What parents should know about the polio-like paralyzing disease the CDC is warning about
What parents should know about the polio-like paralyzing disease the CDC is warning about USA TODAY 3 hrs ago Ashley May Click to expand Replay Video UP NEXT A young girl was hospitalized after being stung by venomous caterpillar A five-year-old girl had to be hospitalized after she was stung by what might be the most poisonous caterpillar in the U.S. Veuer Whole Grain vs. Multigrain vs. Whole Wheat Whole Grain vs. Multigrain vs. Whole Wheat My Recipes Study finds dietary supplements may contain harmful drugs A total of 776 over-the-counter dietary supplements were found to contain potentially harmful drugs. Next Media Animation via Reuters 1 Cancel SETTINGS OFF HD HQ SD LO 6 Minnesota kids diagnosed with rare, polio-like disorder USA TODAY See more videos SHARE SHARE TWEET SHARE EMAIL What to watch next A young girl was hospitalized after being stung by venomous caterpillar Veuer 0:35 Whole Grain vs. Multigrain vs. Whole Wheat My Recipes 1:20 Study finds dietary supplements may contain harmful drugs Next Media Animation via Reuters 0:46 Runner is 1st athlete with cerebral palsy to sign Nike deal TODAY 1:01 Food Allergies: Here’s What to Look for While Trick or Treating This Halloween Cooking Light 0:56 What’s really in candy corn? Health 2:47 This man is speaking out to raise awareness about male breast cancer TODAY 0:57 U.S. Army under the threat of obesity Veuer 0:58 Grapefruit Juice Can Affect How Well Some Medicines Work Veuer 1:12 Why Doctors in Scotland Are Sending Patients Out the Door (in a Good Way) Buzz60 0:48 Weight loss linked to lower breast cancer risk CBS News 1:28 Proposal is first thing Louisiana man hears after receiving cochlear implant Inside Edition 1:23 Unusual number of Minnesota children diagnosed with rare acute flaccid myelitis CBS News 3:02 Woman whose ‘eye exploded’ after hit by golf ball at Ryder Cup speaks out TODAY 2:57 From 2011 to 2017, more than 250 people died while taking selfies Newsy 0:58 Healthwatch: Southern diet linked to high blood pressure CBS Baltimore 0:48 UP NEXT More cases of a polio-like disease are affecting children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC has been investigating at least 386 possible cases of acute flaccid myelitis dating back to 2014, and recently confirmed 62 cases in 22 states this year.
Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said this “dramatic” and serious disease is causing a lot of concern nationwide. Of the confirmed cases, 90 percent are children. The average age is 4 years old.
“We know this can be frightening for parents,” Messonnier said in a news briefing.
Here’s what parents should know:
What is AFM? Acute flaccid myelitis is a rare condition that affects the area of spinal cord called gray matter and can cause paralysis. The CDC said the cause of most AFM cases is unknown, but a few cases have been linked to other viruses. There is no specific treatment for it and longterm implications are unknown.
What symptoms should parents look for? “I encourage parents to seek medical care right away if you or your child develop sudden weakness or loss of muscle tone in the arms or legs,” Messonnier said. Symptoms include drooping face and eyelids, difficulty with eye movement and swallowing, and slurred speech. In severe cases, children might have trouble breathing and need a ventilator because of muscle weakness.
Has anyone died from AFM? Yes, there is one report of a child dying from AFM in 2017.
What are the chances my child will get AFM? Though cases have been on the rise since 2014, AFM still affects a small population – less than one in a million people in the U.S. annually.
How can people prevent AFM? The CDC recommends people follow normal disease prevention steps, including staying current on vaccines, washing hands and wearing insect repellent.
More: People in 22 states were diagnosed with this rare polio-like disease. What to know about AFM
More: Paralyzing polio-like disease affects more children, Maryland Health Department says
More: Rare, polio-like disorder affecting children on the rise, CDC says
Follow Ashley May on Twitter: @AshleyMayTweets
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