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[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 211 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 211

 Designating August 19, 2005, as ``National Dyspraxia Awareness Day'' 
  and expressing the sense of the Senate that all Americans should be 
                      more informed of dyspraxia.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 26, 2005

Ms. Landrieu submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                     the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Designating August 19, 2005, as ``National Dyspraxia Awareness Day'' 
  and expressing the sense of the Senate that all Americans should be 
                      more informed of dyspraxia.

Whereas an estimated 1 in 20 children suffers from the developmental disorder 
        dyspraxia;
Whereas 70 percent of those affected by dyspraxia are male;
Whereas dyspraxics may be of average or above average intelligence but are often 
        behaviorally immature;
Whereas symptoms of dyspraxia consist of clumsiness, poor body awareness, 
        reading and writing difficulties, speech problems, and learning 
        disabilities, though not all of these will apply to every dyspraxic;
Whereas there is no cure for dyspraxia, but the earlier a child is treated the 
        greater the chance of developmental maturation;
Whereas dyspraxics may be shunned within their own peer group because they do 
        not fit in;
Whereas most dyspraxic children are dismissed as ``slow'' or ``clumsy'' and are 
        therefore not properly diagnosed;
Whereas more than 50 percent of educators have never heard of dyspraxia;
Whereas education and information about dyspraxia are important to detection and 
        treatment; and
Whereas the Senate as an institution, and Members of the Senate as individuals, 
        are in unique positions to help raise the public awareness about 
        dyspraxia: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) the Senate designates August 19, 2005, as ``National 
        Dyspraxia Awareness Day''; and
            (2) it is the sense of the Senate that--
                    (A) all Americans should be more informed of 
                dyspraxia, its easily recognizable symptoms, and its 
                proper treatment;
                    (B) the Secretary of Education should establish and 
                promote a campaign in elementary and secondary schools 
                across the Nation to encourage the social acceptance of 
                dyspraxic children; and
                    (C) the Federal Government has a responsibility 
                to--
                            (i) endeavor to raise awareness about 
                        dyspraxia;
                            (ii) consider ways to increase the 
                        knowledge of possible therapy and access to 
                        health care services for people with dyspraxia; 
                        and
                            (iii) endeavor to inform educators on how 
                        to recognize dyspraxic symptoms and to 
                        appropriately handle this disorder.
                                 <all>
```