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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Heterotaxy syndrome is a disorder that results in
3certain organs forming on the opposite side of the body;
4Heterotaxy has been known to affect the development of the
5heart, liver, lungs, intestines, and spleen; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Babies with Heterotaxy syndrome are usually first
7identified because they have structural problems with their
8hearts or livers; 4 out of every 1,000,000 babies born will
9have Heterotaxy syndrome; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Babies with Heterotaxy can have symptoms that
11start shortly after birth, including a blue color to the skin
12(cyanosis), poor feeding habits, fast breathing, increased
13sweating when they eat, or poor weight gain; all of these
14symptoms can indicate heart failure in the baby; other symptoms
15include heart murmurs, biliary atresia, intestinal blockage,
16no spleen (asplenia), and many little spleens (polysplenia);
17and
 
18    WHEREAS, The exact cause of Heterotaxy is not known, but
19the symptoms result from the way that the internal organs turn
20into position during fetal development; this rotation can be
21affected by many different factors, including infection,
22genetics, or exposure to certain chemicals; and
 

 

 

SR0436- 2 -LRB099 12023 GRL 34607 r

1    WHEREAS, The use of echocardiograms, electrocardiograms,
2and x-rays, among other medical diagnostic tools, can ensure a
3timely and accurate diagnosis of Heterotaxy syndrome; the use
4of medication and surgical procedures can then be used to help
5treat the syndrome; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Without corrective surgery, most children with
7Heterotaxy syndrome and significant heart problems will not
8survive beyond the first year of life; therefore, be it
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
10ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate May 4,
112015 as Heterotaxy Awareness Day in the State of Illinois in
12order to bring attention to this disorder and the efforts of
13many to treat this serious problem.