Educate Today | Nerve Transfer Surgery Is Helping Children with Paralyzing Disease

Grades: 6 - 12

A frightening condition causing paralysis in mostly children is being treated with nerve transfers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. It’s believed Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) is caused by a common enterovirus that leads to a respiratory infection. In rare cases, the virus attacks the spinal cord affecting the nervous system. Paralysis of the upper and/or lower extremities is among the symptoms.

Meet the doctor applying life sciences practices to improve the life of young patients.

Teacher Resources for the Video:

NGSS Disciplines Addressed in Standards Referenced Below:

Life Sciences
Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science

Discussion Questions:

Have students discuss the role of doctors dealing with young patients and their parents. What characteristics would they find most important to have in the doctor? Are there any additional pressures or challenges they believe a doctor in this situation would face?

Activity Ideas:

Use the video in conjunction with this activity focused on student understanding of the nervous system. Have students research the difference between motor nerves and sensory nerves as well as the difference between autonomic nerves and somatic nerves and write a report or develop a presentation on what they learned.
Are there new procedure on the horizon that would further help this young person in the future? Have students come up with ideas, investigate whether researchers might already be working on these, and share what they learned with others.

Resources for Additional Research:

Learn more about Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis at https://medicine.wustl.edu/news/nerve-transfer-surgery-gives-hope-to-children-with-rare-paralyzing-illness/.
Learn more about the NGSS Science and Engineering Practices at the NSTA website.

Unique ID for the Video:

Use the unique ID as a shortcut for students to find this specific video. Click on Search and choose “By Video ID.” Type in the Video ID as it appears above.