LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
proclaim September 2015 as Hydrocephalus Awareness Month in the State of
New York

WHEREAS, Derived from the Greek words "hydro" meaning water and "cepha-
lus" meaning head, hydrocephalus is a condition that has no cure and in
which the primary characteristic is excessive accumulation of fluid in
the brain; and
WHEREAS, Hydrocephalus was once known as "water on the brain," however
the "water" is actually cerebrospinal fluid, a clear fluid that
surrounds the brain and spinal cord; excessive accumulation results in
an abnormal widening of spaces in the brain called ventricles, which
creates potentially harmful pressure on the tissues of the brain; and
WHEREAS, Cerebrospinal fluid has three important life-sustaining func-
tions: to keep the brain tissue buoyant, acting as a cushion or "shock
absorber"; to act as the vehicle for delivering nutrients to the brain
and removing waste; and to flow between the cranium and spine and
compensate for changes in intracranial blood volume; and
WHEREAS, The balance between production and absorption of cerebrospi-
nal fluid is critically important; because it is made continuously,
medical conditions that block its normal flow or absorption will result
in an over-accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid and the resulting pres-
sure of the fluid against brain tissue is what causes hydrocephalus; and
WHEREAS, There are two primary types of hydrocephalus, including
congenital hydrocephalus, which is present at birth and may be caused by
either events or influences that occur during fetal development, or
genetic abnormalities; acquired hydrocephalus, which develops at the
time of birth or at some point afterward and affects individuals of all
ages and may be caused by injury or disease; and
WHEREAS, There are two classifications of hydrocephalus, including
communicating hydrocephalus, which occurs when the flow of cerebrospinal
fluid is blocked, not allowing it to exit the ventricles; and non-commu-
nicating hydrocephalus, which is also called obstructive hydrocephalus
and occurs when the flow of cerebrospinal fluid is blocked along one or
more of the narrow passages connecting the ventricles; and
WHEREAS, Two other forms of hydrocephalus which primarily affect
adults are: hydrocephalus ex-vacuo, which occurs when stroke or traumat-
ic injury cause damage to the brain; and normal pressure hydrocephalus,
which can happen to people at any age, but it is most common among the
elderly and may result from a subarachnoid hemorrhage, head trauma,
infection, tumor, or complications of surgery but often whose cause is
unknown, referred to as idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH);
and
WHEREAS, The number of people who develop hydrocephalus or who are
currently living with it is difficult to establish since there is no
national registry or database of people with the condition; neverthe-
less, experts estimate that it affects approximately 1.5 in every 1,000
live births; and
WHEREAS, The causes of hydrocephalus are still not well understood; it
may result from inherited genetic abnormalities, developmental disor-
ders, complications of premature birth such as intraventricular hemor-
rhage, diseases such as meningitis, tumors, traumatic head injury, or
subarachnoid hemorrhage; and
WHEREAS, The symptoms of hydrocephalus vary with age, disease progres-
sion, and individual differences in tolerance to the condition; for
example, an infant's ability to compensate for increased cerebrospinal

fluid pressure and enlargement of the ventricles differs from an
adult's; and
WHEREAS, In infancy, the most obvious indication of hydrocephalus is
often a rapid increase in head circumference or an unusually large head
size; other symptoms may include vomiting, sleepiness, irritability,
downward deviation of the eyes and seizures; and
WHEREAS, Older children and adults may experience headache followed by
vomiting, nausea, papilledema, blurred or double vision, sunsetting of
the eyes, problems with balance, poor coordination, gait disturbance,
urinary incontinence, slowing or loss of developmental progress, lethar-
gy, drowsiness, irritability, or other changes in personality or cogni-
tion including memory loss; and
WHEREAS, Symptoms of normal pressure hydrocephalus include, problems
with walking, impaired bladder control leading to urinary frequency
and/or incontinence, and progressive mental impairment and dementia; and
WHEREAS, Hydrocephalus is diagnosed through clinical neurological
evaluation and by using cranial imaging techniques such as ultrasonogra-
phy, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging or pressure-moni-
toring techniques; and
WHEREAS, The only treatment for hydrocephalus requires brain surgery;
most often, hydrocephalus is treated by surgically inserting a shunt
system which diverts the flow of cerebrospinal fluid to another area of
the body where it can be absorbed as part of the normal circulatory
process; and
WHEREAS, The prognosis for individuals diagnosed with hydrocephalus is
difficult to predict, although there is some correlation between the
specific cause of the hydrocephalus and the outcome; and
WHEREAS, Affected individuals and their families should be aware that
hydrocephalus poses risks to both cognitive and physical development;
however, children diagnosed with the disorder benefit from early inter-
vention programs, rehabilitation therapies, and educational inter-
ventions and many go on to lead lives with few limitations; and
WHEREAS, The symptoms of normal pressure hydrocephalus usually get
worse over time if the condition is not treated, and can ultimately
result in death; while the success of treatment with shunts varies from
person to person, some people recover almost completely after treatment
and have a good quality of life; early diagnosis and treatment improve
the chance of a good recovery and minimize the risk of long term damage
to the brain; and
WHEREAS, Raising awareness about hydrocephalus will play a key role in
prevention, treatment, and educating others and will result in better
.SO DOC S R3047 RESO TEXT 2015
health for all individuals in the State of New York and throughout the
nation; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim September 2015 as
Hydrocephalus Awareness Month in the State of New York; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New
York.