Mysterious illness sickening central Ohio kids
There have been four confirmed cases of a rare but serious condition here in central Ohio.
It’s called Acute flaccid myelitis and affects the nervous system, specifically the spinal cord, and can causes paralysis.
One of the cases is in Circleville but none have been confirmed in Franklin County.
Other symptoms include :
- onset of arm or leg weakness
- loss of muscle tone and reflexes
- arm or leg weakness
- facial droop/weakness,
- difficulty moving the eyes
- difficulty with swallowing or slurred speech.
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Early symptoms include a mild fever and respiratory illness.
The CDC has confirmed 62 cases nationwide so far this year with 90 percent of those cases involving kids under the age of 18.
The Centers For Disease Control is working to find the cause of AFM, reports 10TV.
The Ohio Department of Health is emphasizing these points:
- Acute flaccid myelitis is a rare medical condition that affects less than 1 in a million people in the U.S. each year.
- While the number of acute flaccid myelitis cases have increased in the U.S. from 33 in 2017 to 62 so far in 2018, seasonal flu is a much greater health risk for most families, including children.
- Parents can help protect their children from serious diseases by taking preventive measures like washing their hands, staying up to date on recommended immunizations and using insect repellent to prevent diseases transmitted through the bite of infected insects like mosquitoes.
Click here for more information about AFM.
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