Richard Louis Bruno

Dr. Richard Louis Bruno is a clinical psychophysiologist, and an expert in Post-Polio Sequelae (PPS, also known as "Post-polio syndrome") [Goodwin, "Post-polio syndrome" in #Sources] . PPS are the unexpected and often disabling fatigue, muscle weakness and pain that are occurring in the world's 20 million survivors of polio.

Dr. Bruno trained at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University. In 1984, Dr. Bruno organized the International Post-Polio Task Force, which he chairs. He also serves as advisor to post-polio support groups on four continents. Dr. Bruno edited three special issues of the journal "Orthopedics" devoted to PPS, and advises both Congress and the federal government on PPS-related issues. Dr. Bruno drafted the Social Security Disability regulations for PPS. In 2003 he drafted and, with Congressman Steve Rothman and Senator Arlen Specter, won release of a Social Security Ruling for Post-Polio Sequelae to stop denials of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) for PPS. [(Rothman, "Year of Polio Awareness") in #Sources]

Dr. Bruno's work has been published in many journals including "Stroke", "Biofeedback and Self-Regulation", the "Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome", "Neurology, Disability and Society", the "Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, Psychophysiology, Sexuality and Disability", the "American Journal of Medicine", "Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences". He is also a contributing editor of "New Mobility" magazine. Dr. Bruno conceived and co-wrote the story on the NBC series "American Dreams" about nine-year-old Will Pryor, who had one leg paralyzed by polio, having surgery so that he would no longer need to wear a long-leg brace.

Dr. Bruno has received numerous honors for his work, including the New Jersey Pride Award in Health, and an honorary Doctor of Humanics degree from Springfield College. Dr. Bruno was also selected to present the 45th Annual "John Stanley Coulter Lecture" [ [http://www.acrm.org/research_awards/Coulter_Lecturer_Award_History.cfm American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine - Research and Awards - John Stanley Coulter Lecture Award History ] ] to the annual meeting of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. [ [http://www.acrm.org/ American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine] ]

Dr. Bruno lectures throughout the world and his work is frequently covered by the media. Articles on Dr. Bruno's work have appeared in "Newsweek", The New York "Times" and "USA Today". He has appeared on NBC's "Today" Show and ABC's "Good Morning America", on CNN, The "CBS Evening News", ABC News "Nightline", on the BBC, CBC, National Public Radio, and on The Discovery Channel and The Learning Channel.

Dr. Bruno is director of The Post-Polio Institute, International Centre for Post-Polio Education and Research and Fatigue Management Programs at New Jersey's Englewood Hospital and Medical Center. [M.E. "Profile" in #Sources] His book "The Polio Paradox: Uncovering the Hidden History of Polio to Understand and Treat "Post-Polio Syndrome" and Chronic Fatigue", is published by Warner Books. (ISBN 0446690694)

Past abuse of polio patients prevents treatment for PPS today

A study of 1,185 polio survivors, conducted by Dr. Nancy Frick and Dr. Bruno, found that 34 percent of them were physically abused during their initial (childhood) treatment for polio, and 94 percent reported emotional abuse. Sexual abuse was reported at a rate three times as high as that for the general population of that age group -- those who were children in the 1940s and 1950s. [Noble "Scientist at Work" in #Sources] Commenting on this history, Dr Bruno says "It's no wonder that so many polio survivors refuse to appear disabled again by using by using crutches, braces or, God forbid, a wheelchair. It appears that polio survivors have been using Type-A behavior as protection against their deep fear of further abuse and criticism."

Vaccination

Dr. Bruno advocates universal vaccination for polio.

