Doctors say that although they expect little Julia to make a full recovery, she will need months or years therapy to regain all the strength she’s lost to the virus, which causes muscle weakness.
I do want to stress that this illness is RARE, and parents don’t need to panic, but the CDC does say it is “concerned” about the spike in cases. Like most contagious diseases, doctors say the best defense against it is proper hand-washing. Here are some other facts the CDC listed about the virus.
CDC facts about acute flaccid myelits:
- Most patients are children
- The patients’ symptoms have been most similar to complications of infection with certain viruses, including poliovirus, non-polio enteroviruses, adenoviruses, and West Nile virus.
- Enteroviruses most commonly cause mild illness. They can also cause neurologic illness, such as meningitis, encephalitis, and AFM, but these are rare.
- CDC has tested many different specimens from AFM patients for a wide range of pathogens (germs) that can cause AFM. To date, no pathogen (germ) has been consistently detected in the patients’ spinal fluid; a pathogen detected in the spinal fluid would be good evidence to indicate the cause of AFM since this condition affects the spinal cord.
Bottom line: There’s no need to panic about AFM, but taking all the usual precautions that you do (and encourage your kids to do) during cold and flu season is the best way to avoid it. Cover coughs and sneezes, stay home when sick, and wash those hands like it’s your job! Have kids wash hands when they get home from school, too.
Be informed and be smart this cold and flu season, parents!
