Helminth infection is one of the most common diseases in childhood. According to official statistics, more than 20 million people suffer from helminthic infestations, 80% of whom are children. Symptoms of worms in the body are not always pronounced. Review the main symptoms of helminth infections in children, their treatment methods and preventive measures.
Types of helminths
There are more than 300 species of worms. All of them can be divided into three groups:
- Nematodes (pinworms, roundworms, whipworms).
- Tapeworms (horned animal tapeworm, pork worm).
- Fluke worms (cat and Siberian worms).
Often children have worms of the first group. Among them:
- Roundworms are long worms with pointed tips. The color can be different: from pink to yellow. Adults parasitize the small intestine. Roundworms multiply rapidly - a female can lay up to 240, 000 eggs a day;
- Pinworms - refers to roundworms and small worms. They are usually white or yellowish. Females lay eggs near the anus and in the perineum. Eggs become contagious after a few hours.
- Vlasoglavs are round worms with thin anterior ends that are able to pierce the intestinal wall. At the same time, the whipworms feed on his blood and poison the remaining organs with their waste. The secretions enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body.
It is important! Sometimes parents do not suspect that helminths are located in the child's body. In the chronic stage, the disease may be asymptomatic.
Experienced doctors say that after a thorough examination, worms can be detected even in a seemingly healthy child.
How children get infected
The main mistake would be to conclude that worm infestation is caused by insufficient children. Helminth infections are not uncommon in the most prosperous and well-groomed children. The main source of infection is dirty hands. The active child explores the world around him and often spends it outdoors, in the garden, on the playground and in the sandbox. These are the places where worm eggs are significantly collected. There are often cases of infection from animals that children love to play with.
Unwashed vegetables and fruits are another danger. Especially fruits that come in contact with the ground, such as strawberries, should not be eaten without washing.
It is important! You should not think that peeled fruits (bananas, tangerines, oranges) will be completely safe. It should be washed as well as other fruits before eating.
You can get worms by eating fresh cow's or goat's milk. If the animal is kept in conditions that do not meet hygienic standards, the presence of parasites in its milk is not surprising. Another cause of worms can be undercooked meat and fish.
If the child has not developed good hand hygiene habits before meals and after using the toilet, it is impossible to prevent infection. Bad habits, such as biting nails, sucking fingers, biting the tip of a pen or pencil, are not harmless at first glance, because the child's hands are not always clean enough. It is absolutely unacceptable for a child to hunt or care for stray cats or dogs.
General symptoms
All signs of worm infection can be divided into general and specific, which are characteristic of certain types of parasites. The presence of general intoxication in children can be assessed by the general manifestations of worm lesions:
- fecal disorders (constipation, diarrhea);
- frequent dizziness, nausea, bad breath;
- acute weight loss due to parasites absorbing most of the nutrients from food;
- dermatological diseases (skin rash, papillomas, diathesis, brittle nails);
- nervous system disorders (nervousness, tears, poor sleep and chronic fatigue of the child);
- low hemoglobin level;
- impairment of immunity, often leading to viral diseases;
- low resistance to respiratory diseases (sinusitis, nasal polyps, adenoids);
- allergic reactions.
It is important! Ordinary prophylactic vaccination can be a signal of the presence of parasites. If it is accompanied by severe allergic reactions, it is necessary to visit a parasitologist!
Symptoms of pinworm infection
Caring parents want to know what worms look like in a child's feces. Pinworms, which are usually in a pot or near a child's anus, can only be seen in advanced cases. As a rule, it is rare to see them with the naked eye. However, a careful mother will always pay attention to the following symptoms:
- itching of the anus;
- abdominal pain, especially around the navel;
- leakage, nausea;
- anxiety of a child who often wakes up or is jealous of sleep;
- grinding teeth during sleep (no definitive medical evidence).
If the child itches, especially in the anus at night, it causes the parasites to spread to the hands and then to the skin of the whole body. As a result, inflammatory diseases of the skin are possible. It is also dangerous to comb the anus, which can lead to re-infection with pinworms when a child does not wash his hands, eats, takes toys or puts them in his mouth.
In young girls, the risk of pinworms entering the external genitalia that women crawl from the anus increases. This infection is accompanied by urinary incontinence and excessive discharge from the genitals. Lack of proper treatment can lead to significant delays in a child's growth and physical development.