"We start getting not just five cases as in Minnesota, but 50 or 500 cases of polio. Parents are going to wake up and say, 'We should be vaccinating.' The price of not vaccinating is much higher than the potential price of vaccinating." [Post "Minnesota polio cases raise awareness of immunization" in #Sources]

"The CDC estimates that nearly 93% of US children 19-35 months old are vaccinated against polio. Ninety-three percent sounds good, until you realize that leaves more than one million toddlers unvaccinated. What is worse, toddlers below the poverty line have even lower polio vaccination rates, 89.5% in Newark and 87% in New York City, a rate equal to Asian countries that include Cambodia, Mongolia and Viet Nam. These statistics are especially frightening considering the ease of air travel to the US from Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Nigeria, where polio has never come under control, and from the ten African and Asian nations that were polio-free but where the poliovirus has been reintroduced. What will happen when a healthy-appearing but polio-infected international traveler lands at an airport and travels through a poor community? Every American child must receive all four doses of the injectable, inactivated polio vaccine. America's polio epidemic could be just a plane ride away." ["Keeping polio at bay in New Jersey . The Record, September 4, 2007]

ources

("Alphabetical by author. Sources with no listed author at the end, alpha by title.")
*cite web |url=http://www.meao-cfs.on.ca/illnesses/ppolio_tips.shtml |title=Polio By Any Other Name: A Double Standard of Disbelief |accessdate=2007-07-24 |last=Bruno |first=Dr. Richard L. |year=2002 |month=October |work=M.E |publisher=Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Association of Ontario |quote=Despite the similarities between West Nile and polio, why are those who had WNV believed when they complain of lasting fatigue and muscle weakness -- even depression -- while doctors still don't "believe" PPS exists?
*cite web |url=http://www.gbppa.org/surgery.htm |title=Preventing Complications in Polio Survivors Undergoing Surgery |accessdate=2007-07-24 |last=Bruno |first=Richard L. |publisher=Greater Boston Post-Polio Association |quote=Unfortunately, only a handful of specialists treat Post-Polio Sequelae (PPS) - the unexpected and often disabling fatigue, muscle weakness, joint pain, cold intolerance and swallowing, sleep and breathing problems occurring in America's 1.63 million polio survivors 40 years after their acute polio.1,2 However, all medical professionals need to be familiar with the neurological damage done by the original poliovirus infection that today causes unnecessary discomfort, excessive physical pain and occasionally serious complications after surgery.
*cite web |url=http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/eagle/1135/pps_task_force.htm |title=Letter |accessdate=2007-07-24 |last=Farrow |first=Mia |authorlink=Mia Farrow |date=March 8, 2002
*cite web |url=http://www.lcmedia.com/mind998.htm |title=Post-Polio Syndrome |accessdate=2007-07-24 |author=Fred Goodwin, M.D. |authorlink=http://www.lcmedia.com/goodwin.htm |date=March 8, 1999 |work=The Infinite Mind |publisher=National Public Radio |quote=Dr. Bruno said his studies have indicated that symptoms can be reduced quite a bit if polio survivors take two 15-minute breaks during the day, and put their feet up and relax.
*cite web |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/73678416.html?dids=73678416:73678416&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+5%2C+2001&author=THOMAS+H.+MAUGH+II&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&edition=&startpage=A.10&desc=THE+NATION |title=After Effects of Polio May Hit Millions |accessdate=2007-07-23 |last=Maugh |first=Thomas H. |date=June 5, 2001 |work=Los Angeles Times |pages=A10 |archiveurl=http://www.postpolio.org/latimesart1.htm |archivedate=2002-01-01 |quote="When patients were recovering from polio, we made them exercise their muscles and told them to 'Use it or Lose it,' " said Dr. Richard Bruno, director of the Post-Polio Institute at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in New Jersey. Now it is just the opposite. The byword is "Conserve to preserve."
*cite web |url=http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/archive/2002-08/a-2002-08-23-10-1.cfm |title=Health Report: Post-Polio Syndrome |accessdate=2007-07-20 |last=Moss |first=Jill |date=August 28, 2002 |work=VOA Special English Health Report. |publisher=Voice of America |quote=Richard Bruno is an expert on Post-Polio Sequelae. He says the condition is caused when nerves damaged earlier by the poliovirus become tired and overworked. There is no cure.
