title: The Israeli Rett Syndrome Center. Evaluation and transdisciplinary play-based assessment.
abstract: Rett syndrome (RS) is a neuro-developmental syndrome of genetic origin, which mainly affects women. Individuals diagnosed with RS exhibit a variety of functional difficulties, which impair their quality of life. The variety of impairments and the differences between each child makes it necessary to administer skilled treatment, individually tailored to each client. Since the foundation of proper treatment is based on a structured, well administered, insightful assessment, the individual with RS with her complex array of difficulties should benefit from such a procedure. This notion has led to the establishment of the Israel Rett Syndrome Center. The center includes a medical branch located at the Safra Shildren's Medical Center at Tel Hashomer and an education/rehabilitation team, who performs assessments in special education facilities and residential settings throughout Israel. The assessment team works by means of arena assessment according to the concept of play-based assessment. This article presents the working model used by the education/rehabilitation team at the Israeli Rett Syndrome Center. The principles and working characteristics of the Israel Rett Syndrome Center team are suggested here as a potential model for establishing additional teams, presenting similar evaluation services for other individuals with RS as well as for analogous populations.
authors.affiliation: Israel Rett Center, National Evaluation Team, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel HaShomer, Ramat Gan, Israel. ml_pt_rs@netvision.net.il
authors.forename: Meir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lotan
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Manor-Binyamini
authors.forename: Cochavit
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Elefant
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wine
authors.forename: Einat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saraf
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshei
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010989:Play Therapy; D015397:Program Evaluation; D015518:Rett Syndrome / Q000534:rehabilitation*