What are the symptoms of poliomyelitis?

Poliovirus infections can exhibit symptoms in varying degrees of severity. The majority of individuals (90 to 95 percent) have no symptoms at all. This is referred to as inapparent infection. Three other categories of polio infection will be discussed.

The following are the most common symptoms of poliomyelitis. However, each child may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:

• Abortive poliomyelitis - a mild and short course of the disease with one or more symptoms including fever (up to 103° F); decreased appetite; nausea and/or vomiting; sore throat; malaise (not feeling well); constipation; or abdominal pain.

• Nonparalytic poliomyelitis - the symptoms of nonparalytic poliomyelitis include the symptoms for abortive poliomyelitis, but the headache, nausea, and vomiting may be worse. In addition, symptoms may include the child feeling sick for a couple of days, and then appear to improve before getting sick again with pain of the muscles in the neck, trunk, arms, and legs, and stiffness in the neck and along the spine.

• Paralytic poliomyelitis - the symptoms of paralytic poliomyelitis include the symptoms of nonparalytic and abortive poliomyelitis. In addition, symptoms may include muscle weakness all over; severe constipation; muscle wasting; weakened breathing; difficulty swallowing; weak cough; flushed or blotchy skin; hoarse voice; bladder paralysis; or muscle paralysis.

The symptoms of poliomyelitis may resemble other problems or medical conditions. Always consult your child's physician to confirm the diagnosis.