Living With Polio

Millions of individuals who had polio are living in all areas of the world. Survivors range in age from a few months to nonagenarians (in their nineties). Aftereffects vary greatly depending on the number and location of the nerve cells destroyed by the poliovirus. The challenge or ease of living with polio varies for each survivor, depending on the availability of medical care and rehabilitation opportunities, and their family and social support.

Advice, hints, explanations, etc., are categorized by topic and are searchable. The source of the material is identified.

Reminder: PHI’s post-polio.org and IVUN’s ventusers.org or ventnews.org features numerous articles to assist in living with polio.

Maintaining Health and Wellness

Good health is being the best that one can be - physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally and socially. Polio survivors do not need to constantly struggle from one health crisis to the next. While some health problems require professional assistance, your loved one can manage others. In addition to seeing appropriate health professionals to alleviate and manage the late effects of polio and other unrelated diseases, another aim of you and your polio survivor parent is to improve their day-to-day overall sense of wellness and ability to participate in life.

Dental Care

A GUIDE FOR PEOPLE WITH POLIO OR POST POLIO SYNDROME (PPS)

Introduction
“Oh, I wish I’d looked after me teeth”, wrote Pam Ayres in her famous poem. Good oral health and hygiene are not just about being able to smile with confidence and eat well – they are important for your general health and well being, becoming even more so as you get older.

Coping

Indicators of coping were first described by Beatrice Wright (1982). Coping individuals focus on what they can do, rather than on what they cannot do; play an active role in their lives, rather than respond as passive victims; and participate in areas of life seen as worthwhile and meaningful. Problems are perceived to be manageable, rather than overwhelming. Personal problems are not kept at the forefront of their attention.

Positive Attitudes

A positive attitude about health and wellness is maintained by becoming an active participant in one’s health care, planning an individualized program, accepting the fact that some aspects of life will change with age, and believing one can control one’s health.

Attributes relevant in maintaining a positive mental attitude include:

Aquatic Therapy

Aquatic therapy programs, one of the best forms of exercise for polio survivors due to reduced gravity and buoyancy, may include a combination of the following: range-of-motion, strengthening, or aerobic exercises, stretching, relaxation, and swimming. Before establishing an aquatic therapy program, consult with a medical professional familiar with the late effects of polio to design one based on the individual’s specific strengths and weaknesses due to prior polio. Additionally, aquatic therapy may be inappropriate for individuals with heart disease, etc.

Opportunities to Participate in Research

NEW STUDY ON AFM AND POLIO A new study concerning acute flaccid myelitis (AFM... More

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