Polio-Like Illness Affecting <br />Kids in More Than Half of US States Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) <br />affects mostly children and <br />can cause paralysis. As of September 30, Another 14 states have <br />suspected cases of the <br />disease, or are investigating <br />suspected cases. Of those 30 states, <br />Colorado has the most <br />with 14 confirmed cases. AFM affects the <br />nervous system, <br />focusing on the gray <br />matter of the spinal cord. Symptoms include sudden <br />weakness in the limbs, <br />slurred speech and <br />difficulty breathing. Cases of AFM have <br />spiked since 2014. Their spike coincided with <br />a national outbreak of <br />severe respiratory illness <br />caused by enterovirus D68. Some doctors think that <br />AFM could begin with <br />a viral infection. Dr. Samuel Dominguez, Children's Hospital <br />Colorado, via CNN
