National Hydrocephalus Awareness Month!

Today is the beginning of the first ever National Hydrocephalus Awareness month! So little is known about hydrocephalus. I hope this helps raise awareness.

H. Res. 373 was passed at the end of July with the hopes that not only would awareness about this condition be raised, but that more action would be taken to find a cure, not just a treatment.

Whereas 1 out of every 500 children in the United States are born with hydrocephalus, and the condition is the leading cause of brain surgery in children;

Whereas the standard treatment for hydrocephalus, insertion of a shunt to drain excess cerebral fluid, is a 50-year-old technology that carries multiple risks, including shunt failure, infection, and overdrainage;

Whereas more than 40,000 operations for hydrocephalus occur annually in the United States, yet there are fewer than 10 centers in the Nation specializing in the treatment of adults with hydrocephalus;

Whereas although there is no single known cause of hydrocephalus or ways to prevent and cure the condition, with the appropriate diagnosis and proper treatment, individuals with hydrocephalus are able to lead full and productive lives;

Whereas further research into the epidemiology, pathophysiology, disease burden, and improved treatment of hydrocephalus should be conducted and supported, including the collection and analysis of statistics and data concerning the seriousness of hydrocephalus and its impact on families in the United States;

Whereas public awareness, professional education, and scientific research regarding hydrocephalus should increase through partnerships between the Federal Government, health care professionals, and patient advocacy groups, such as the Pediatric Hydrocephalus Foundation;

Whereas these public-private partnerships would ensure that individuals suffering with hydrocephalus and their families are empowered with educational materials, informed about the latest research, have access to quality health care, and are able to advocate for increased research and funding in order advance the public’s understanding of the condition, improve the diagnosis and treatment of hydrocephalus, and one day, find a cure; and

Whereas September would be an appropriate month to designate as ‘National Hydrocephalus Awareness Month’: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports the designation of ‘National Hydrocephalus Awareness Month’.