Symptoms of roundworm and whipworm damage
Unlike pinworms, which are common in temperate climates, roundworms prefer warm and humid weather. Ascaris infection is suspected when a child begins to suffer from a dry cough that intensifies at night, in the absence of respiratory diseases. This is due to the fact that parasites move throughout the body. Other symptoms include rash, fever, pale skin, and dark circles under the eyes. With severe forms of the disease, inflammation of the gallbladder, nervous disorders and epileptic seizures are possible.
Infection with whipworms is usually slow or asymptomatic, but bloody diarrhea, anemia, and delayed physical development may occur.
Diagnosis of helminthiasis
If you suspect that a child is infected, a number of tests and tests should be performed. Diagnostic methods will determine the type of parasite. The child must pass:
- fecal analysis for worm eggs - you should take it with a break of a few days;
- analysis for dysbiosis - determines the difference between the norm of E. coli from the norm;
- general blood test to determine iron levels in the body;
- Scratching for pinworms.
It is important! A single test for the presence of helminths in the stool often does not detect parasites in the child's body. Re-examination of feces is of great importance.
Since pinworms and roundworms die quickly outside the human body, fecal analysis is recommended for the presence of helminths as soon as possible after bowel movements. Scraping for pinworms should be carried out at least once a year. It is mandatory when a child enters kindergarten, school or hospital.
Ultrasound, endoscopic examinations, computed tomography are performed to eliminate the risk of transmission of parasites to other internal organs.
Features of the disease with worms in a baby
Infection with worms in children usually occurs after 1 year. This is a period of active knowledge about the world that the baby loves to explore and taste the objects around him. However, cases of helminth infections are also found in infants. Such diseases are considered to be a very serious problem that causes great damage to the body, which is still vulnerable.
One of the main causes of the disease is helminth infection while still in the womb. If the expectant mother is a carrier of worms, their larvae can enter the fetus through the placenta during pregnancy. Infection can occur when the baby passes through the mother's birth canal. Thus, a baby born with difficulty is already a carrier of worms.
When a baby starts to crawl, the risk of helminth infections increases. If there are pets in the house, if the basic rules of hygiene are not followed, it is easy for the baby's body to accumulate all kinds of bacteria and parasites.
Effective diagnosis in infancy is more difficult than in a child over 1 year of age. Symptoms of helminthiasis in infants may include defecation disorders, inflammation around the anus and around the labia in girls, poor appetite and weight loss, irritability and anxiety. Even if the infection is insignificant, the child should be seen by a doctor and given the necessary tests.
Traditional methods of treatment
In most cases, treatment of helminthiasis takes some time. The child should be taken to a pediatrician, parasitologist and pediatric gastroenterologist. Drug treatment occurs in three stages: a cycle of cleansing the body of toxins, a course of anthelmintic therapy and a subsequent cleansing and strengthening program.
Preparations for worms
Before using antiparasitic drugs, children are prescribed sorbents for general cleansing of the body and antihistamines to eliminate the manifestations of inflammation and allergies. After that, anthelmintic drugs are taken.
It is important! Drugs for worms are poisonous, so they can be taken only in accordance with the dose prescribed by a doctor! Do not use strong drugs for prevention!
The age of the child, the severity of the disease and the risk of side effects should be taken into account when prescribing the drug.
Pill forms can be given to older children who are able to swallow the pill. It is not uncommon for a child to refuse to swallow a pill or spit it out. Do not crush and crush the pill. You can try to give it to your child during play or eating. Medications in the form of drug suspensions are more suitable for infants and one-year-old children. Antiparasitic agents act according to the following scheme: the first method destroys adult helminths, and the second prevents the maturation and reproduction of larvae.
Side effects usually indicate the death of parasites under the influence of the drug. You can take activated carbon to eliminate them. However, this should be done no later than 24 hours, otherwise the effect of the anthelmintic agent will be reduced. In some cases, complex antiparasitic courses containing several drugs may be prescribed. Antihelminthic agents have a number of contraindications. They are not prescribed for children with malignant tumors, certain blood diseases and liver dysfunction.
Anesthetics that relieve irritation and burning are prescribed to relieve severe itching in the anus. Zinc oxide in combination with beeswax or glycerin reduces itching and creates a protective film in the anal area.
