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>>> A POLIO-LIKE ILLNESS HAS
INFECTED AS MANY AS 20 KIDS IN
CALIFORNIA.
FIVE CONFIRMED CASES WERE
VACCINATED AGAINST POLIO.
IT'S LEFT SOME KIDS PARALYZED.
ONE FAMILY HAS TAKEN THEIR STORY
PUBLIC TO TRY TO GET THE WORD
OUT.
CNN'S STEPHANIE ELAM JOINS ME
NOW.
HOW DID THIS ALL GET STARTED?
>> Reporter: ANDERSON, IT ALL
STARTED VERY QUICKLY IN
SEPTEMBER OF 2012.
BOTH THIS LITTLE BOY WHO WAS
EIGHT YEARS OLD AT THE TIME AND
HIS OLDER BROTHER GOT SICK WITH
A RESPIRATORY INFECTION.
IT SEEMED LIKE A REGULAR COLD
THEY THOUGHT.
BUT IT WAS DIFFERENT.
TAKE A LISTEN TO WHAT THEY HAD
TO SAY.
>> THIS HAPPENED ON FRIDAY WHEN
HE CAME BACK FROM SCHOOL.
THURSDAY NIGHT HE WENT FOR
KARATE, NO PROBLEM.
SYMPTOMS WITH THE FLU AND
EVERYTHING.
COMING BACK FRIDAY SAYING HE
COULDN'T RAISE THE ARM.
HE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF THIS.
SATURDAY HE LOST EVERYTHING.
THAT'S WHEN HE GOT -- WE TOOK
HIM TO THE HOSPITAL.
>> Reporter: AND RIGHT AFTER
THAT THEY IMMEDIATELY TOOK HIM
TO THE HOSPITAL.
HE WAS IN THE ICU FOR SEVERAL
DAYS.
THEY WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT WAS WRONG.
THEY FOUND OUT THERE WAS SOME
INFLAMMATION AROUND HIS SPINAL
CORD.
BUT IT WAS A VERY VERY QUICK
TURN OF EVENTS.
A VERY ACTIVE BOY PLAYING SPORTS
WHEN THIS ALL HAPPENED,
ANDERSON.
>> HIS WHOLE LEFT ARM WAS
PARALYZED.
PARENTS SAY HE'S MAKING
PROGRESS.
HOW HAS HE DONE THAT?
>> Reporter: HIS PARENTS BELIEVE
THEY HAVE BEEN REALLY
PROGRESSIVE ON ATTACKING THIS
RIGHT AWAY.
BY DOING THAT THIS MEANS A LOT
OF PHYSICAL THERAPY.
SO THEY ARE BUSY.
HE IS CONSTANTLY WORKING ON IT.
TAKE A LISTEN.
>> WHAT DO YOU DO DURING THOSE
THREE TO FOUR HOURS?
>> I DO A LOT OF FINE MOTOR
SKILLS.
I GO INTO THE WATER EVERY DAY.
I WORK ON THE FLOOR TRYING TO
LIFT UP AND DOWN.
>> WHAT DO YOU DO IN THE WATER?
>> SINCE MOST OF THE GRAVITY IS
TAKEN OFF I TRY TO GET LIFT LIKE
FROM DOWN ALL THE WAY UP.
AND FROM SIDE.
AND I GO WITH THE PHYSICAL
THERAPIST LIKE THREE TIMES A
WEEK.
AND THAT'S WHAT I DO FOR ABOUT
AN HOUR.
>> Reporter: AND THAT IS REALLY
REMARKABLE.
BECAUSE HE COULD NOT MOVE HIS
ARM AT ALL FROM HIS SHOULDER TO
HIS FINGERER TIPS.
HIS PARENTS SAYING IT REALLY
STARTED IN HIS SHOULDERS, WENT
DOWN TO THE FINGER TIPS THEN
WORKING ITS WAY BACK COMING BACK
AND GETTING BETTER.
THAT'S WHAT'S GIVING THEM HOPE.
>> BRAVE LITTLE BOY.
THIS ILLNESS HAS ONLY HIT THE
NEWS THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS.
THIS FAMILY HAS BEEN DEALING
WITH THIS FOR MORE THAN A YEAR?
>> Reporter: FOR MORE THAN A
YEAR.
TALKING ABOUT SEPTEMBER 2012.
THE THING ABOUT IT IS THEY
DIDN'T REALLY GET THIS DIAGNOSIS
IT WAS PROBABLY THIS MYSTERY
ILLNESS UNTIL RECENTLY BECAUSE
BEFORE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS AN
AUTOIMMUNE ILLNESS WHICH THEY
NOW BELIEVE IT IS NOT.
BUT WHAT THEY ARE REALLY
CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT THE