A two-year-old girl in Georgia has been left paralysed after developing a rare condition linked to influenza. Sara Lopez was diagnosed with transverse myelitis, a disorder that disrupts communication between the spinal cord and the rest of the body, according to her parents.
The Mayo Clinic describes transverse myelitis as an inflammation on both sides of one section of the spinal cord, often triggered by infections such as the flu. Symptoms can include pain, muscle weakness, and paralysis. Sara began showing unusual signs on 19 December, when she stopped moving her arms after contracting the flu.
Her mother, Kenia Lopez, told Fox 5 Atlanta that four of her six children had the flu in December. Sara was initially diagnosed with the flu at a local hospital, but her condition worsened, leading to a transfer to Erlanger's Children's Hospital in Chattanooga. She required a week of intubation and still has difficulty moving.
Most people with transverse myelitis recover at least partially, but severe cases can result in significant disabilities. Lopez said she did not vaccinate Sara against the flu this year and urged other parents to learn from her experience. A GoFundMe page has been set up by Sara's cousin to help with medical bills, as both parents are unable to work while caring for six children.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control, 11 million people have been diagnosed with the flu this season, and around 130 million have received a flu shot, a decrease of 13 million compared to last year.
