In case you missed it, The Today Show featured a brief segment this morning about Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) and Enterovirus D68.  Unlike the People Magazine article I wrote about a couple weeks ago, this clip seems to give the most accurate information I’ve seen so far.

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The unfortunate truth is that there really isn’t a lot of information out there.  No two children are affected in exactly the same way, and not all who have AFM tested positive for EV D68.  The most frightening thing is that because we don’t know the cause, we don’t know how to prevent it.  As the doctor in the video stated, the best way to prevent any kind of virus is through frequent hand-washing.  I don’t advocate Purelling yourself and your kids to death… but good ol’ fashioned soap and water goes a long way to preventing the spread of germs.

Please don’t assume that just because your child comes down with a cold or respiratory infection, they’re going to fall victim to AFM.  However, they do have a cold or respiratory illness and you or your child notice any combination of the following symptoms, please go to the ER and request an MRI immediately:

weakness, tingling, or pain in one or more of their limbs
facial drooping
trouble supporting the neck/head
difficulty swallowing

Better to be safe than sorry!

As always, thank you for your continued prayers as we continue down this difficult road!

And just so there’s a little bit of “happy” in this post, this is my big guy and one of his Bonus Moms at school today… it’s Crazy Accessories Day, and what better accessory is there for a real-life super hero than his cape and mask?  😉