During the first year of their life, every child should be vaccinated against the worst diseases, in particular against tetanus, hepatitis, diphtheria, whooping cough, tuberculosis and polio. Actually, the latter will be discussed further.
Polio in a child can occur through communication with patients with this ailment, when eating unwashed vegetables, raw water, and also through feces (the so-called oral-fecal transmission method). The causative agent of the disease is a fairly stable virus. It can be stored for more than three days at room temperature, successfully lives in milk and other food products. The virus can be overcome by high temperature, ultraviolet, disinfectants with a chlorine content.
Polio in a child begins when the pathogen enters the intestine, less often in the respiratory tract. Then it spreads blood throughout the body. Its greatest danger lies in the ability to affect the nervous system, cause paralysis (often inevitable), contribute to the deformation of the limbs, cause death.
Main symptoms
Many diseases are difficult to diagnose immediately because of their various manifestations. So is polio. Symptoms in children largely depend on the period of the course of the disease. There are 4 of them:
1. Preparative. Its main manifestations are:
- general weakness;
- fatigue;
- digestive system disorders (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea) if the virus enters the digestive tract;
- coughing if the respiratory tract is affected;
- headache;
- Kernig symptom.
2. Paralytic. It is recognized by such signs as:
- body temperature differences;
- bladder pain;
- paralysis of the limbs ;
- violation of the functions of individual muscle groups.
3. Restorative. Its main symptoms are:
- restoration of muscle function;
- normalization of temperature;
- reduction of pain.
4. The period of residual phenomena. There is an improvement in the patient's condition, you can notice the main consequences of the disease (partial or complete paralysis, deformation of the limbs, muscle atrophy , etc.).
Disease control
If polio in a child has been diagnosed, then it must be immediately taken to a hospital. In case of paralysis of the respiratory tract, the patient ends up in intensive care, where ventilation is carried out. If the disease has not gone so far, then polio is treated symptomatically. The patient must strictly observe bed rest. The mattress and pillow should be orthopedic. If deformation is noticed, then a gypsum, splint is applied to the patient's limbs. It is possible to relieve pain and alleviate the condition thanks to medical treatment.
Doctors recommend the use of analgesics, antihistamines and sedatives, as well as B vitamins. You can also get rid of pain thanks to warm baths and good wraps. Shown is therapeutic gymnastics, as well as massage, UHF therapy, air baths. In the hospital, the patient is treated for about 1-2 months. Then he must restore health at the resorts.
Polio prevention
You can protect yourself from the disease. So, the main way to protect against polio is vaccination. It can be in the form of drops (live) or injection (inactivated). As a rule, the vaccine is tolerated quite easily and at the same time is a good defense, since it involves the development of immunity to three types of virus. To prevent polio in a child is possible and thanks to:
- personal hygiene;
- rejection of raw water;
- thorough washing of products and, if possible, heat treatment.