Two days. That’s all it took for Jill and Jeff Ackermann to watch their son’s condition mysteriously deteriorate. On Saturday, six-year-old Bryson was the energetic, athletic, and bright-eyed little boy they always knew. By Monday, Bryson’s muscles were weak. Paralyzed from the neck to the waist, the boy couldn’t even hold his head up on his own anymore.
WTAE explains that further testing showed that Bryson had acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a rare neurological condition that affects gray matter in the spinal cord. He was hospitalized for more than 100 days as doctors attempted to provide care. During that time, Bryson required ventilatory support and a trach.
It has been five years since that hospitalization. Since the family found themselves questioning what their lives would look like and how Bryson has recovered.
Watching him recover has been nothing short of miraculous. Bryson relearned how to speak, to swallow, to walk. And importantly, he says, he’s learned once more to thrive on the baseball field. Even though he’s still struggled with weakness in his left arm, Bryson overcomes his challenges with grace and bravery. He even learned to pitch and catch with his right hand! As he moves forward as a pitcher and first baseman, we wish him well in any upcoming games.
About Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM)
Over the last ten years, the United States has seen an increase in acute flaccid myelitis cases each year. AFM typically affects children. Doctors don’t know the exact cause, but many hypothesize that enterovirus infection may play a role. This is because many children who develop AFM often have a mild respiratory infection or viral illness in the weeks before. Symptoms can progress rapidly. So if your child is showing signs of AFM, please seek medical attention immediately. Symptoms may include:
- Sudden muscle weakness in the arms and legs
- Loss of reflexes
- Difficulty swallowing
- Numbness or tingling
- Difficulty passing urine
- Loss of muscle tone
- Drooping eyelids or difficulty moving the eyes
- Slurred speech
- Facial weakness or drooping
- Arm, leg, neck, or back pain
- Blood pressure instability
