Girl, 3, paralysed after being struck down by ultra-rare polio-like illness
The parents of Chloe Stevenson are hoping to raise funds to help buy specialist equipment that is not available on the NHS
A THREE-YEAR-OLD girl has been left partially paralysed after she contracted an extremely rare muscle-wasting disease that affects just one in two million kids.
Chloe Stevenson, 3, has been in hospital since September after contracting acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a polio-like condition which affects just 28 children in the UK.
The little girl, from Plymouth, Devon, has lost all movement in her left arm and hand after a GP initially thought she only had a virus which would eventually clear up.
Her parents have now launched an appeal to raise £10,000 to buy specialist equipment which is not available on the NHS.
Mum Vanessa Carter and dad Ross Stevenson hope to raise enough money to buy a full stimulation suit that would electrically stimulate the muscles in their daughter’s left arm and core.
Chloe will also need specialist therapies once she leaves hospital.
Vanessa told : “The specialist equipment will help Chloe.
“So we need to raise money for her, but also raise awareness of AFM. There is a lack of research into it.”
She added: “Her left arm and hand are paralysed. Her core is extremely weak and she struggles to walk for long periods.
“We do not know her long term prognosis but keep positive she will regain movement.
“She has recently received two weeks rehabilitation at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, which is the leading spinal unit in the UK.
“They have some fantastic equipment Chloe would benefit from. However, NHS do not fund some of it.”
There were only 28 cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) reported in the UK in 2018, according to Public Health England.
The condition which nearly always affects small tots attacks the nervous system, in particular the area of the spinal cord known as grey matter and causes the muscles and reflexes in the body to weaken.
When Chloe first felt ill in September and had a temperature of more than 40C her GP initially thought it was just a virus.
She was rushed to hospital the next day though after she couldn’t move her left arm.
What is acute flaccid myelitis?
The rare disease affects the spinal cord, in particular the area known as grey matter which is part of the nervous system which carries messages to and from the brain.
Symptoms usually include sudden weakness in the arms or legs as well as loss of muscle tone or a loss of reflexes.
It can also affect the nerves controlling the head and neck, triggering facial weakness, drooping of the eyelids as well as difficulty speaking, eating and moving the eyes.
While children are usually affected it can also develop in adults.
It is not known exactly what triggers AFM to develop but symptoms often, but not always, develop after a viral infection.
There is no specific treatment for AFM and it depends on how the child is affect but there is no clear evidence any of the possible treatments affect recovery.
According to the NHS there has been an increase in reports of unexplained acute neurological symptoms, particularly AFP, in 2018 in England.
Increases in AFP have also been reported in Europe and the USA. It is not yet clear whether the increase in reports is a genuine increase in disease, or due to improved detection and awareness.
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An MRI scan revealed inflammation of her spinal cord and she was rushed to Bristol Hospital for Children where she has been in care ever since.
Her condition initially baffled specialists but she was diagnosed with AFM in November and has been undergoing a range of treatments including steroids, a treatment to build up antibodies as well as another one to filter out harmful antibodies in her blood stream as well as hydrotherapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
Vanessa said: “We would like to raise money to help aid Chloe's recovery. I think the hardest thing is not knowing what movement Chloe will get back, if any at all. Also it's scary not knowing what causes AFM.”
Chloe's JustGiving page can be found .