Case Narrative: Post-Polio Syndrome After 73 Years of Misdiagnosis
Patient History The patient is a 76-year-old female with a lifelong history of progressive skeletal muscle weakness, first noted following a febrile illness at age six. The illness lasted over three weeks and was initially diagnosed as influenza by her primary physician, though a consulting doctor expressed concern that it may have been more serious. No further investigations were conducted at that time. Post-illness, the patient developed persistent fatigue in the lower limbs, difficulty climbing stairs, lifting objects, restricted range of motion, and poor exercise tolerance. By early school age, she required assistance to climb stairs and, by age eight, was unable to walk 700 meters without rest due to lower limb weakness and paresthesias. Psychosocial Context Despite clear functional impairments, the patient received no medical explanation for her symptoms throughout childhood. Family members and healthcare providers attributed her condition to deconditioning, encouraging incr...
