For the last four years, Dr. Benjamin Greenberg has been tracking cases of Acute Flaccid Myelitis. He’s a neurologist at UT Southwestern and Children’s Health in Dallas, the lead site for the North American study of Transverse Myelitis.
“There is nothing more scary than to think of a perfectly healthy child going to bed normal one night and the next day being paralyzed,” said Greenberg.
He has seen six children since the summer diagnose with AFM. While the Center for Disease Control and Prevention says the cause is unknown, Dr. Greenberg has a strong suspicion that AFM is coming from a common virus. “Enterovirus. This is the family of viruses that includes the Polio virus, but it is a cousin of it,” he explained.
He said while many people get the virus, very few will get paralysis. It is a very rare illness. The point of paralysis means the virus has spread to the spinal cord. According to the CDC, its so rare that less than one in a million people will get AFM. Most patients are children.
Dr. Greenberg is worried it will get worse as time goes on. “Right now, in terms of October 2018, we’re safe,” he said, “Where I do get concerned is about the future.” He believes it will be a public health concern and is worth a conversation and further research.
For parents, he advises guardians to look out for symptoms, but don’t panic. “Weakness of one or more limbs, difficulty controlling an arm, difficulty controlling a leg,” said the doctor, “There is not a need to get an evaluation for a neurological condition unless there are symptoms of weakness or swallowing difficulties.”
Dr. Greenberg also wants to remind families to take standard precautions. Maintaining personal hygiene, getting vaccinations, and keeping kids home from school while sick are all steps he says parents should continue to take.