Disease paralyzing children baffles CDC

Federal health officials are worried about an increase in a mysterious and rare condition that mostly affects children and can paralyze arms and legs, with 127 confirmed or suspected cases reported as of Tuesday.

Of those, 62 cases of acute flaccid myelitis, or AFM, have been confirmed in 22 states, according to Nancy Messonnier, a top official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 90 percent of the confirmed cases have been in children 18 and under, with the average age being 4 years old.

There is no specific treatment for the disorder, and longterm outcomes are unknown. The rare but serious disorder affects a person’s nervous system, specifically the spinal cord. Neurological conditions like it have a variety of causes, such as viruses, environmental toxins and genetic disorders.

The CDC began tracking the condition in 2014, when there were 120 confirmed cases. In 2016, there were 149 confirmed cases.

The number of cases spiked in August and September, Messonnier said in a news briefing with reporters. One child with the disorder died in 2017.

Officials have been baffled by the increase and are starting to count suspected cases as well as confirmed ones to better anticipate increases in confirmed cases over the coming months.

Despite extensive laboratory and other testing, the CDC has been unable to find the cause in the majority of the cases. Polio has been ruled out.

“We understand that people, particularly parents, are concerned about AFM,” Messonnier said. “We know this can be frightening for parents, and I know many parents want to know what signs and symptoms they should be looking out for in their children.”

Parents should seek medical care immediately if their child develops sudden weakness or loss of muscle tone in the arms and legs.

Some patients diagnosed with this condition have recovered quickly, but others continue to have paralysis and require ongoing care, Messonnier said.

Parents and clinicians should remember that this is a rare condition, affecting less than one in a million people, she said.

“As a parent myself, I understand what it’s like to be scared for your child,” she said. “Parents need to know that AFM is rare even with the increase in cases we are seeing now.”