PRINTER'S NO. 1934
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
187
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY KINSEY, HILL-EVANS, KHAN, SANCHEZ AND CERRATO,
AUGUST 29, 2023
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, AUGUST 29, 2023
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing November 1, 2023, as "Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome
Awareness Day" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is a severe form of epilepsy
that accounts for between 2% to 5% of all cases of childhood
epilepsy; and
WHEREAS, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is characterized by a triad
of symptoms that include multiple types of seizures, abnormal
brain activity and moderate to severe cognitive impairments; and
WHEREAS, Children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome typically
begin to show symptoms between the ages of three and five, even
following a normal period of development; and
WHEREAS, Some of the known causes of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
include brain injury associated with pregnancy or birth, severe
brain infections, developmental malformations of the brain and
metabolic conditions; and
WHEREAS, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome may be preceded by a rare
form of epilepsy known as infantile spasms, an illness that can
detrimentally affect the life of a child; and
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WHEREAS, About 25% of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome cases have no
identified cause; and
WHEREAS, Nearly all children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
develop learning problems and intellectual disabilities
associated with their frequent seizures; and
WHEREAS, Because the seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut
syndrome are often resistant to typical treatments, the
resulting intellectual impairments tend to worsen over time; and
WHEREAS, While a person with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome can live
a normal life, more than half of the children with Lennox-
Gastaut syndrome suffer from associated disorders, such as
communication and behavioral issues, trouble with balance and
sleeping, increased instances of rage and aggression and other
issues; and
WHEREAS, Complete recovery is extremely unusual for a child
with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and most affected individuals will
need constant support throughout their life; and
WHEREAS, Since there is no cure for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome,
the goal of treatment is to reduce the number of seizures a
person experiences and improve their quality of life with this
disease; and
WHEREAS, The three main treatment options for Lennox-Gastaut
syndrome are antiseizure medications, dietary therapy and other
treatments such as vagus nerve stimulation therapy and surgery;
and
WHEREAS, Further research is needed to identify more
effective therapies; and
WHEREAS, There is still a tremendous amount of work to be
done to understand Lennox-Gastaut syndrome further; and
WHEREAS, November 1 is celebrated worldwide as "International
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Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome Awareness Day," to bring awareness to
this rare condition, acknowledge the Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
community and promote research efforts to better understand
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize
November 1, 2023, as "Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome Awareness Day" in
Pennsylvania.
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