Another polio thread

[ema-adama]

TIA for anyone who has the time to answer.
I have been reading through the polio archives and it's so much to get through... was hoping for a bit of a short cut

I thought that I would be giving DS a polio vax some time around his 3rd birthday (very vague), but now that I am reading up on it, I am not sure at all. However, I have a professor of medicine FIL who is freaking out about DS going to South Africa to visit my family and is pressurizing us to give IPV when DS is 1 before our trip. We could lie (and I am seriously considering it), but DH is not gonna be happy to lie.... so, my questions. Please be kind if my questions are totally ridiculous

1. How precisely is polio contracted? ie does water have to be swallowed?

2. What factors increase the likelihood of infection (malnutrition, sanitation, etc)

3. How is Polio recognized/diagnosed?

4. What are the treatment options for polio? (can it be treated at home?)

5. What are the controversies around the vaccine other than OPV and SV40?

You would think that DS is GOING TO GET POLIO by setting foot on South African soil, even though there has not been a polio case there in I don't know how long.
I guess I am looking for reassurance that it is not this boogy man of an illness (which I had thought it was before I found MDC). And I feel very strongly that I have to make the most responsible decision for my family....

I remember reading about the iron lungs of the 50's and that is a scary image.

And I get confused when I read about WHO still working to rid Afghanistan, Nigeria, Egypt (I can't remember the countries now) of Polio.

And I wonder why the Amish (and here in Israel the ultra-orthodox) don't have huge numbers of polio cases.

Again, thanks for any contributions

[Gitti]

I will give you my opinions and what I remember from what I have read -

1. How precisely is polio contracted? ie does water have to be swallowed?

The Polio virus lives and breeds in dirty, stagnant water. You would have to ingest the water. But Polio is also contagious and could be gotten from an infected person.

2. What factors increase the likelihood of infection (malnutrition, sanitation, etc)

Living under very poor circumstances. Drinking dirty water, bathing in dirty water, living with sick/infected people in close proximity plus being malnourished. Sugary, junk food diet.

3. How is Polio recognized/diagnosed?

In 98% of the people it is not recognized and immunity is built. In the other 3-4% there is flu like symptoms which pass, immunity is built. In a small % there is a stiff neck and in a few of them the stiffness lasts long enough to cause temporary paralysis. A very small number will have paralysis up to 3 months which then resolves itself. And an even smaller number the paralysis can be permanent.
It is diagnosed with a blood test.

4. What are the treatment options for polio? (can it be treated at home?)

Mostly prevention. Care that you would give someone who is sick with any other virus. Vita C in the form of SA.

5. What are the controversies around the vaccine other than OPV and SV40?

SV40 was unknown until much later. What other viruses are in there that we don't know about and which we find out much later? Also the same worries as with all other vaccines: ingredients that are damaging to any healthy child.

I remember reading about the iron lungs of the 50's and that is a scary image.

Yes, and they used the same picture over and over and over...

And I get confused when I read about WHO still working to rid Afghanistan, Nigeria, Egypt (I can't remember the countries now) of Polio.

They should get rid of all the neurotoxic chemicals they spray on their crops. Because do we know that the polio in those countries is due to a polio virus or is it a chemical neurotoxic paralysis?

And I wonder why the Amish (and here in Israel the ultra-orthodox) don't have huge numbers of polio cases.

Don't they? Or are they immune and as long as we don't test for antibodies no one knows. That would show how really ridiculous it is to be so afraid of a virus. In the olden days most people were immune to polio just like we get immune to many viruses.