The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed a second case of Acute Flaccid Myelitis, or AFM, in a child from Oakland County. The first case was confirmed earlier this month in a child in Wayne County. AFM is a polio-like condition. It affects the nervous system and can cause muscles and reflexes in the body to become weak. The disease is rare. The exact cause isn’t know, but it often comes on after a respiratory illness. Lynn Sutfin is with the Michigan Department of Health. She spoke with Michigan News Network about AFM.
“If anybody experiences or has a child that experiences sudden facial droop or weakness, a weakness in one of their limbs, drooping eyelids or maybe difficulty with swallowing or slurred speech, we recommend that they go straight to the emergency room,” Sutfin said.
So far this year there have been 158 confirmed cases of AFM across the country.
