World Polio Day is observed every year on October 24. The day aims to raise awareness about polio which is an illness caused by a virus that mainly affects nerves in the spinal cord or brain stem. In its most severe form, polio can lead to a person being unable to move certain limbs, also called paralysis.
It can also lead to trouble breathing and sometimes death. To protect your child from polio, it is important that you get them vaccinated. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that polio vaccination has been a part of routine childhood immunisation schedules.
There are different types of polio vaccines, inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) and oral polio vaccine (OPV). IPV is the only polio vaccine that has been given in the United States since 2000. The OPV is used in other countries.
In India, OPV has been used exclusively in India since 1978, however, IPV has been recently added to India’s national immunisation program. OPV is also continued. CDC says that IPV is given by a shot in the leg or arm, depending on the patient’s age.
On the other hand, for OPV, children receive doses of the vaccine by drops in the mouth. Symptoms Of Polio There are different types of polio and the symptoms tend to vary depending on the type of the condition. Abortive polio FeverHeadacheMuscle achesSore throatStomachacheLoss of appetiteNauseaVomiting.
Nonparalytic polio Neck pain or stiffnessAches or stiffness in the arms or legsSevere headacheStiffness of the spine and nec.
