In simple words: AFM is a rare but serious illness that causes sudden weakness in the arms or legs, mostly in children. It often starts with cold-like symptoms and is thought to be caused by a virus. AFM affects the spinal cord and can make it hard to move or breathe. Although there is no specific treatment, most children improve with supportive care.

Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a rare but serious neurological condition that primarily affects children. AFM is characterized by sudden onset of muscle weakness and loss of reflexes, typically in the arms or legs.It often follows a viral infection, particularly enterovirus D68, although other viruses like West Nile Virus and adenoviruses have also been implicated. The condition leads to inflammation and damage to the gray matter of the spinal cord, which disrupts the transmission of nerve signals to the muscles.While most patients initially present with respiratory illness or fever, the subsequent muscle weakness can progress rapidly and may require hospitalization and ventilator support in severe cases.MRI scans of the spinal cord reveal a characteristic butterfly-shaped pattern of abnormality in the gray matter. Although there are no established treatments for AFM, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) might be used to bolster the body's immune response. The long-term effects of AFM vary, with some individuals experiencing persistent muscle weakness. It's important to distinguish AFM from other neurological conditions with similar symptoms, such as Guillain-Barre Syndrome and Transverse Myelitis.

Example 1: A 5-year-old child presents with sudden onset of weakness in her left arm and leg, along with difficulty swallowing, a week after having a mild respiratory infection.An MRI reveals the characteristic butterfly-shaped lesion in the spinal cord, leading to a diagnosis of acute flaccid myelitis., A 7-year-old child develops rapid-onset paralysis in both legs and difficulty breathing following a fever and cough. He is hospitalized and requires ventilator support.Tests rule out polio, and the diagnosis is confirmed as acute flaccid myelitis., A 3-year-old child experiences sudden weakness in one arm, accompanied by loss of muscle tone and reflexes in the affected limb.Following an MRI and cerebrospinal fluid analysis, the child is diagnosed with acute flaccid myelitis, likely triggered by a recent enterovirus infection.

Symptoms (sudden limb weakness, facial droop, difficulty swallowing or breathing), neurological examination findings (decreased muscle tone and reflexes), MRI findings (butterfly-shaped lesion in the spinal cord gray matter), CSF analysis (to rule out other infections), history of recent viral illness.

** Acute flaccid myelitis is a relatively new and evolving diagnosis.Further research is needed to fully understand the causes, optimal treatment strategies, and long-term prognosis.