Caring for Your Child With Guillain-Barré Syndrome

Most kids and teens with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) get better with time and can return to normal activities.

In Guillain-Barré syndrome (pronounced gee-YAN-BUH-ray), the body's immune system attacks nerves that are outside the brain and spinal cord, causing temporary weakness or paralysis (not being able to move certain parts of the body). Kids and teens with GBS have mild to severe muscle weakness and muscle pain. GBS also can cause tingling, numbness, or "pins and needles" feelings in the arms, legs, and upper body.

The most common type of GBS can happen after viral illnesses like a cold or stomach flu. Antibodies (proteins that fight the infection) attack the body's own nerves and cause damage. Nobody knows yet exactly why this happens.

Kids and teens with likely GBS need to stay in the hospital to:

• Get tests to make sure GBS is causing their symptoms.

• Get checked for other causes of muscle weakness.

• Ensure a safe breathing pattern, since some kids and teens need breathing support.

Some tests your child may have had are:

• A spinal tap (lumbar puncture) to check the cerebrospinal fluid (liquid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord).

• A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test to look inside the brain and spinal cord.

Although there's no cure for GBS, these treatments may help:

• Immunoglobulin or "IVIg" — an injection of proteins that help lessen the immune system's attack on the body.

• Plasmapheresis, which works like a filter to remove harmful antibodies from the blood.

• Rehabilitation with physical and occupational therapy.

Your child might still have some symptoms, but is well enough to finish getting better at home. Although most kids and teens get their full muscle strength back, healing can take some time. For kids and teens who needed help with breathing while in the hospital, it may take a while for full breathing strength to come back.

• Give your child any prescribed medicines as directed by your health care professional.

• Follow a normal routine as much as your child's energy and strength allow.

• Let your child rest when he or she is tired.

• If your child develops muscle aches from increased activity, a medicine may help.

• • If your child has an ongoing medical problem (for example, a kidney, liver, or blood problem): Check with your health care professional before giving medicine for pain.

  • For children younger than 3 months: Check with the health care professional before giving medicine for pain.

  • For children 3 to 6 months: You may give acetaminophen (brand names include Tylenol® and Panadol®).

  • For children older than 6 months: You may give acetaminophen (brand names include Tylenol®, Feverall®, and Panadol®) OR ibuprofen (brand names include Advil®, Motrin®, and Q-Profen®).

• Keep all follow-up appointments. Your health care professional may want to do more tests to check how your child is doing.

• Physical or occupational therapy may be helpful if your child has muscle weakness.

• Talk to your health care professional about whether your child should get a flu shot.

• Numbness, tingling, or weakness comes back, gets worse, or spreads to new areas of the body.

• Your child has trouble breathing or swallowing.

Many kids and teens feel frustrated or sad when they can't do what they used to be able to do. Remind your child that things will get better. Sometimes talking to a counselor can help.