WILLIAMS SPEAKS OUT ABOUT HYDROCEPHALUS

 HARRISBURG, OCT. 30 – State Sen. Connie Williams, during a Harrisburg news conference today, challenged Pennsylvanians to learn more about a neurological condition that often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, and for which treatment options were created in the 1950s.

 Williams spoke out during a Hydrocephalus Association event. For the past several years, Williams has sponsored a Senate Resolution to draw attention to the condition with the hopes of finding new treatments and more foolproof diagnoses.

 "This can afflict anyone at any age and there is no cure," Williams said. "It is hard to fathom that with the technology in place to help medical professionals diagnose and treat people today that this condition, which if left untreated can be fatal, still goes undetected for years or is misdiagnosed."

 Hydrocephalus is a neurological condition that occurs when there is an abnormal accumulation of fluid within the cavities in the brain. The only known treatment is brain surgery that involves inserting a tube, called a shunt, into the brain to drain the fluid to another part of the body.

 "This is a serious medical condition that can affect anyone at any age – from young children to older adults," Williams said. "The only treatment that is available is the same one that has been used since 1952 and it carries risks. Because the symptoms can mimic other disorders, it can be misdiagnosed as dementia, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. Left untreated this is a fatal condition."

 The condition affects an estimated 1 million Americans. Over 375,000 older Americans have this condition, which often goes undetected for years or is misdiagnosed. Of every 1,000 babies born in America, 1.5 will be born with Hydrocephalus. The majority of cases have an unknown cause.

 With appropriate diagnosis and treatment, many patients with the condition will live normal lives. There is, however, no known cure.

 "I'm here to tell those who suffer from this condition and their family members that we are listening to them and want to help. We may not be able to legislate a cure, but we can do our part to increase public awareness of this condition," Williams said. "By raising awareness, by supporting research and new treatments, I hope that next year, we can stand here with good news: that diagnosis is nearly foolproof and that the new treatment options will vastly improve the quality of life for people with this chronic condition."