*cite web |url=http://www.aarp.org/bulletin/yourhealth/a2004-09-13-borrowed_time.html |title=On Borrowed Time: Polio survivors may lose their iron lungs. |accessdate=2007-07-23 |author=Roxanne Nelson |year=2004 |month=september |work=AARP Bulletin |publisher=AARP
*cite web |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9C05E6D6103EF933A25752C1A96E958260 |title=Scientist At Work: Nancy Frick; A First-Person Study Of Polio's Painful Legacy |accessdate=2007-07-24 |last=Noble |first=Holcomb B. |date=November 10, 1998 |work=The New York Times |quote=Dr. Frick did not make the connection between the attack and her childhood polio until two years later, when she sought treatment from Dr. Richard L. Bruno, and they began talking about her past. Dr. Bruno was studying the effects of disease on the autonomic nervous system at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York.
*cite web |url=http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2005/10/28_postt_polioupdate/ |title=Minnesota polio cases raise awareness of immunization |accessdate=2007-07-23 |author=Tim Post |authorlink=http://minnesota.publicradio.org/about/people/mpr_people_display.php?aut_id=53 |date=October 28, 2005 |work=MPR News |publisher=Minnesota Public Radio |quote="There's no reason why every child in America shouldn't be vaccinated against polio," said Bruno. "Parents should demand it, and school districts should demand that every kid that comes into kindergarten be vaccinated against polio and all diseases."
*cite news |url=http://www.cincypost.com/news/1999/kpolio030199.html |title='47 flu may have been mild polio |accessdate=2007-07-24 |last=Ralston |first=Julie |date=1 March 1999
work=The Cincinnati Post |publisher=E. W. Scripps Company |quote=Bruno wants to identify survivors of the mysterious grippe and analyze their health today. It could be shown that they had the low-grade form of polio that, while not paralyzing, damages nerves and causes a wide array of symptoms, known as post-polio syndrome. Potentially thousands of people's minds could be put to rest about their undiagnosed symptoms if it can be proven that grippe survivors have post-polio syndrome, Bruno said.|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20051204162538/http://www.cincypost.com/news/1999/kpolio030199.html|archivedate=2005-12-04
*cite web |url=http://www.house.gov/rothman/news_releases/2006/sept19.htm |title=Congressman Rothman's "Year of Polio Awareness" Resolution Passes |accessdate=2007-07-23 |author=Steve Rothman |authorlink=http://www.house.gov/rothman/biography.htm |coauthors=Kimberly Allen |date=September 19, 2006 |work=Press Release |quote="PPS symptoms include overwhelming fatigue, muscle weakness, muscle and joint pain, sleep disorders, and difficulty swallowing and breathing," explains Dr. Bruno. "An alarming number of medical professionals - and even polio survivors themselves - don't know PPS exists and that treatment is available and effective."
*cite web |url=http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2003-03/a-2003-03-16-18-New.cfm |title=New Battle Against Post-Polio Sequelae |accessdate=2007-07-23 |last=Skirble |first=Rosanne |date=16 March 2003 |work=VOA News |publisher=Voice of America
*cite web |url=http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2003-03/a-2003-03-16-2-Post.cfm |title=Post Polio Sequelae: A Conversation with Survivors |accessdate=2007-07-23 |last=Skirble |first=Rosanne |date=16 March 2003 |work=VOA News |publisher=Voice of America
*cite web |url=http://www.10news.com/news/3296033/detail.html |title=Company Pulls Plug On Iron Lung |accessdate=2007-07-23 |date=May 12, 2004 |work=10News.com. |publisher=10News San Diego |quote="This is a death sentence for these patients," said Dr. Richard Bruno of the International Post Polio Task Force. Bruno said Respironics' decision to pull the plug on iron lung patients is symptomatic of a bigger problem. "Nobody is concerned about polio survivors," Bruno said.
*"Polio's Backlash". "The American Journal of Nursing". July, 1985.
*cite web |url=http://www.meao-cfs.on.ca/illnesses/ppolio.shtml |title=Profile of Dr Richard L. Bruno |accessdate=2007-07-24 |work=M.E |publisher=Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Association of Ontario

Notes

External links

* [http://www.postpolioinfo.com/postpolio/ The Post-Polio Institute at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center]
* [http://members.aol.com/harvestctr/pps/polio.html/ harvest center Post-Polio Library]
* [http://www.hachettebookgroupusa.com/books/71/0446690694/index.html/ The Polio Paradox]
* [http://www.newmobility.com/ "New Mobility: The Magazine for Active Wheelchair Users"]