Diagnosis

To diagnose acute flaccid myelitis, the doctor starts with a thorough medical history and physical exam. The doctor might recommend:

• Examining the nervous system. The doctor examines the places on the body where you or your child has weakness, poor muscle tone and decreased reflexes.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This imaging test allows the doctor to look at the brain and spinal cord.
• Lab tests. The doctor might take samples of the fluid around the brain and spinal cord (cerebrospinal fluid), respiratory fluid, blood, and stool for lab testing.
• A nerve check. This test can check how fast an electrical impulse moves through the nerves and the response of muscles to messages from the nerves.

Acute flaccid myelitis can be hard to diagnose because it shares many of the same symptoms as other neurological diseases, such as Guillain-Barre syndrome. These tests can help distinguish acute flaccid myelitis from other conditions.