Need advice asap - polio

[Morgana]

DD is 3.5 mos and we've decided to delay all vax for now. Polio was a no brainer because it supposedly is gone from the US. Well, DH just came into physical contact with someone with polio. This person (a customer) fell at DH's work and he helped him up and then learned that the person's legs don't work well because he has polio. Now, DH doesn't want to come home but I need to go to work. I have about 2 hours to find a babysitter and DH is calling our pedi right now. DH washed his hands very well and slathered on every kind of anti gel he could find. Do we have anything to worry about?

[Juvysen]

Well, he may have had polio a very long time ago and it affected his legs.

FWIW, the chances of having actual symptoms from polio are slim to none.

And also there hasn't been a wild case of polio in the US in years... all the cases are FROM the vaccine...

I'd say the chances of you having anything to worry about are slim to none.

[Kirsten]

I would assume the person HAD polio as a child, long ago. I guess I don't know for sure, but I always assumed that was like measles or mumps - you had them but aren't contagious for the rest of your life.

I had an aunt who was in a wheelchair from polio as a child. I think we were all fully vaxxed (though when we were kids that was much less than all the vaccines given today) but no one ever seemed the least bit worried about having small babies or anyone else around her.

Call your doctor if you are worried. I doubt a person with active polio would be walking around in a business though. I bet he said he "had" polio, not has.

[Morgana]

DUH! DH just called with more info than he gave me the first time around. This person had the infection as a kid many years ago so there's no risk to us. He made it sound like this person has polio now but pedi said there's no way he'd be out in public if he did. I feel much better now.

[notjustmamie]

IF this customer currently has polio, the likelihood of transmission to DH is very small and the likelihood of DH passing it on to DD is even smaller.

Polio is transmitted primarily through the ingestion of material contaminated with the virus found in stool (poop). Not washing hands after using the bathroom and drinking contaminated water were common culprits in the transmission of the disease.

source: http://kidshealth.org/parent/infecti...ral/polio.html

ETA: Ahh ... looks like you got the info you need.

[MeepyCat]

Is this someone with an active polio case, or someone who had poliomyelitis in the past and has resulting physical issues?

My suspicion is that it's the latter - an active polio case in the U.S. would be a major public health event. On the other hand, people of my parents and grandparents generation frequently refer to people with lingering handicaps from the disease as "having polio", even though the contagious part of the disease is long since gone.

I don't think you need to do anything.

[angie7]

Originally Posted by Morgana

DUH! DH just called with more info than he gave me the first time around. This person had the infection as a kid many years ago so there's no risk to us. He made it sound like this person has polio now but pedi said there's no way he'd be out in public if he did. I feel much better now.

I am totally not saying this to be rude, so please don't take it like that. But if you were freaked out by this, it's b/c you don't understand how polio works nor the statistics of the disease. I suggest a little more research. Like the others have said, all polio cases in the US are from the vaccine and last I heard it was 8. No wild form of polio has been seen in decades.

[mama1803]

Originally Posted by angie7

I am totally not saying this to be rude, so please don't take it like that. But if you were freaked out by this, it's b/c you don't understand how polio works nor the statistics of the disease. I suggest a little more research. Like the others have said, all polio cases in the US are from the vaccine and last I heard it was 8. No wild form of polio has been seen in decades.

: IMO, choosing not to vaccinate means not only having an understanding of the risks and benefits of the vaccine itself, but also knowledge of the diseases they are supposed to prevent. Part of deciding to stop vaxing my own two kids was done after I had learned enough about vpd such as how they are transmitted, what are the symptoms, how to treat, who's at risk, etc. It's also knowing how to keep my kids' immune systems strong.

[Gitti]

Originally Posted by angie7

I am totally not saying this to be rude, so please don't take it like that. But if you were freaked out by this, it's b/c you don't understand how polio works nor the statistics of the disease. I suggest a little more research. Like the others have said, all polio cases in the US are from the vaccine and last I heard it was 8. No wild form of polio has been seen in decades.

I agree! You should research all diseases so that you don't get frightened whenever you hear "something" is going around, etc. You need to be informed in order to remain calm.

btw, there is NOTHING to fear but fear itself.