PURPOSE: To describe one institution's experience in the rehabilitation of children with acute flaccid myelitis (AFM). This study reviews the medical and rehabilitative course and functional outcomes of a cohort of children who underwent Activity Based Restorative Therapy (ABRT) at a single center. METHODS: Children with AFM presenting for rehabilitation between March 2005 and January 2017 were identified and a retrospective chart review was conducted. Changes in medical and functional status were assessed using multiple standardized instruments, as well as a chart review of medical progress. RESULTS: Thirty-one children with AFM treated at our institution in the study time period were identified. Of these, seventeen received inpatient treatment, and fourteen received solely outpatient interventions. Their medical and functional outcomes are described with use of standardized measures when available. CONCLUSIONS: Children with flaccid paralysis due to AFM undergoing structured, comprehensive rehabilitation interventions, even when these are initiated long after paralysis onset, can make significant neurologic and functional gains. Recovery of function and prevention of comorbidities are the main therapeutic targets for interventions in this population.
PURPOSE: To describe one institution's experience in the rehabilitation of children with acute flaccid myelitis (AFM). This study reviews the medical and rehabilitative course and functional outcomes of a cohort of children who underwent Activity Based Restorative Therapy (ABRT) at a single center. METHODS:Children with AFM presenting for rehabilitation between March 2005 and January 2017 were identified and a retrospective chart review was conducted. Changes in medical and functional status were assessed using multiple standardized instruments, as well as a chart review of medical progress. RESULTS: Thirty-one children with AFM treated at our institution in the study time period were identified. Of these, seventeen received inpatient treatment, and fourteen received solely outpatient interventions. Their medical and functional outcomes are described with use of standardized measures when available. CONCLUSIONS:Children with flaccid paralysis due to AFM undergoing structured, comprehensive rehabilitation interventions, even when these are initiated long after paralysis onset, can make significant neurologic and functional gains. Recovery of function and prevention of comorbidities are the main therapeutic targets for interventions in this population.
Authors: Olwen C Murphy; Kevin Messacar; Leslie Benson; Riley Bove; Jessica L Carpenter; Thomas Crawford; Janet Dean; Roberta DeBiasi; Jay Desai; Matthew J Elrick; Raquel Farias-Moeller; Grace Y Gombolay; Benjamin Greenberg; Matthew Harmelink; Sue Hong; Sarah E Hopkins; Joyce Oleszek; Catherine Otten; Cristina L Sadowsky; Teri L Schreiner; Kiran T Thakur; Keith Van Haren; Carolina M Carballo; Pin Fee Chong; Amary Fall; Vykuntaraju K Gowda; Jelte Helfferich; Ryutaro Kira; Ming Lim; Eduardo L Lopez; Elizabeth M Wells; E Ann Yeh; Carlos A Pardo Journal: Lancet Date: 2020-12-23 Impact factor: 79.321