Hand function abnormalities are one of the obvious manifestations of Rett syndrome. Rett syndrome is accompanied by a loss of use of the hands and abnormal movements, with a gradual lack of purpose in the use of the hands, stereotypical hand movements, and abnormalities such as hand licking and hand eating.
However, the presence of hand eating in an infant does not mean that the child has Rett syndrome; it may simply be a normal behavioural manifestation of infancy and early childhood and parents should observe the infant for other changes such as regression in speech and slow growth in head circumference.