Knowing something is wrong with your child is terrifying for any parent, but the mystery becomes more frightening when the symptoms even puzzle the experts. In 2018, at a peak in cases of acute flaccid myelitis, also known as AFM, otherwise healthy kids experienced debilitating paralysis. Researchers of this perplexing illness braced for a surge in 2022 that never came, and now there is talk about a possible increase of AFM this year.

To break down the past and prepare for the future, we are joined by two experts. Kevin Messacar, MD, and Hai Nguyen-Tran, MD, both specialize in pediatric infectious disease at Children’s Hospital Colorado. Dr. Messacar is an associate professor and Dr. Nguyen-Tran is an assistant professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Some highlights from this episode include:   

• What the history of AFM tells the medical community 
• Why it’s so tricky to diagnose and identify 
• How primary care providers can properly prepare  

For more information on Children’s Colorado, visit: childrenscolorado.org.