{"id":7504,"date":"2026-10-19T12:21:18","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T10:21:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/?p=194091"},"modified":"2026-10-19T12:21:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-19T10:21:18","slug":"what-parents-need-to-know-about-polio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/what-parents-need-to-know-about-polio\/","title":{"rendered":"What Parents Need to Know about Polio"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Table of Contents<\/p>\n

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Affinity Health<\/a>, a leading provider of high-quality health cover, says World Polio Day<\/a> (24 October) is an important reminder that polio has not disappeared and that vaccination remains the best way to protect children.<\/p>\n

Many parents today have never seen a case of polio. This is largely because successful vaccination programmes<\/a> have reduced wild poliovirus cases worldwide by more than 99 per cent since 1988.<\/p>\n

However, the virus has not been completely eradicated. Wild poliovirus<\/a> continues to circulate in Afghanistan and Pakistan, while strains that come from the vaccine can cause outbreaks in communities where too few children are vaccinated.<\/p>\n

The virus can also cross borders when people travel. This is why parents need to keep vaccinating their children<\/a>, even when no local cases have been reported for many years.<\/p>\n

<\/span>What Is Polio?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Polio<\/a>, also called poliomyelitis, is a highly infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. It mainly affects children under five, but an unvaccinated person of any age can become infected.<\/p>\n

The virus enters through the mouth and multiplies in the throat and intestines. It spreads mainly when tiny traces of an infected person\u2019s faeces contaminate hands, food, water, toilets, toys, nappies, or other surfaces.<\/p>\n

The virus can also spread through mucus or droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes, although this is less common.<\/p>\n

People may spread poliovirus even when they appear healthy. The virus can stay in an infected person\u2019s stool for several weeks, letting it pass quietly through families and communities without anyone noticing.<\/p>\n

<\/span>What Symptoms Should Parents Look For?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Symptoms usually begin seven to 10 days after infection, although they may appear anywhere from four to 35 days later.<\/p>\n

Most infected people have no symptoms or only experience a mild illness. When symptoms develop, they may include fever, tiredness, headache, nausea or vomiting, a sore or stiff neck, muscle pain, pain or weakness in the arms or legs.<\/p>\n

Mild symptoms usually last between two and 10 days, and most people recover fully. However, someone with few or no symptoms can still pass the virus to others.<\/p>\n

Around one in every 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis, usually affecting the legs. Paralysis can develop within hours and may be permanent.<\/p>\n

Between 5 and 10 per cent of people who become paralysed die when the muscles needed for breathing stop working.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Can Polio Be Treated?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

There is no cure or medicine that can remove poliovirus from the body. Treatment focuses on relieving symptoms and preventing complications.<\/p>\n

A child may need pain relief, physiotherapy, mobility support, or help with breathing. Physiotherapy can improve movement and prevent the muscles and joints from becoming stiff, but it cannot reverse permanent paralysis.<\/p>\n

Some survivors develop post-polio syndrome many years later. This could cause new muscle weakness, pain, tiredness, and difficulty completing everyday activities.<\/p>\n

<\/span>How Does Vaccination Protect Children?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

The national childhood immunisation programme uses two types of polio vaccine<\/a>:<\/p>\n