What are the daily care for polio patients?

Poliomyelitis is an acute infectious disease caused by the polio virus. Its clinical characteristics are fever, sore throat, limb pain, and in a few cases, flaccid limb paralysis. Because the disease is more common in children, it is called "polio." Daily care for polio is very important. So, what are the daily care for polio? Let's introduce it in detail below.

1. Maintain normal vital signs, check body temperature, and observe fever pattern.

Absolute bed rest until the fever subsides and the paralysis stops progressing. Properly arrange treatment and nursing, avoid unnecessary stimulation, such as injections, repeated physical examinations, etc., to prevent the occurrence of or aggravation of paralysis. Dexamethasone and vitamin C can be given to patients with severe conditions to alleviate the symptoms of poisoning and prevent the progression of paralysis. Closely observe breathing for sputum accumulation, weak cough, changes in respiratory rate and rhythm, cyanosis, and abnormal phenomenon of upper abdominal concavity during inspiration. Keep the airway open, turn over and pat the back to promote sputum discharge, or raise the foot of the bed and lie on the side for postural drainage. Instruct the child to cough and expectorate, or use a suction device to clear respiratory secretions, breathe oxygen, and use endotracheal intubation, tracheotomy, artificial respiration, etc. when necessary. Give antibiotics to prevent and treat lung infections, and use respiratory stimulants to treat central respiratory failure.

2. Relieve pain and maintain joint function. There is often paresthesia before limb paralysis occurs, and the affected muscles are obviously painful.

Hot compress can be used to improve muscle pain and spasm. Apply a hot cotton pad that has been wrung out of water to the affected area, cover it with a plastic sheet, and use a towel to keep it warm or use a hot water bottle around it to maintain the temperature (to prevent scalding). Do this 2 to 4 times a day, for 20 to 30 minutes each time. Pay attention to monitoring muscle tremor, muscle spasm and muscle tension. Give aspirin and indomethacin for pain relief. Prednisone can also be used to reduce nerve cell edema or add sedatives. For paralyzed limbs, stimulation and pressure should be avoided. The bed should be flat but not too soft (a wooden board can be placed under the mattress). The quilt should be light and warm. A support can be used to maintain the functional position of the affected limb to prevent foot drop or foot eversion. Vitamin B1, B12, C and energy mixture can be used. Improve nerve metabolism. After paralysis stops progressing, use galantamine and dibazole to promote nerve conduction. And start active or passive functional exercises of the limbs and acupuncture and physiotherapy in time. Promote the maximum recovery of nerve function and prevent muscle contracture deformity.

3. Daily life care

① Pay attention to dietary care. Give nutritious liquid or semi-liquid food during fever, and switch to normal food after the fever subsides. Feed patiently. For those with dysphagia and choking after eating, use back patting and postural drainage to prevent suffocation. For severe cases, nasogastric feeding should be replaced once a week. Nutrition can also be supplied intravenously. Take good care of the oral cavity. When the swallowing function is restored, try to feed a small amount of boiled water first, and then slowly increase the amount and type of food to train the child's swallowing function. ② Take good skin care. Children with sweating and long-term bed rest must keep their skin clean, change their positions regularly, and move gently to avoid aggravating pain. Use 50% ethanol to massage the pressure area and bony protrusions twice a day to improve local blood circulation. If necessary, use an air ring or sponge pad to prevent bedsores and aspiration pneumonia. ③ Observe the child's urination and defecation. If there is urinary retention, compress the bladder regularly to assist urination. Clean up the discharged urine and feces in time and keep the buttocks clean and dry.

4. Prevent the spread of infection

① Isolate the digestive tract of the sick child, and isolate the respiratory tract in the first week, and isolate until 40 days after the onset of the disease. ② Disinfect the secretions and excretions of the sick child with bleaching powder, and disinfect the utensils and the floor with sodium hypochlorite solution. Expose the bedding to the sun. Close contacts should be observed for 20 consecutive days. Or timely intramuscular injection of immunoglobulin once a month for 2 consecutive months can prevent the onset of the disease or alleviate symptoms. ③ Universal vaccination is the main measure to reduce the incidence and even eliminate the disease. The current oral vaccination program in my country is to take a trivalent vaccine once at 2, 3, and 4 months of age, and an additional dose at 4 years old. When a case occurs or a batch of cases appear, it is advisable to take an additional dose. The vaccine emphasizes refrigerated storage, and when taking it, chew it and take it with warm water.

5. Psychological care

The children who have been bedridden for a long time have lost their ability to move and suffered physical discomfort, which has a great impact on their mood. The staff should treat the children with full enthusiasm, relieve their discomfort in time, and try their best to meet their daily needs to encourage them to build confidence in overcoming the disease.

Through the above introduction to the daily care of polio, I believe everyone has learned a lot. I hope that the above polio care measures can help everyone better care for polio. A warm reminder: if you suffer from polio, you should go to the hospital for treatment in time to avoid delaying the child's illness.