Poliomyelitis
About
Poliomyelitis, more commonly known as polio is a disease that attacks the nervous system and can cause paralysis. According to the World Health Organization, the virus mainly affects young children and is “transmitted by person-to person spread mainly through the faecal-oral route…where it can invade the nervous system (World Health Organization, 2019).
The Children’s Hospital notes that there are three types of poliomyelitis that exist on a continuum. Abortive poliomyelitis is the mildest form followed by nonparaytic poliomyelitis, with paralytic poliomyelitis being the most severe (Boston Children’s Hospital, 2019).
The WHO also notes that polio has been largely eradicated by vaccines. They note that of those who still contract the incurable disease, it is most common in those under five years old. (World Health Organization, 2019).
Polio is not common within school children largely due to vaccination efforts. According to the WHO, polio has been reduced from 350,000 cases in 1988 to just 33 reported cases in 2018 (World Health Organization, 2019). However, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria are the three countries with the highest rates of Polio (World Health Organization, 2018).
According to the Boston Children’s Hospital (2019), the symptoms of Polio may include:
-
Stiffness in the neck, body, and limbs
-
Decreased appetite
-
Muscle weakness
-
Flu-like symptoms such as fever, nausea, headache, constipation, and vomiting.
Instructional Strategies for the Classroom
While there is no cure for Polio, Polio is treated by medical professionals by using pain relievers, heating pads, and a healthy diet in order to help reduce the severity of symptoms (Johns Hopkins Medicine, 2019). What this means for teachers is that while it is uncommon to have a student with Polio in the classroom, teachers should provide supports for these students. Students may need to take medication to reduce symptoms and thus may carry a prescription or frequently visit the nurse’s office (depending on school policy). Additionally, heating pads and hot packs are an accommodation that can help reduce symptoms while the student is in the classroom, taking the emphasis off of their symptoms to help promote learning.
While polio is rare in today’s classrooms, Polio that causes paralysis is even rarer. According to the WHO, polio that causes irreversible paralysis is found in only 1 in 200 infections (World Health Organization, 2019). That being said, accommodations made in the classroom can ensure that these students have an equal access to education. Accommodations can include clear walkways to assist with movement, preventing the need for unnecessary classroom movement that can be a challenge for students (for example, not making a student participate in a walking station activity but rather rotate the stations to each group). Depending on the type of paralysis text-to-speech and other tools can be beneficial.
As with all students, it is important to show them that you care and that you provide these students with equal opportunities to learn. It may also be beneficial to let the student leave class early or enter class late to assist with navigating busy hallways. Lastly, while polio does not affect the cognitive abilities of students, they may be pulled from class for physical therapy and/or be exempt from physical education as extensive exercise can aggravate the symptoms of polio.
Other Information
Despite the fact that polio is associated with paralysis, only 1 in 200 of those infected have permanent paralysis (World Health Organization, 2019).
Did you know? President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was one of the most well-known people with polio. While the disease had caused paralysis, he tried to hide the disability while in public. Despite this fact, the memorial statue of FDR in Washington, DC depicts him sitting in his wheelchair in order to help inspire others.
Other famous people with polio include: Frida Kahlo, Emmett Till, and Neil Young. To see more famous people with polio visit: https://www.thefamouspeople.com/polio.php
Useful Websites for Information and Support
-
This website provides a great overview of the symptoms, cause, and prevention of the disease:
https://www.cdc.gov/polio/about/index.htm
-
This website provides history on the introduction of the Polio Vaccine in 1954:
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/children-receive-first-polio-vaccine
-
This website provides additional information on the diagnosis and treatment of polio:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/polio/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20376517
-
This website provides educational resources for families of students with polio as well as a charity organization to help support those with polio:
http://www.poliochildren.org/content/education
-
This website offers ideas on how to make science classes accessible for students with disabilities. Interestingly, the page was developed by an individual with polio.
https://www.nsta.org/disabilities/
-
This website explains how the polio surveillance technique has helped stop the spread of polio in India.
http://www.searo.who.int/india/topics/poliomyelitis/surveillance/en/
Research
This article discusses post-poliomyelitis syndrome (PPS) which can occur in individuals who have recovered from paralytic poliomyelitis. It discusses the formation of new symptoms that may occur after initial paralysis is reversed from a medical standpoint. This article also discusses the treatment of PPS.
Baj, A., Colombo, M., Headley, J. L., McFarlane, J. R., Liethof, M., & Toniolo, A. (2015). Post-poliomyelitis syndrome as a possible viral disease. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 35(C), 107-116. https://doaj.org/article/51566352c57a4fc69613fdb7a022adb1.
This article gives a historic overview of polio that dates back to the Ancient Egyptians while also discussing present-day efforts to eradicate the illness.
Mehndiratta, M. M., Mehndiratta, P., & Pande, R. (2014). Poliomyelitis: Historical Facts, Epidemiology, and Current Challenges in Eradication. The Neurohospitalist, 4(4), 223– 229. https://doi.org/10.1177/1941874414533352 .
This article is a book review that discusses the history of polio treatment and the debate of whether polio affected the nerves, as believed by medical professionals, or the muscles, as supported by Sister Kenny. Ultimately, this debate affected the treatment of individuals with polio.
Wijdicks, E. F. M. (2014). Poliomyelitis and a Warring Sister. The Lancet Neurology, 13(12), 1175. http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.lewisu.edu/10.1016/S1474-4422(14)70170-X.
References
Boston Children’s Hospital. (2019). Poliomyelitis Symptoms & Causes. Retrieved from http://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/p/poliomyelitis/symptoms-and-causes.
Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2019). Polio (Poliomyelitis). Retrieved from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/infectious_diseases/polio_poliomyelitis_85,P00643.
The Famous People. (2019). Famous People Who Have/Had Polio. Retrieved from https://www.thefamouspeople.com/polio.php.
World Health Organization. (2018). Does Polio Still Exist? Is it Curable? Retrieved from https://www.who.int/features/qa/07/en/.
World Health Organization. (2019). Poliomyelitis (Polio). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/topics/poliomyelitis/en/.
World Health Organization. (2019). Poliomyelitis. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/poliomyelitis.
