Bill Text: IN HR0032 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Recognizing September as Chiari Malformation Month.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-04-08 - First reading: adopted voice vote [HR0032 Detail]
Download: Indiana-2011-HR0032-Introduced.html
A RESOLUTION recognizing September as Chiari
Malformation Month.
Whereas, Chiari malformation, as recognized by the
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke,
includes a complex group of disorders characterized by
herniation of the cerebellum;
Whereas, The herniated tissue blocks the circulation of
cerebrospinal fluid in the brain which can lead to the formation
of a cavity within the spinal cord;
Whereas, Symptoms of Type I Chiari malformation include severe headache, dizziness, vertigo, disequilibrium, visual disturbances, difficulty swallowing, heart palpitations, sleep
apnea, impaired fine motor skills, chronic fatigue, and painful
tingling of the hands and feet;
Whereas, Because of the complex symptomology, patients
with Type I Chiari malformation are frequently misdiagnosed;
Whereas, Type II Chiari malformation, also called
Arnold-Chiari malformation, is usually accompanied by a
myelomeningocele, a form of spina bifida that occurs when the
spinal canal and the backbone do not close before birth,
causing the spinal cord to protrude through an opening in the
back which can result in partial or complete paralysis below
the spinal opening;
Whereas, Type III Chiari malformation, the most serious
form, results in severe and often irreversible neurological
defects;
Whereas, Treatment for this disorder is not a certain and
definitive path;
Whereas, Medication may ease certain symptoms such as
pain, but surgery is often the only treatment available to correct
functional disturbances or halt the progression of damage to
the central nervous system;
Whereas, Until recently, Chiari malformation was
regarded as a rare condition, but with the increased use of
magnetic resonance imaging, the number of reported cases has
risen from 200,000 to 2 million Americans;
Whereas, New genetic studies support a hereditary
tendency with a transmissibility rate of 12%; and
Whereas, The studies also found that women are three
times more likely to be afflicted by this debilitating disorder
than men: Therefore,
SECTION 1. That the Indiana House of Representatives recognizes the month of September as Chiari Malformation Month and
promotes advocacy for this important cause.
HR 1531/DI 84
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