Chattanooga boy among dozens across U.S. with paralyzing illness
A 6-year-old Chattanooga boy is undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a rare and mysterious paralyzing illness that affects the nervous system.
At least 62 cases of acute flaccid myelitis, or AFM, have been confirmed in 22 states this year, and an additional 65 suspicious cases are being investigated, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released this week.
Although the current rate of AFM is less than one in a million, the CDC issued an alert encouraging people who develop sudden weakness, loss of muscle tone or reflexes in the arms or legs to seek immediate medical care. Other possible symptoms include facial droop or weakness, difficulty moving the eyes, drooping eyelids, difficulty swallowing and slurred speech.
Most cases have been in children since 2014, which is when officials first noticed and began tracking a wave of AFM. A similar surge also occurred in 2016.
“I am frustrated that despite all of our efforts we haven’t been able to identify the cause of this mystery illness,” Dr. Nancy Messonnier, a CDC expert, said during a media telebriefing on Tuesday. “We continue to investigate to better understand the clinical picture of AFM cases, risk factors and possible causes of the increase in cases.”
Poliovirus is not the cause of these cases, Messonnier said, but AFM can be caused by other viruses.
Some patients diagnosed with the illness recover quickly, whereas others continue to have paralysis and require ongoing care. One known death of a child occurred in 2017.
The mother of the Chattanooga boy, Serena Hill, said her son, Spencer Hill, is “one of the very, very lucky ones.”
Spencer was taken to a doctor in mid-September for a common cold that took about two weeks to run its course, she said. Then, a few days later, he started complaining about his hands and feet “not feeling right.” Within 72 hours, he couldn’t walk.
He was taken to Children’s Hospital at Erlanger on Sept. 28, where his condition was quickly identified and he was given a high-dose steroid.
“This all happened really suddenly,” Hill said. “You never expect your child to go through something like that and once you do hear of it, it’s a one-ina-million thing. It’s just scary cause there’s so many cases popping up.”
Spencer was transferred to Atlanta on Oct. 8 for additional treatment and rehabilitation, which Hill said is going well.
“The big thing is he’s walking, but he still has a way to go to regain his full balance and those fine motor skills in his fingers,” she said, adding that parents should monitor their children after an upper respiratory infection and seek medical attention if they complain about tingling, stiffness or other possible early signs of the illness.
Elizabeth Hart, a spokeswoman for the Tennessee Department of Health, said the agency is working closely with the CDC to monitor and confirm cases in the state. To date, the department has not had any cases confirmed.
“Unlike many conditions, there is no specific test for AFM. The process to confirm cases of AFM requires detailed review by a team at CDC that includes evaluation of symptoms and neurological assessments,” Hart said in an email. “[The health department] will continue to work with the CDC to test specimens and review possible cases.”