What we know (and don't) about polio-like disease AFM affecting young children

The polio-like disease that can cause paralysis among young children hasn't been confirmed in Delaware yet — but it has been seen in Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Acute flaccid myelitis is a rare condition that has been confirmed in 62 patients and reported among 155 people so far this year, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials.

Most of these patients are young children.

Here's what health officials know — and don't know — about the disease:

What we know about AFM 

• The disease affects a person's nervous system, resulting in weakness in the limbs. Doctors have found that the symptoms often resemble certain viruses like polio and West Nile.
• Symptoms in children include: facial droop, difficulty moving the eyes, drooping eyelids, difficulty swallowing and slurred speech. 
• Of the 386 cases confirmed by CDC officials since 2014, about 90 percent are among those 18 years old and younger. The average age of diagnosis is 4 years old.
• Patients with AFM often require long-term care, though others have recovered quickly. One child died of the disease in 2017. 
• The disease has been confirmed in 22 states, including those that border Delaware. 

What we don't know

• CDC officials say they still do not know the cause of most AFM cases and why the number of cases has increased since 2014.
• Potential causes can include viruses, environmental toxins and genetic disorders, officials said. 
• It's also unclear who has a higher risk for developing the disease — or why they might be at a higher risk, officials said. 
• The long-term effects are still unknown. While some patients can recover quickly, others have paralysis and need ongoing care. 

What's being done about it 

• CDC officials say they are actively investigating the reports of AFM and watching the spread of the disease. 
• Delaware Division of Public Health spokeswoman Jennifer Brestel said in an email that the state has sent "clinical guidance" to local medical providers about the disease.

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Contact Meredith Newman at (302) 324-2386 or mnewman@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @MereNewman.