Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) | VitalSigns | CDC

Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) | VitalSigns | CDC

• Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is an uncommon but life-threatening neurologic condition that affects mostly children and can lead to permanent paralysis. The most common symptom of AFM is limb weakness.
• AFM is a medical emergency. In 2018, most patients with AFM were hospitalized, and 1 in 4 hospitalized patients required a ventilator—according to CDC’s latest Vital Signs report.
• Pediatricians and medical providers in emergency departments and urgent care centers should be prepared to quickly recognize the symptoms of AFM and immediately hospitalize affected patients.