Mystery illness sickens Seattle children - KOBI-TV NBC5 / KOTI-TV NBC2

Seattle, Wash. (KING) — Washington state health officials say a ninth child has been hospitalized with possibly a rare neurological disorder called “Acute Flaccid Myelitis” or AFM at Seattle Children’s Hospital.

The Centers for Disease Control is helping local officials determine what is causing the illness.

One child has died, but it’s not confirmed if that child died from AFM.

Only two of the nine cases have been confirmed as AFM.

AFM affects a person’s nervous system, specifically the spinal cord. AFM can result from a variety of causes, including viral infections, according to the CDC. Symptoms typically include sudden weakness in one or more arms or legs, loss of muscle ton, and decreased or absent reflexes.