Post-Polio Syndrome: A Guide for Polio Survivors and Their Families [Paperback]

Dr. Julie K. Silver M.D. (Author), Julie K. Silver (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2002

A guide for polio survivors, their families and their health-care providers. It offers advice on all aspects of post-polio syndrome. Based on her extensive experience treating post-polio patients, Dr Silver discusses issues of crucial importance, including how to find the best medical care, deal with symptoms, sustain mobility, manage pain, approach insurance issues, and arrange a safe living environment.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Silver is medical director of the Spaulding-Framingham Outpatient Center and heads the Spaulding Polio Center. As the granddaughter of a polio survivor, she skillfully correlates her grandfather's medical difficulties with problems she commonly encounters in treating polio survivors, adding an empathetic and compassionate tone to her solid medical text. She first defines and describes post-polio syndrome (PPS) and follows this with chapters on finding expert medical care, controversies over diagnosis and treatment, conserving energy, preventing falls and further disability, sex and intimacy, and the emotional and psychological aspects of coping with PPS. Her chapters are brief (averaging six pages), but they provide practical explanations and suggestions. They also continually emphasize the need for personalized evaluation by health professionals with experience in treating polio survivors. Aside from differences in citing medical studies and references, Silver's book is quite similar in scope and content to Managing Post-Polio: A Guide to Living Well with Post-Polio Syndrome (LJ 10/1/98), edited by Lauro Halstead. Silver, in fact, covers many of the same topics and cites several of the authors who contributed to Halstead's book (she herself was one of the contributors). It is unlikely that most collections need both books, recommending this primarily where Halstead's book is not available. Ximena Chrisagis, Fordham Health Sciences Lib., Wright State Univ., Dayton, OH
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Silver first learned about polio because several family members contracted it in the epidemics of the 1930s and 1940s. Her subsequent clinical and research experience as a physician has benefited many polio patients when they later acquired post-polio syndrome (PPS). A major problem with any syndrome is that there is usually no specific test that will identify it unequivocally. Some confusion enters the picture for PPS patients, since not all of them recall having had paralytic polio; indeed, in some cases neither doctor or patient was aware that the latter's disease was polio. Silver describes PPS, shows how it is diagnosed, discusses various treatments for it, and stresses that choosing an experienced and open-minded physician is vital to good treatment. Citing many case histories to make her points, she tackles various controversies and offers much practical advice about protecting and strengthening parts of the body, overcoming pain, and coping with fatigue, cold tolerance, and depression. William Beatty
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300088086
• ISBN-13: 978-0300088083
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #807,071 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Julie Silver, MD is an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Dr. Silver is an award-winning author and has edited/written many books that focus on healing. Her latest book is You Can Health Yourself. She is the Chief Editor of Books at Harvard Health Publications, which is the consumer health branch of Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Silver has a special interest in cancer rehabilitation and is the author of After Cancer Treatment: Heal Faster, Better, Stronger. She also edited What Helped Get Me Through: Cancer Survivors Share Wisdom and Hope. Her work in cancer rehabilitation was recognized by the American Cancer Society in 2006 when she was awarded the prestigious Lane Adams Quality of Life award. In 2010, she was chosen by Massachusetts General Hospital for THE ONE HUNDRED award that is given to 100 people in the United States who are making a significant difference in cancer care. She is the founder of Oncology Rehab Partners (www.OncRehab.com), a healthcare company committed to advancing survivorship care.

Dr. Silver is currently on the medical staff at Spaulding, Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women's hospitals. Her work has been featured on many national media outlets including The Today Show, The Early Show, Dr. Oz, ABC News Now, AARP Radio and NPR. You can see more about her work at www.JulieSilverMD.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent tool for polio survivors, October 24, 2002

By 

Lana Mallory (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Post-Polio Syndrome: A Guide for Polio Survivors and Their Families (Hardcover)

What an excellent tool Dr. Silver has given polio survivors and their families. She has written a comprehensive book on post polio beginning with the history of polio and post polio and continuing on to cover the topics important to our individual needs.

She has organized the book in a manner that facilitates finding information quickly. Her writing style is very easy to read and the material is so complete that many times I felt she was talking directly to me. Upon completing the book, I felt encouraged by her optimism and had a better understanding of what was happening to my body and what I needed to do.

Her credentials, click on "look inside", are impressive. The fact that she is a medical doctor at Harvard and is actively working with post polio patients is reassuring. She also has done extensive research and quotes many experts in the field. I feel she has given me the best information available.

I have also read some of her articles at polio sites on the internet and found them to be very helpful. One that I found particularly interesting was "Polio Myths and Half-Truths". I hope she writes more!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best read on Post Polio, March 15, 2002

By 

Stephen Pate "Busker" (Charlottetown, PE Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Post-Polio Syndrome: A Guide for Polio Survivors and Their Families (Hardcover)

This is the most current read on Post Polio and a must have book for everyone who has had Polio.

There is a certain l'ennui in the PPS community - been there, read that, seen it all. Dr. Silver's book transcends the common and obvious. She makes the topics fresh and vital with her viewpoint and ideas. Her insights are useful. I wish I had read the book a year before. I could have saved myself considerable pain from over exertion.

Needs a paperback so more people will read it.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must have on the subject of Post Polio, November 18, 2002

By 

Maureen Ogorman "leneker" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Post-Polio Syndrome: A Guide for Polio Survivors and Their Families (Paperback)

If you or someone you love had Polio or has Chronic Fatigue, this book is a must read. It gives an easily understandable explanation of the mechanisms behind the disease, the experience of having the disease, and the continued effects upon both body and psyche.

CF sufferers will be amazed at the similarities of their condition to Post Polio Syndrome.