What are the SYMPTOMS?

There is no characteristic symptom or sign to be found in all cases. This makes the diagnosis difficult. Quite frequently, the patient cannot bend his head forward as far as usual. A doctor should always be called if anyone in the family has a fever associated with a bad headache, or with pain in the muscles in either the arms or legs or in the neck and back. Even minor upsets in children should be looked upon with suspicion. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, a slight cold coupled with pain in the joints, are also possible danger signs. A child catching polio may become drowsy or restless, feverish and irritable. He may complain about and resist being moved. These symptoms are particularly important during the summer and early fall months because this is the period during which most outbreaks of polio occur.