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 19970H0307R2684 - 2 -
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. L8L82JRW/19970H0307R2684 - 3 -