SPONSOR:

Sen. Poore

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

149th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 21

PROMOTING AWARENESS OF THE RARE DISEASE HYPOPHOSPHATEMIC RICKETS.

WHEREAS, h ypophosphatemic rickets  is a disorder in which the bones become painfully soft and bend easily, due to low levels of phosphate in the blood; and

WHEREAS, the symptoms of hypophosphatemic rickets usually begin in infancy or early childhood, and the specific symptoms and severity can vary greatly among affected children. The condition can be so mild that there are no noticeable symptoms, or so severe that it causes bowing of the legs and other bone deformities, bone pain, joint pain, and short stature; and

WHEREAS, hypophosphatemic rickets is almost always hereditary and may be caused by mutations in any of several genes. The specific gene involved determines the way it is inherited; and 

WHEREAS, the long-term prognosis for people with hypophosphatemic rickets is good; with appropriate management, normal health and normal lifespan are expected; and 

WHEREAS, X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets is the most common form of rickets that runs in families and affects about 1 in 20,000 newborns, while each of the other forms of hereditary hypophosphatemic rickets has been identified in only a few families; and 

WHEREAS, while the public is familiar with some rare diseases such as “Lou Gehrig’s disease” and sympathetic to those affected, many patients and families affected by less widely known rare diseases bear a large share of the burden of funding research and raising public awareness to support the search for treatments.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 149th General Assembly of the State of Delaware that the Senate promotes the awareness of the rare disease hypophosphatemic rickets.

SYNOPSIS

This Senate Resolution promotes awareness of the rare disease hypophosphatemic rickets.

Author: Senator Poore