DALLAS – November 2016 – Late summer and early fall have brought an uptick in the number of cases of the polio-like paralytic disease acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) that has been affecting children in the U.S.  While the disease is rare – there were 89 cases reported in the first nine months of 2016 – the serious consequences and the fact that the cause remains a puzzle for health officials can make it worrisome for both pediatricians and parents.

Dr. Benjamin Greenberg, a neurologist and pediatrician at UT Southwestern Medical Center who investigates rare diseases and has treated cases of AFM, said that for parents, the key is to seek medical help for a child with sudden weakness in an arm, a leg, or both.

AFM is usually, but not always, preceded by a respiratory illness or gastrointestinal symptoms. Paralysis follows.  “If someone has weakness for more than one day, they should be evaluated,” says Dr. Greenberg, Associate Professor of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, and Pediatrics. “Odds are that even if they have weakness, it’s not this. There are many other causes of muscle weakness, but any child with unexplained weakness should be seen by a physician.” 

While the cause is still being sorted out, Greenberg says a virus that causes a cold is the most likely culprit, so prevention measures are general measures for avoiding viral infections, including frequent hand-washing and avoiding contact with people who are sick.

Dr. Greenberg is the Cain Denius Scholar in Mobility Disorders.

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