Scoping Review of Communication Abilities of Children with Rett Syndrome in Daily Routine: A Communication Partners’ Perspectives

Rett syndrome, a rare genetic disorder, may impact language development and be associated with severe communication deficits. Communication partners, such as parents and health professionals involved in children’s daily lives with RTT, are the most relevant for understanding their communication needs. This article aimed to provide an overview of the identification of communication abilities in children with RTT in their daily routine from the perspectives of communication partners who interact with individuals diagnosed with RTT.

A scoping review was used to comprehensively search and gather evidence from existing literature on how communication partners understand, define, and classify the communication abilities of children with RTT in their daily routines. The quality of each selected study was assessed using the modified critical appraisal skills program (CASP) checklist.

This scoping review revealed specific communication abilities in children with RTT as described by the communication partners interacting with them daily. Accurate assessment outcomes rely on the communication partners’ perspectives on the communication skills of children with RTT.

This review highlights the need for future studies to support and identify preassigned communicative acts in the communication assessment of children with RTT.