As battle-weary Americans struggle to emerge from the anxiety and worry of COVID-19, there might be even more bad news around the corner this fall for parents of young children.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is sounding the alarm now about increased cases of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) in the coming fall. It is of a rare but serious polio-like condition that surfaces every two years and children under five are its main target.

On average, patients during the last outbreak in 2018 were aged 5 years old. Limb weakness and paralysis is the most common symptom of the condition which affects the nerve cells in the gray matter of the spinal cord. Others include a fever, pain, or numbness in one or more limbs, problems walking normally, a headache, back or neck pain, issues with swallowing or talking, and weakness in the face or neck. Patients may also have had a recent or current respiratory illness. August 05 - Newsweek

In what has already been a harrowing year, it looks like there may be another serious health concern on the horizon. And if you are an expert covering children’s health the potential for acute flaccid myelitis to peak in 2020 – then let our experts help.

Dr. Elizabeth Sekul is a highly acclaimed pediatric neurologist specializing in electrodiagnostic medicine and neuromuscular diseases. She also works as an associate professor at the Medical College of Georgia's Department of Neurology and the Department of Pediatrics and Child Neurology. If you are a journalist looking to book an interview – simply click on Dr. Sekul’s icon and arrange a time today.