PRINTER'S NO. 2684
No. 307 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY O'BRIEN, DECEMBER 9, 1997
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
DECEMBER 9, 1997
A RESOLUTION
1 Recognizing Dr. Gerry A. Stefanatos and the staff of the Center
2 for Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology of Thomas
3 Jefferson University for their outstanding contributions and
4 efforts in the study and treatment of autism and autism-
5 related disorders.
6 WHEREAS, Autism and autistic spectrum disorders represent
7 severe developmental disabilities that typically appear during
8 the first three years of life; and
9 WHEREAS, Autistic spectrum disorders are associated with
10 aberrations of brain function that impede the development of
11 abilities needed for social interaction, communication and
12 normal patterns of behavior; and
13 WHEREAS, Autistic spectrum disorders affect over half a
14 million people in the United States and are commonly associated
15 with abnormal brain electrical activity; and
16 WHEREAS, Epileptic aphasia is a disorder that results in an
17 acquired impairment of language and behavioral disturbances
18 related to abnormal brain electrical activity; and
19 WHEREAS, Epileptic aphasia and autistic spectrum disorders in
1 children are poorly understood by the medical community, which
2 lacks adequate tests for proper diagnoses; and
3 WHEREAS, Children with epileptic aphasia and autistic
4 spectrum disorders have neurological problems that may not be
5 adequately assessed; and
6 WHEREAS, Effective treatment of these disorders rests on the
7 proper and timely diagnosis of the disorders and an
8 understanding of their neurobiological basis; and
9 WHEREAS, The Center for Clinical and Developmental
10 Neuropsychology was established by Thomas Jefferson University
11 as a clinical and research facility devoted to understanding the
12 biological basis of human behavior; and
13 WHEREAS, Dr. Gerry A. Stefanatos, director of the Center for
14 Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology, has developed novel
15 approaches to diagnose neurological abnormalities associated
16 with epileptic aphasia and autistic spectrum disorders; and
17 WHEREAS, These approaches have opened up the possibility of
18 new biomedical treatment of these disorders; and
19 WHEREAS, The efforts of Dr. Stefanatos and the staff of the
20 Center for Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology have
21 greatly enhanced the lives of many children who have epileptic
22 aphasia and autistic spectrum disorders; and
23 WHEREAS, The research of Dr. Stefanatos and the Center for
24 Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology has received
25 worldwide attention and praise; therefore be it
26 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize Dr.
27 Gerry A. Stefanatos and the staff of the Center for Clinical and
28 Developmental Neuropsychology of Thomas Jefferson University for
29 their outstanding contributions and efforts in the treatment and
30 understanding of autism, aphasia and related disorders; and be
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1 it further
2 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
3 importance of such research in the development of diagnosis and
4 treatment practices for children with autism, aphasia and
5 related disorders.
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