed with Rett syndrome at 20 months, I thought about all the life events she would never get to do. What came to mind first were the big things — having children, getting married, getting her driver’s license, and living on her own.

Microswitches can be used as assistive technology to help improve choice-making and activity engagement in children with Rett syndrome, according to a recent study. Led by researchers in Italy, the study “Experimental Examination and Social Validation of a Microswitch Intervention to…

A 6-month music therapy program improved social interaction and communication skills and reduced seizure occurrence among Rett syndrome patients, as well as relieving parental stress, a new study showed. The research article, “The effectiveness of music therapy for individuals with Rett syndrome and their families,” was published…