DEAR DR. GOTT:
My 3-year-old grandson has been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome. Could you please enlighten me on this mysterious disorder?

He has undergone MRIs, spinal taps and more. We were told it could come from a previous respiratory infection. We’ve also been told he is not to have any more flu shots, as this could sometimes trigger the condition.

He’s unable to walk, use the fine movements of his hands, and it seems to have affected his speech. His face looks tired. He has physical and occupational therapy three times a week. Will he recover fully? I hurt just seeing him hurt.

DEAR READER:
Guillain-Barre syndrome is a rare disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks a portion of its central nervous system. It can affect anyone at any age. About one person in every 100,000 suffers from the syndrome. It is unknown what sets the disease in motion. [Read more...]