Is a mysterious paralyzing illness on the rise in the U.S.?

A drooping face and eyelids. Difficulty swallowing. Slurred speech.

If you noticed these terrifying symptoms in your child, what would you think?
Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a neurological condition that specifically targets the spinal cord and causes the above symptoms, among others. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting 50 cases of AFM so far this year. Last year, just 21 cases were confirmed, leaving parents worried that the condition is on the rise.

But in 2014, 120 cases were reported in the last five months of the year.

“No matter how we look at it, the trend is small,” says. Dr. Malliswari Challapalli, a pediatric infectious disease physician at Advocate Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn, Ill., who attributes the increase in reports of cases of AFM partially to the fact that the definition and terminology of the condition has changed, making for a more streamlined diagnosis. “But keep in mind that there is not a requirement to report AFM cases,” she urges.

With the lack of requirement to report cases, Dr. Challapalli says it is difficult to know the exact trends of incidence. The CDC strongly encourages health care providers to report cases to their respective health departments.

AFM, which most often affects children around seven years of age (90 percent of cases are in children), is diagnosed through examining the nervous system and affected muscles, MRI scans, testing nerve response and cerebrospinal fluid. The cause remains unknown, but germs associated with AFM include enteroviruses—both polio and non-polio, as well as the West Nile Virus and adenoviruses (linked to respiratory illness).

There is currently no specific treatment for AFM, which means providers must treat patients on a case-by-case basis. 85 percent of those infected with AFM have partially recovered, but only three have fully recuperated.

Prevention methods include staying up to date on all vaccinations—including poliovirus, minimizing interaction with mosquitoes in order to avoid contracting West Nile virus and washing your hands.