HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-108Whereas, Hydrocephalus is a serious neurological condition, characterized by the abnormal buildup of
cerebrospinal fluids in the ventricles of the brain; and
Whereas, Hydrocephalus may cause head enlargement, blurred vision or blindness, seizures, impaired
physical development, learning disabilities, progressive irreversible damage to the nerve cells in the brain, and even
death; and
Whereas, this serious neurological condition may occur at any age, and affects an estimated 1,000,000 people
in the United States; and
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; and
Whereas, more than 375,000 older adults in the United States suffer from hydrocephalus, the condition often
goes undetected for years in older adults, causing such problems as difficulty walking and urinary incontinence, and may
be misdiagnosed as dementia, Alzheimer's disease, or Parkinson's disease; and
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 over drainage; and
Whereas, each year cerebral spinal fluid shunting procedures account for approximately $1,000,000,000 in
health care spending in the United States alone, with half that amount spent on shunt revisions; and
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; and
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; and
Whereas public awareness, professional education, and scientific research regarding hydrocephalus would
advance the public's understanding of the condition, improve the diagnosis and treatment of hydrocephalus, and one
day, find a cure; and
Now, Therefore, Be it Resolved that the County of Butte recognizes September 2012 as Hydrocephalus
Awareness Month. Passed and adopted by the Butte County Board of Supervisors this 11t" day of September 2012.
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Steve Lambe ,Chair
Butte County Board of Supervisors
HYDROCEPHALUS AWARENESS MONTH