Acute Flaccid Myelitis Resources for Families

AFM Association Parent Support Group:

• Acute Flaccid Myelitis Association
  • The Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) Association is a resource for those who are personally affected by AFM. They provide grants to patients and families in need of financial assistance for medical equipment and treatments.  Additionally, AFMA provides shared and up-to-date information as it is issued by the CDC and Medical Community. AFMA works to increase public awareness toward this rising health issue in an effort to promote advocacy for research.

Siegal Rare Neuroimmune Association:

• What is AFM? (SRNA)
  • The Siegel Rare Neuroimmune Association (SRNA) is a not-for-profit international organization dedicated to the support of children, adolescents, and adults with a spectrum of rare neuroimmune disorders including:
    • Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
    • Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM)
    • MOG antibody disease (MOGAD)
    • Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD)
    • Optic neuritis (ON)
    • Transverse myelitis (TM).
  • AFM Podcast
    • SRNA Podcast - Parents' Perspectives on AFM
    • My child has just been diagnosed with AFM. What do I need to know?  (SRNA) 
  • AFM Webcast
    • AFM First Virtual Symposium Part I — A Parent Perspective - YouTube

AFM Parent Facebook Group:

• A.F.M.-Acute Flaccid Myelitis Awareness, Our Generations Polio
  • The AFM Facebook Parent Group aims to increase awareness of AFM and provide guidance and resources to families.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• AFM Stories (CDC)
  • Stories shared from families affected by AFM to help others who have received an AFM diagnosis. From the stories you will learn about a family’s experience, progress, and advice to others.
• For Parents of Children who have AFM (CDC)
  • AFM can be devastating for patients and their families. CDC knows that families are facing uncertainties when it comes to their child’s recovery from AFM. CDC is keeping these children front and center as they work with their partners to better understand AFM, research why some people get this condition, and develop ways to treat and prevent it.

American Academy of Pediatrics – Healthy Children AFM Page:

• AFM: What We Know About This Paralyzing Illness
  • The AAP HealthyChildren.org AFM page provides an overview of acute flaccid myelitis as well as a Parent-to-Parent perspective from Rachel Scott, AFM parent representative.