Enterovirus D68: Moorpark boy, 3, continues to fight

MOORPARK, Calif. (KABC) -- Every now and then, 3-year-old Lucian Olivera of Moorpark wants his mom, Erin Olivera, to help him get around. But she knows it's important Lucian try on his own.

"You're sad that they're disabled, and you give in more. And I'm afraid with Lucian, you give in and carry him up the stairs one time, am I going to start carrying him up the stairs all the time?" Erin said.

Lucian is learning to tackle any obstacle. Eyewitness News first reported on Lucian's story in March, when doctors were calling his condition a mysterious polio-like syndrome. His mom says seeing clusters of similar cases on the news is like reliving the nightmare.

"Each day, more and more are showing up. It's very heart breaking," Erin said.

A new study from the Center of Disease Control and Prevention finds of the 23 California children diagnosed with the strange polio-like syndrome, two of them tested positive for Enterovirus D68. Erin said Lucian's doctor was confident he had the same virus.

In June 2012, Lucian suffered a severe cold. A week later, he suffered muscle weakness, and 24 hours after that, his left leg wouldn't move.

Before Lucian could even learn how to walk, he had to relearn how to crawl. But with each baby step, he got stronger.

Getting Lucian the proper care was a struggle, and continues to be. But Erin understands the process, so now she's reaching out to other families whose children are just at the beginning of this difficult journey.

"This was not anything known when we went. Now it's known. So hopefully they'll have a better outcome," Erin said.

He may need special equipment, but Erin is positive that one day her son will walk. Most importantly, she wants Lucian to feel whole.

"He's smiling, he's happy. And that's our goal, to make sure Lucian stays happy," Erin said.

It's important to reiterate that like the common cold, Enterovirus D68 can be transmitted through the air. So it's extremely important for parents to make sure kids cough or sneeze into their elbow or shoulder to prevent spreading, and wash their hands several times a day.

To learn more about Lucian and his story, visit lucianolivera.weebly.com.