Acute Flaccid Myelitis: A Polio Mimicking Epidemic Causing Paralysing Among U.S Children

A recent report suggests that there has been a significant rise in a disease called acute flaccid myelitis paralyzing.The disease is similar in causes and effects to polio and is found to be more apparent in children and is responsible for many children deaths.

The epidemic is on a verge of increase with every progressing day and has no available cures.This situation is quite similar to the epidemic of polio in mid-'50s. Acute flaccid myelitis is responsible for the death of as many as eighty-nine children across 33 states of the country up till now.

This is alarming and if the vaccination is not developed or any another cure is not discovered then the numbers can increase and cause more deaths.

The disease is quite much similar to polio as it also affects the functioning of nervous system. The only thing discovered about this new type of polio - like the disease is that it can lead to paralysis just like polio does.
The children affected with this disease have been reported to develop muscle weakening, leg weakness, slow reflexes , droopy eyes , difficulty in swallowing and slurred speech.

Vaxtruth further says that the consequences of the disease can range from mild paralysis to complete paralysis in all four limbs to inability to breathe. The onset of this disease corresponds to common viruses which initially cause fever, cold, respiratory problems and then end up into muscle weakening which eventually develops into acute flaccid myelitis.

This disease is quite rare but as prevention is better than cure, so if any of the symptoms are observed to develop in an individual then consulting a physician is mandatory. The only available treatment is intravenous gamma globulin which is injected to boost the immune system to fight infections.

Efforts are in process to develop drugs and vaccination to fight the disease.

© 2024 ParentHerald.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Join the Discussion
Real Time Analytics