When 4-year-old Xavier Downton got sick about seven weeks ago, his parents figured it was just a bug.

The Ottawa boy was a little feverish and weak at first, but within days his condition got much worse.

“He was becoming paralyzed. Things weren’t moving,” mom Rachelle told CTV Ottawa.

Xavier was soon diagnosed with AFM, acute flaccid myelitis, a rare polio-like illness that attacks the spine and can cause paralysis. There have been reports across North America about a spike in cases, but the Public Health Agency of Canada recently stressed that that is not the case in Canada. “At present a confirmed increase of cases above the annual average has not been seen in Canada,” the agency said in a statement on Tuesday.

There are 16 confirmed cases of AFM in Canada and nearly 200 in the U.S. There is still no known cause.

“This is the million dollar question,” said pediatric neurologist Dr. Sunita Venkateswaran. “This is a very concerning illness.”

AFM is most distressing for the sudden onset of the symptoms -- so sudden you can’t miss it. What appears as a simple cold at first suddenly becomes weakness in an arm or a leg. The face may droop. They may have difficulty moving their eyes. They may slur their speech and have trouble swallowing. In the most severe cases, the person may experience respiratory failure as the muscles involved with breathing become weak, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

After about a month-and-a-half in hospital, Xavier has been making progress. “Every little movement or twitch” is encouraging to his parents. “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” said dad Chris, but he’s hopeful. “It’s really slow progress, but progress is progress and I’ll take it.”

Rachelle says Xavier’s mind is “all there” and his speech has come back to a normal level, so they are confident about what lies ahead for their son. “He has a future. I don’t care if he’s in a wheelchair,” she said. “He’s got a future.”

Canadians are being advised by the Public Health Agency to take the same precautions as any cold and flu season to help reduce the risk of getting AFM. The precautions include:

  • Wash your hands
  • Cough and sneeze into your arm (not the palms of your hands)
  • Keep countertops and other common areas clean
  • Avoid touching your face with your hands
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick

With a report from CTV Ottawa’s Catherine Lathem