Introduction Polio, also called poliomyelitis, is a sickness caused by a virus that mostly affects children under 5. It spreads when someone touches infected poop, drinks dirty water, or eats contaminated food. The virus grows in the throat and intestines. Most people only get mild flu-like symptoms like fever, tiredness, headache, or sore arms and legs. But in about one out of every 200 cases, polio can cause permanent paralysis, which means a child might not be able to mov