CA SCR163

Designates September 2018 as Hydrocephalus Awareness Month in California.

Hydrocephalus is an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain affecting infants, children, and adults with no known cure.

One to two of every 1,000 babies are born with hydrocephalus, making it as common as Down syndrome and the most common reason for brain surgery in children.

Shunts used to treat hydrocephalus have the highest failure rate of any medically implanted device, with approximately 50 percent failing within two years.

Normal pressure hydrocephalus affects an estimated 250,000 Americans and is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, though treating it could reduce healthcare costs by $25,000 per patient.