Polio
Infantile Paralysis
7CHAPTER
59
HOW TO RECOGNIZE PARALYSIS CAUSED BY POLIO
• Paralysis (muscle weakness)
usually begins when the child
is small, often during an illness
like a bad cold with fever and
sometimes diarrhea.
MUSCLES COMMONLY WEAKENED BY POLIO
shoulder muscles
• Paralysis may affect any
muscles of the body, but is
most common in the legs.
Muscles most often affected
are shown in the drawing.
• Paralysis is of the ‘floppy’
type (not stiff). Some muscles
may be only partly weakened,
others limp or floppy.
• In time the affected limb may
not be able to straighten all
the way, due to shortening,
or ‘contractures’, of certain
muscles.
muscles that
straighten
or bend
hip, or that
spread or
close legs
muscles
that
straighten
knee
• The muscles and bones of the
muscles
that lift
affected limb become thinner than foot
the other limb. The affected limb does not
grow as fast, and so is shorter.
muscles behind
arm (weakness
straightening
arm)
back muscles
(either side of
backbone)
thumb
muscles
contractures
causing
tight cords
• Unaffected arms or legs often become extra strong to make up for parts that are weak.
• Intelligence and the mind are not affected.
• Feeling is not affected.
• ‘Knee jerks’ and other tendon reflexes in the affected limb are
reduced or absent. (In cerebral palsy, ‘knee jerks’ often jump more
than normal. See p. 88.) Also, the paralysis of polio is ‘floppy’;
limbs affected by cerebral palsy often are tense and resist when
straightened or bent (see p. 102).
• The paralysis does not get worse with time. However, secondary
problems like contractures, curve of the backbone and dislocations may occur.
reduced
tendon
jerks
Of children who become paralyzed by polio:
30% recover
completely
in the first
weeks or
months.
30%
have mild
paralysis.
30% have
moderate
or severe
paralysis.
10% die (often because
of difficulty breathing
or swallowing).