It is important! In addition to medication, general cleaning should be done at home. To do this, you need to wash and carefully iron the bedding, process the child's belongings and toys, destroy cockroaches and bed bugs at home.
Special attention is paid to diet during treatment. Protein foods, fermented dairy products are recommended. Fiber-rich foods are good for normal digestion and timely bowel movements. It is better to exclude sweets and baked goods from the diet.
How to remove parasites at home
Folk remedies are presented in many recipes that allow you to get rid of worms at home. Folk remedies not only help to get rid of worms, but also have a beneficial effect on the vital functions of the child's organs. Consider the most effective traditional medicine.
enemas
With the help of an enema, the decay products of helminths can be expelled from the intestines, and even after death, the child continues to be infected. For the procedure, it is recommended to add a few cloves of garlic and a teaspoon of salt to the water. Such an aqueous solution is better absorbed in the intestines. Before the procedure, the mixture is boiled and cooled to 36 degrees. Enemas with garlic water are also suitable for the youngest children. There is a risk of helminths moving in the intestines during the procedure. To prevent this, it is recommended to drink plenty of fluids before enemas.
To remove the worms, you can add garlic to hot milk, pour the mixture into a pot and put the baby on it. Under the influence of garlic fog, the worms will crawl out. When performing such a procedure, you must be very careful not to burn the baby's skin.
Tansy
Tansy is known as an excellent remedy for pinworms and roundworms due to its essential toxic oils. They are used successfully to remove parasites from the human body. The only caveat: a large dose for adults is required for successful treatment. It is impossible to get an exact answer to the question of whether it is possible to give children tansy as an antihelminthic agent. The remedy has a long list of side effects: nausea, vomiting, high blood pressure, convulsions.
It is important! Tansy decoction can only be prescribed to a child at least 10 years old who weighs at least 30 kg. It is dangerous for preschool children to take tansy for worms.
Pumpkin seeds
This simple tool has been known since ancient times and was used by our ancestors. Pumpkin seeds, loved by many, are an excellent tool against parasites. Instead of seeds, you can give pumpkin seed oil sold in pharmacies. Taken half an hour before meals. Pumpkin broth can be cooked for young children who do not yet know how to eat seeds. To do this, the seeds are crushed, poured boiling water and kept in a water bath. The resulting liquid is brewed for 24 hours and filtered and drunk.
onion
Pour boiling water over the chopped onion and infuse for 12 hours. This infusion is drunk for several days. Onions and garlic are good for regular meals.
Juices
Carrot juice is considered the most popular in the treatment of worms. Of course, it must be freshly squeezed. Useful juices from beets, pomegranates and cabbage, as well as hips infusions. However, it should be understood that it is impossible to get rid of helminths only with juices. Therefore, their use on an empty stomach is considered part of a complex therapy against helminths.
Natural vegetable oils
Hemp, flax and cedar oil have antiparasitic properties. They are completely safe for babies. You can soak a piece of cotton in oil and pull it on the child's anus at night. With this action, the eggs of pinworms laid by the woman during the child's sleep are destroyed.
A doctor about the treatment of worms
The famous doctor said in a televised speech that the treatment of worms can be successful only with the help of modern medicines. The doctor strongly advises parents not to self-medicate and to consult a specialist in a timely manner.
In this case, it is important to determine which types of worms are attacking the baby and which drugs are most effective. A well-known doctor of folk medicine recommends pumpkin seeds at a dose of 300 grams at a time. However, experts consider tooth decay in sleep to be a sign of helminthic invasion.
Prevention of helminthic diseases
Preventive measures should be taken to minimize the possibility of infection with parasites:
- make sure the child washes his hands as often as possible, especially before meals and after using the toilet;
- do not drink raw water;
- do not eat raw meat and fish;
- wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly;
- do not allow the child to touch stray dogs and cats with their hands, and give pets regular anthelmintic medications;
- wash your child's toys every day;
- cut short nails, under which parasitic eggs usually collect;
- to observe personal hygiene and cleanliness in the house;
- Try antihelminthic prophylaxis with the whole family in the fall and spring.
Adherence to all the rules is not an absolute guarantee of protection from parasites, but it significantly reduces the risk of infection and its serious consequences.