A mysterious disease is becoming more and more children in East Africa in zombies.
The condition, known by locals as the "nodding disease" drastically alters the child's personality, making them withdrawn and confused.
One of the first symptoms of the disease, which affects children in northern Uganda, Sudan and Tanzania, is that children seem to fall asleep - her eyes closed and head hanging, although can not be tired.
The condition gets progressively worse and can cause the affected children, usually aged between five and 15 years, falling and hurting
Many die from loss of consciousness and have terrible accidents, like falling into a cooking fire or drowning.
The condition, known by locals as the "nodding disease" drastically alters the child's personality, making them withdrawn and confused.
One of the first symptoms of the disease, which affects children in northern Uganda, Sudan and Tanzania, is that children seem to fall asleep - her eyes closed and head hanging, although can not be tired.
The condition gets progressively worse and can cause the affected children, usually aged between five and 15 years, falling and hurting
Many die from loss of consciousness and have terrible accidents, like falling into a cooking fire or drowning.
Other symptoms include loss of cognitive ability and experience stunted growth.
Some suffer from epilepsy, including seizure and the struggle to eat - become shells of their former selves.
Others die from infections because they are weak or malnourished.
A mother in northern Uganda, Grace Lagat, where 3,000 children have the disease, told CNN how his two children have been affected by the disease nodding.
She said she suffers from seizures and after each attack are less like children, recalls.
Pauline talking about his 13-year-old daughter, told CNN: "His personality has changed much from before.
"She was normal when she was born. Now the moves and is useless."
Some suffer from epilepsy, including seizure and the struggle to eat - become shells of their former selves.
Others die from infections because they are weak or malnourished.
A mother in northern Uganda, Grace Lagat, where 3,000 children have the disease, told CNN how his two children have been affected by the disease nodding.
She said she suffers from seizures and after each attack are less like children, recalls.
Pauline talking about his 13-year-old daughter, told CNN: "His personality has changed much from before.
"She was normal when she was born. Now the moves and is useless."
There are other strange symptoms in children often wander and lose themselves in the bush.
Other children have caught fire, according to parents and physicians in the field, while some seem confused and traumatized.
Lagat must now bind their children when she leaves the house to stop them from disappearing.
She told the TV station: "When I go to the garden, the tie with a cloth.
"If I did not tie them back and find it gone."
The first condition drew the attention of the authorities in Uganda in 2009 and has confused the officials of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Saweka and the Ugandan government mobilized teams from WHO, CDC and local health teams, but still no known cause or cure for the disease.
Doctors are using drugs to control epilepsy with limited success, but they say it only delays the progression of symptoms.
Other children have caught fire, according to parents and physicians in the field, while some seem confused and traumatized.
Lagat must now bind their children when she leaves the house to stop them from disappearing.
She told the TV station: "When I go to the garden, the tie with a cloth.
"If I did not tie them back and find it gone."
The first condition drew the attention of the authorities in Uganda in 2009 and has confused the officials of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Saweka and the Ugandan government mobilized teams from WHO, CDC and local health teams, but still no known cause or cure for the disease.
Doctors are using drugs to control epilepsy with limited success, but they say it only delays the progression of symptoms.
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