CDC Warns Of Possible Outbreak Of Acute Flaccid Myelitis Among Children In 2020

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning the public of a possible outbreak of a rare, fatal neurological condition affecting children later this year.

Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), which causes paralysis, usually peaks every two years from August to November, the CDC said Tuesday. The last peak happened in 2018, when 238 cases were reported.

The health protection agency advised doctors and parents to watch kids for symptoms because the ailment progresses rapidly. The condition can cause permanent paralysis or fatal respiratory failure in patients who were healthy previously.

"As we head into these critical next months, CDC is taking necessary steps to help clinicians better recognize signs and symptoms of AFM in children," CDC Director Robert Redfield said.

Symptoms of the condition include current or recent respiratory problems, headache, pain or numbness in limbs, facial weakness, back or neck pain, difficulty walking, talking or swallowing or fever. Parents need to seek urgent medical care if their child suddenly develops leg or arm weakness, the CDC stated.

The health protection agency admitted it is still trying to find out the number of deaths linked to AFM, adding many children who developed the condition are likely to have a permanent disability. The CDC revealed that, in 2018, many children with AFM developed respiratory illness or fever before feeling weak in their limbs, leading scientists to hypothesize the condition is caused by a virus, though much of the ailment remains a mystery.

"We've learned a lot but we have a lot to learn about AFM. We don't yet know why certain kids develop AFM when there are many with respiratory illness recover with no neurologic symptoms," CDC Division of Viral Diseases deputy director Thomas Clark said.

He added not knowing the risk factors meant they cannot tell parents any specific thing they can do to protect their kids from AFM. He advised parents to religiously observe typical hygiene measures the agency recommends during the respiratory virus season. These include getting vaccinated for the flu, regularly washing hands and sanitizing often-touched objects.

CDC revealed the median age of children with AFM in 2018 was 5 years old and 59% of them were male. Around 98% of patients were admitted to hospitals, with 54% of them requiring intensive care, of which 23% needed ventilation.

Officials of the health protection agency said they are not sure if social distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic will impact the enteroviruses and other viruses believed to cause AFM. However, the CDC underscored the importance of seeking medical care if kids show AFM symptoms, even at a time when parents may be worried about going to health facilities due to coronavirus infection fears.

"We want parents to understand that a lot of measures have been taken to provide health care on site safely. AFM is a medical emergency and any signs of limb weakness in their children that suddenly develop, there is a need to take the kids to the doctor," Clark said.