Acute flaccid myelitis is a rare but severe condition that causes spinal cord damage. This condition can lead to sudden legs or arms weakening. In addition, it can also result in loss of muscle reflexes and tone. The condition typically affects young children. Children have a mild fever or respiratory illness from a viral infection one to four weeks before the onset of the symptoms. Hence, immediate expert attention is pivotal if your child experiences these signs.
Sadly, the symptoms develop rapidly, and hospitalization is necessary for respiratory support.
Symptoms
Acute flaccid myelitis symptoms comprise the sudden onset of:
- Loss of balance and coordination
- Loss of reflexes
- Loss of muscle tone
- Leg or arm weakness
These symptoms usually develop over a few days or hours. Other signs include:
- Bowel and bladder dysfunction
- Pain in the back, neck, legs, or arms
- Slurred speech
- Difficulty swallowing food
- Muscle weakness
- Facial droopiness
- Drooping eyelids
- Difficulty moving your eyes
Acute flaccid myelitis may affect one or all of your limbs. However, it predominantly affects the upper limbs. In some cases, acute flaccid myelitis affects the muscles necessary to breathe. It may result in respiratory failure. It is life-threatening and demands immediate treatment. Some common respiratory failure symptoms include:
- Restlessness
- Extreme sleepiness and fatigue
- Shallow and rapid breathing
Causes
The exact causes of acute flaccid myelitis are still unknown; research is underway. But the risk often aggravates because of enterovirus EV-D68 that leads to cold-like illness. Most people with this condition often report having a fever before the symptom onset. Usually, those who develop this condition are children. The average diagnosis age is 6.3 years, and less than fifteen percent of people with acute flaccid myelitis are adults.
Diagnosis
Doctors find it challenging to diagnose acute flaccid myelitis because it is a rare condition. Moreover, it resembles many neurological diseases, such as polio, Guillain-Barre syndrome, and transverse myelitis. Your healthcare expert will ask about your health history and symptoms. They will order several tests for diagnosis or to rule out other conditions. Some commonly performed tests for acute flaccid myelitis diagnosis include:
- Neurological exam
- Physical exam
- Spinal tap to examine cerebral spinal fluid and check for inflammation signs
- MRI of the brain and spinal cord to evaluate changes in the spinal cord’s gray matter
- Muscle response examinations like electromyography
- Nerve response tests like nerve conduction studies
Treatment options
At present, there is no specific acute flaccid myelitis treatment. Neurologists or doctors specializing in treating spinal cord and brain ailments may recommend occupational or physical therapy to help with leg or arm weakness. Physical therapy commenced during the initial stage of the illness can help with long-term recovery.
Further, the doctor may suggest immunoglobulin treatment. These comprise healthy antibodies from healthy donors, antivirals, and options to lower inflammation. Doctors might also recommend a treatment to replace and remove the blood plasma. However, there is no clarity on whether these treatment measures have any benefits. However, these options help manage the condition and prevent further complications. In some cases, muscle and nerve transfer surgeries help better limb function.
