H. Res. 373 
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
July 29, 2009. 
Whereas Hydrocephalus is a serious neurological condition, 
characterized by the abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal 
fluids in the ventricles of the brain; 
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; 
Whereas this serious neurological condition may occur at any 
age, and affects an estimated 1,000,000 people in the 
United States; 
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 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 dis-
ease, or Parkinson’s disease; 
Whereas the standard treatment for hydrocephalus, insertion 
of a shunt to drain excess cerebral fluid, is a 50-year-old
•HRES 373 EH 
technology that carries multiple risks, including shunt 
failure, infection, and overdrainage; 
Whereas each year cerebral spinal fluid shunting procedures 
account for approximately $1,000,000,000 in health care 
spending in the United Sates alone, with half that 
amount spent on shunt revisions; 
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 treat-
ment of adults with hydrocephalus; 
Whereas although there is no single known cause of hydro-
cephalus or ways to prevent and cure the condition, with 
the appropriate diagnosis and proper treatment, individ-
uals with hydrocephalus are able to lead full and produc-
tive lives; 
Whereas proper prenatal nutrition during the first weeks of 
conception can also help reduce the risk of children devel-
oping hydrocephalus; 
Whereas a September 2005 conference sponsored by the Na-
tional Institutes of Health, entitled ‘‘Hydrocephalus: 
Myths, New Facts, Clear Directions’’, resulted in efforts 
to initiate new, collaborative research and treatment ef-
forts; 
Whereas further research into the epidemiology, pathophysiol-
ogy, disease burden, and improved treatment of hydro-
cephalus should be conducted and supported, including 
the collection and analysis of statistics and data con-
cerning the seriousness of hydrocephalus and its impact 
on families in the United States; 
Whereas public awareness, professional education, and sci-
entific research regarding hydrocephalus should increase
•HRES 373 EH 
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 fami-
lies 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 hy-
drocephalus, and one day, find a cure; and 
Whereas September would be an appropriate month to des-
ignate as ‘‘National Hydrocephalus Awareness Month’’: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports 
the designation of ‘‘National Hydrocephalus Awareness 
Month’’. 
Attest: 
Clerk.