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.

Getting "Creepy" on the Internet

Post-Polio Health, Volume 31, Number 4, Fall 2015

Dr. Rhoda Olkin is a Distinguished Professor of Clinical Psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology in San Francisco, as well as the Executive Director of the Institute on Disability and Health Psychology.

She is a polio survivor and single mother of two grown children.

Bullying on Internet

Post-Polio Health, Volume 31, Number 4, Fall 2015

Dr. Stephanie T. Machell is a psychologist in independent practice in the Greater Boston area and consultant to the International Rehabilitation Center for Polio, Spaulding-Framingham Outpatient Center, Framingham, Massachusetts.

Cold Legs

Post-Polio Health, (Volume 31, Number 3), Summer 2015

Question: I had non-paralytic polio in 1949 when I was 2. I now wear two leg braces; one on my polio leg for drop foot and the other one on my left leg because I started dragging that foot. My right leg is always very cold to the touch even though it never feels cold to me unless I touch it.

Facial Involvement and PPS

Post-Polio Health, (Volume 31, Number 3), Summer 2015

Question: What are the symptoms in patients with post-polio syndrome with facial involvement? I am a PT with facial nerve involvement due to polio.

Anxiety from Past Hospital Treatment

Post-Polio Health, (Volume 31, Number 3) Summer 2015

QUESTION: Sixty years later I still live daily with anxiety stemming from hospital treatment, not abusive but certainly traumatic for a child. Do you have suggestions on how I can reduce the stress of this anxiety?

Opportunities to Participate in Research

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

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