ODEK, Uganda It begins with a simple repeated head nod, as if the child feels the slow beat of music no one else can hear.

Then the slow spasms worsen into violent fits, epilepsy-like seizures often triggered by the smell of food.

In the remote north of Uganda, thousands of young children have contracted and scores have died from one of the strangest conditions that has baffled scientists and doctors worldwide for decades nodding syndrome.

Without professional attention, children with nodding syndrome may die in their teens. Good care can save a victims life, yet such help is often out of reach for many in this impoverished area and it may soon vanish altogether. Government aid is limited, and the center that has provided most of the support for the incurable condition is struggling to raise funds.