By Martine Gaudy.
A day on eye-gaze communication for professionals working with Rett Girls.
On 6th of March 2014 took place in Paris, on the premises of the Rare Diseases Alliance, a day of presentation of techniques and devices for eye gaze dedicated to Rett girls. I had the chance to discover this technology during the World Rett Syndrome Congress in New Orleans in 2012 and during the Rett Syndrome European Conference in Maastricht in 2013. These techniques have been developed since and a few research studies have used eye-tracking procedures to show that many Rett girls can use their eye gaze intentionally – as many parents are aware of this already. The use of this technology could be a way of bypassing the severe apraxia and motor disorders they suffer from.
This day was organized to introduce this technology and gathered about 60 professionals from special needs schools, speech language therapists, educational therapists, occupational therapists, and members of the medical and scientific board and of the paramedical board of the French Rett Syndrome Association.
The French Association had invited Mrs Sally Ann Garrett, speech language therapist from UK, who has worked with many Rett girls to travel to Paris and show her work. And Tobii professionals came from Sweden, Mr Kaveh Vefagh, and UK, Mr Hector Minto with the latest devices to show, relayed by Proteor professionals from France.
The day was opened by the president of the French Association, Mrs Elisabeth Celestin, followed by introductions of Mrs Martine Gaudy, Secretary of RSE and Dr Nadia Bahi Buisson, neuropaediatrics, president of the Scientific and Medical Board of the French Association. After that there was a presentation of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) by Mrs Elisabeth Cataix Negre and a presentation of ISAAC-France Association (International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication) by Mrs Marie Voisin. A long time was dedicated to the presentation of the technology and the applications by Mr Hector Minto and Mrs Sally Ann Garrett
Four Rett girls had been invited and were able to test the devices during all afternoon.
This first introduction of a new technology for our girls opens new horizons for them, professionals in special needs schools and the families.
