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A mysterious epidemic in Minnesota that doctors say resembles polio has left partially paralyzed children and confused health experts.
Seven-year-old Quinton Hill spent two weeks in a hospital undergoing various tests, according to his parents, before being diagnosed with acute flaccid myelitis, also known as AFM, a rare and serious condition that usually strikes children and affects the nerves. system resulting in muscle and nervous weakness.
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PHOTO: Seven-year-old Quinton Hill spent two weeks in a Minnesota hospital undergoing a series of tests before finally being diagnosed with acute flaccid myelitis. (James Hill)
"He just started complaining about a stiff neck, he could not move his neck and then his left arm," Quinton's father, James Hill, told KSTP-TV, a subsidiary of ABC. News. "We thought it was a" dead arm ", as it was lying on it in a fun way, so we did not think much about it at first … A few hours to no longer being able to move his arm, we started to worry more. "
The Minnesota Department of Health has announced that six cases of pediatric AFM have been reported since mid-September.
"This can be a complication as a result of a viral infection, but environmental and genetic factors can also contribute to its development," the health department said Friday in a press release.
PHOTO: James Hill and his son Quinton Hill. Hill said that Quinton was complaining of having stiff neck early, then that he could not move his neck or left arm anymore. (James Hill)
(PLUS: CDC Survey on the rise of the syndrome causing paralysis)
Patients had weaknesses in one or more limbs and all cases of AFM were hospitalized, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. Two cases required respiratory treatment in the intensive care unit, and all involved children under 10 years old in the Twin Cities area or in central and northeastern Minnesota.
The Minnesota Health Department launched an alert last Thursday, calling on hospitals and clinics to monitor all the symptoms associated with this rare disease.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which states that the AFM presents itself as polio or West Nile virus, estimate that less than one in a million people in the United States will have AFM each year. Symptoms include weakness, loss of muscle tone, facial sagging, difficulty swallowing, speech problems and, in severe cases, paralysis.
However, there has been a national increase in the number of AFD cases since 2014, with 362 cases registered between 2014 and 2018, according to the CDC and the Minnesota Department of Health.
The Minnesota Department of Health said that the state had registered three cases of MFA in 2014. However, since then, the Minnesota Department of Health has reported witnessing a case of MFA approximately once a year.
Although there is a variety of possible causes of the disease, there is no known cure.
PHOTO: Quinton Hill is one of six MFA cases reported in Minnesota since September 20th. The department issued a health alert. (James Hill)
(PLUS: 8 children hospitalized for a disorder of the rare nervous system)
"It starts with a cold, a cough, a runny nose, a congestion, and before you know it, you have weakness and paralysis of your arms and legs," Dr. Janette Nesheiwat told ABC News. , Family doctor.
After a few scary weeks, Quinton begins to regain his strength, said his father. Meanwhile, Quinton adapts to live without using his left arm.
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