CDC Warns of Surge in Polio-Like Illness Affecting Children, Parents Urged Not to Delay Treatment
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning the American public about an uptick in a rare illness that affects children.
Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) is similar to polio and it can cause permanent disability and sometimes death.
Doctors say parents should seek "early and aggressive" treatment. The CDC is sounding the alarm to encourage parents to go to the doctor, even if they're worried about exposing their children to the coronavirus.
Common symptoms include fever, neck or back pain, weakness in limbs, and difficulty walking. While the number of US cases is relatively low – it's nothing like an epidemic – it can lead to lifelong disabilities, so the CDC wants parents to be aware that it's out there.
Based on evidence that the CDC has collected since 2014, AFM experiences a surge in cases every other year, and it's expected to reoccur from now through November, according to Axios.
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Scientists are still tracking down the cause of AFM, but CDC officials expressed concern that parents may delay seeking medical help due to fears over COVID-19.
As of July 31, there were 16 cases confirmed and 38 were under investigation.
"Unfortunately, many kids with AFM will have permanent disability," said Thomas Clark, the deputy director of the CDC's viral diseases division, at a press briefing.
"It's really important that kids get into rehabilitation — early and aggressive physical therapy and occupational therapy can help strengthen the function that they do retain and help them go about their lives with the best functioning possible," Clark added.
Clark and CDC Director Robert Redfield discussed the findings of the agency's latest Vital Signs report. It examined evidence from the 2018 season, which had 238 confirmed patients around the age of 5-years-old.
#AcuteFlaccidMyelitis (AFM) causes sudden arm or leg weakness, mostly in children. It can progress rapidly, requiring a ventilator for breathing. Read about AFM in the new #VitalSigns report: https://t.co/yoEx1Ye0oh. #knowAFM pic.twitter.com/3LApCkybGI
— CDC (@CDCgov) August 5, 2020
About 92 percent experienced a fever, respiratory illness, or both before the weakness set in.
In addition to weakness, 52 percent had difficulty walking, 47 percent experienced neck or back pain, and 34 percent reported pain in their limbs.
Among the 211 who were outpatients when the weakness began, 64 percent went to an emergency department for treatment.
And 23 percent of patients required assistance breathing with a ventilator.
Researchers continue to look for the cause of AFM, although "most patients" had the enterovirus (EV-D68) in their system. EV-D68 is another virus that can cause difficulty breathing, sneezing, coughing, body aches, and muscle aches.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is working on a vaccine for enterovirus EV-D68 to fight AFM.
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