afm is a rare, serious illness that impacts the spinal cord and the rest of the nervous system, and can cause sudden weakness or paralysis of the arms and legs. other symptoms, according to the mayo clinic , include loss of reflexes, difficulty moving the eyes, facial droop, difficulty swallowing, slurred speech, and arm, leg, neck or back pain.
afm is often caused by a group of viruses called enteroviruses. enteroviruses are common and aren’t usually dangerous — but they can be in some cases, especially when it comes to younger, under-developed immune systems. and though the cdc recognized a pattern in outbreaks — 2014, 2016 and 2018 — and was expecting one in 202o, the pandemic and corresponding public health measures disrupted the timing.
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“we really thought this was going to happen in 2020, because we had the last spike in 2018,” pediatric neurologist dr. sarah hopkins told nbc news. “but then with mask-wearing and social distancing and all those things that limit the spread of a respiratory virus, we didn’t have that expected spike.”
the good news is that most children who contract the illness won’t have severe symptoms. most kids will have regular cold symptoms, or may not even realize they’re sick. only about one in four children will experience nausea, headache, fever and soreness, according to webmd . and only about one in 200 will experience paralysis. but if that happens, it’s crucial to seek medical attention right away.
the respiratory symptoms usually go away before the neurological ones start, stanford university neurology professor dr. keith van haren told nbc.
“when the neurologic symptoms begin, they can begin pretty suddenly,” he said. “they can peak within the course of hours in a way that can be a little bit startling.”
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that’s when parents should take action, dr. matt elrick, assistant professor of neurology at the kennedy krieger institute who specializes in afm, told abc news.
polio has largely been eradicated in most of the world, including canada, due to vaccination. (although, disturbingly, polio cases re-emerged in new york this summer.) polio is a contagious viral illness that can cause nerve injury that leads to permanent paralysis. the full name for the illness caused by the poliovirus is poliomyelitis. both illnesses share the name “myelitis,” which refers to inflammation of the spinal cord.
there’s no definitive way the illness can be avoided, but health canada suggests the same cautionary measures as suggested during regular cold and flu season: frequent handwashing and disinfecting of high-touch surfaces, coughing or sneezing into the arm rather than the hand, avoiding close contact with people who are sick, and keeping up to date on vaccinations.
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