Kids being paralyzed by Enterovirus?

I'm back to blogging! Have you ever had one of those HUGE projects due at work and you are really stressed out? Yeah, it's been one of THOSE kind of months. So I have neglected my asthma blog.  But I was always thinking about it - a story would be on the news, and I would think "I should blog about that!!"

 ABC News has had a few reports lately about how some kids who have the fast moving Enterovirus 68 have also had paralysis. Of course I am worried about my 3 kids because they all have asthma and have had repeated hospitalizations.  They are older now, so when they get sick, it's not as bad as when they were younger. But I still worry. I have seen my kids go from bad to worse in a few hours - it's VERY scary to watch them struggling to breathe.

Now there are kids who have contracted Enterovirus 68 and can't move their arms and legs. It affects a small number of kids. The report from ABC News last week said that there are 277 confirmed cases of the virus in the U.S., and only 9 of those kids have had paralysis in their arms and legs. BUT - if your child happens to be one of those that suddenly can't move, that's a big problem! In the video, Dr. William Shaffner (Vanderbilt University) said that the virus invades the spinal column and damages some of the cells and that's what causes some of the children to not be able to move their arms and legs.

The report also says that there are probably many, many more than the reported 277 cases, but in some people, the virus is mild and is nothing more than cold - like symptoms.

The CDC is tracking cases, so if your child has had a cold and suddenly can't move their arms and legs, call your doctor - FAST!! 

Doctors are also suggesting the basics - having kids wash their hands. We also avoid anyone that is sneezing or coughing. (It's not that we are paranoid....it's just that I don't want my kids catching the virus!! A cold to some people means pneumonia and another hospitalization for our family) 

We have already stocked up on chicken soup, orange juice, throat lozenges, asthma medicine and my favorite tissue that have lotion in them! Let's hope we don't need to use all of those!