International Day Of Persons With Disabilities - How Polio Leads To Disability?

From 1992 the UN is celebrating the International Day of People with Disabilities (December 3). It is found in the world with differing amounts of effectiveness. Formance with the Day is intended to foster an awareness of handicap problems and mobilise promotion of the dignity, rights and goodwill of disabled people. It is also aimed at increasing consciousness of gains arising from the participation of disabled people in all facets of national, educational, economic and cultural life.

Since the introduction of the polio vaccine in 1955, the disease has been eradicated from many countries, including India. However, in some parts of the world, people – particularly children – still suffer from the crippling disease. 

What is Polio?

Poliomyelitis or polio is an extremely contagious disease caused by poliovirus, which attacks the nervous system. Children below five years of age are most likely to fall prey to the virus. The virus progresses from person to person and can induce paralysis (can't move areas of the body) and infect the spinal cord of a person which causes disability. Paralysis is synonymous with polio, the most dangerous symptom, as it can result in continuous paralysis and death. Around 2 and 10 out of 100 individuals with poliovirus, infection paralysis survive, since it damages their breathing muscles.

Types of Polio

Polio can be classified into the following types. Each type affects a person differently and leads to distinctive symptoms.

• Non-paralytic Polio

Non-paralytic polio or abortive polio is the condition where the poliovirus has entered neither the central nervous system nor the affected neurons. NPP causes flu-like symptoms that may last for days or weeks. The symptoms include –

• Sore throat

• Fever

• Headache

• Vomiting

• Fatigue

• Meningitis

• Neck and back pain

• Leg and arm stiffness

• Muscle spasms and tenderness

• Paralytic Polio

Paralytic polio affects a small percentage of people invaded by poliovirus. The virus enters the motor neurons to replicate the cells and destroy them. These cells are found in the brain stem, motor cortex, or spinal cord. The initial symptoms are similar to those of NPP. The signs may become severe after a week. You may notice –

• Loss of reflex

• Muscle pain and severe spasm

• Floppy, loose limbs

• Sudden paralysis, permanent or temporary

• Deformed limbs, particularly the feet, ankles, and hip

It is unlikely for the patient to contract complete paralysis. Less than 1% of all cases result in permanent paralysis. In about 5-10% of paralysis cases, the virus attacks the muscles that help in breathing, thus causing death.

• Post-polio Syndrome

The post-polio syndrome refers to a cluster of symptoms that occur several years after your recovery from the disease. PPS can occur 15-40 years after polio has passed. It can affect nearly 64% of all people who have had polio. The symptoms of PSS include –

• Joint and muscle pain along with weakness

• Shrinkage or muscle atrophy

• Unexplained exhaustion

• Difficulty breathing and swallowing

• Difficulty concentrating

• Depression

• Mood swings

• Sleep-related problems

• Low tolerance of cold temperature

An estimated 25-50% of polio survivors will get PSS. Therefore, speak with your doctor if you have had polio and are starting to notice these symptoms.

The best way to prevent polio is to get vaccinated. To raise awareness and to make the world a polio-free place to live in, every year on October 24, World Polio Day is celebrated globally with the objective of immunizing every child with IPV vaccine. Overall, polio cases globally have witnessed a drop by 99% with only 74 cases being reported in 2015.