(Bloomberg) -- Parents and pediatricians should be on alert for a rare neurological condition afflicting children that can lead to long-term paralysis and, infrequently, death, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Tuesday.
While the ailment, known as acute flaccid myelitis, has been around for years at low levels, serious outbreaks began in 2014, when 120 children were afflicted. Since then, it's struck in rising numbers every other year in late summer and fall. It has already started to emerge this year, with 16 children diagnosed and one death as of the end of July. Another 38 additional cases are under investigation.
AFM is believed to be a complication of a viral infection, most likely enterovirus D68, though researchers haven't been able to confirm its exact cause. The biggest red flag for the condition is muscle weakness, and children who develop it should be rushed to the hospital, CDC Director Robert Redfield said Tuesday.
“AFM is a medical emergency that requires immediate care,” he said during a conference call with reporters, pointing out that paralysis can develop within hours. “We are pushing AFM information out nationwide to educate all physicians, especially front-line providers, to alert and prepare them for an increase in cases this year.”
The agency is particularly concerned that parents might hesitate in taking their children to the doctor amid the coronavirus outbreak, instead waiting to see if they recover at home. That would be a mistake, Redfield said. While many children do suffer permanent weakness or paralysis, early and aggressive physical therapy may help them strengthen the function that they retain, said Thomas Clark, deputy director of the CDC's division of viral diseases.
Most cases are preceded by fever or respiratory troubles, which can complicate spotting it since those are common to other illnesses. Increased vigilance spurred by Covid-19 could help spot it earlier, while steps that are being taken to avoid coronavirus may avert, reduce or delay the expected outbreak of AFM in 2020, Redfield said.
While the condition is similar to polio, patients test negative for the poliovirus, which has been eliminated thanks to vaccines. There is no cure.
This year could be the worst to date, as there has been a rising number of cases with each outbreak. More than half of the 238 children affected in 2018 needed intensive care, and a quarter of them were placed on a ventilator. The average age was 5.
©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
