Rep. Hildenbrand offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 424.

A resolution declaring October 2008 as Michigan Rett Syndrome Awareness Month.

Whereas, Rett Syndrome is a neurological disorder found almost exclusively in

girls and considered to be one of the four “female” diseases. Rett Syndrome is caused by

a random mutation in the MeCP2 gene found on the X chromosome and is found to affect

girls of all nationalities. Rett Syndrome was first described by Dr. Andreas Rett in 1966

but did not get recognition in the United States until 1983. Although improving, it is for

this reason that this debilitating disease is absent in the minds of the general public and

medical community. Rett Syndrome was thought to affect 1 in 10,000 female births, but

many scientists now think it is more prevalent and often misdiagnosed as autism or

cerebral palsy; and

Whereas, Children with Rett Syndrome appear to develop normally for the first

six to eighteen months after birth, then enter into a rapid degenerative stage of the

disease. The child rapidly begins to lose their speech, parents will never again hear the

words mommy or daddy from their daughters. Instead the ability to communicate

verbally is replaced with the use of their beautiful penetrating eyes. Many children that

once were able to crawl or walk find themselves unable to perform these functions.

Purposeful hand use is lost as well and replaced with repetitive movements; the girls can

no longer feed themselves or even hold onto their favorite toy. Additional symptoms that

define the syndrome include; digestive difficulties, breathing abnormalities, severe acid

reflux, and loss of appetite, which often results in a feeding tube. Many girls also develop

seizures and severe scoliosis. It is a life of pain, frustration, and total dependence; and

Whereas, There are approximately 1-in-15,000 live births in the United States that suffer from Rett Syndrome. And while there is not a known cure for this debilitating

disease, there have been tremendous strides made in recent years. For instance, in 1999

the gene MeCP2 was identified as the cause of Rett Syndrome. This discovery has lured

many of the most brilliant scientific minds into the field and has brought renewed hope to

the families and friends of the afflicted; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative

body declare October 2008 as Michigan Rett Syndrome Awareness Month. We encourage all Michigan citizens to educate themselves about Rett Syndrome.