HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. -- A Huntersville child is recovering after contracting Accute Flaccid Myelitis this summer.

• Ryan Epps was rushed to the hospital days after his second birthday
• His parents say his right side went limp
• The child has a rare virus known as AFM

The parents of Ryan Epps told us before this July, he was just like every other two year old boy. He loved going to daycare, playing with his brother RJ and being with his family.

On July 23, just days after his second birthday, his parents rushed him to the hospital after his right side went limp. What they thought was originally a stroke, turned out to be a rare and dangerous virus known as AFM.

“We know we’re going to continue to work with him everyday and we encourage other parents out there going through this to just keep fighting because small progress is better than no progress at all,” Ryan’s father Reginald Epps said.

RELATED: Doctors Warn Parents to Stay Alert for Dangerous Virus

Symptoms for AFM include facial droop, numbness or tingling in arms or legs and slurred speech. If your child has any of these symptoms, doctors encourage you to get medical treatment as soon as possible.