Helminth infection is one of the most common childhood diseases. According to official statistics, more than 20 million people are affected by helminth infestations, 80% of whom are children. The symptoms of worms in the body are not always clear. Consider the main signs of helminth infection in children, methods of treatment 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).
- Tapeworm (tapeworm, swine tapeworm).
- Methyl worms (cat and Siberian flu).
Most often, children have worms belonging to the first group. Between them:
- Roundworms are long worms with pointed edges. The color can be different: from pink to yellow. Adults parasitize in the small intestine. Roundworms multiply at high speed - the female is able to lay up to 240 thousand eggs a day;
- Pinworms - belong to roundworms and small size. They are usually white or yellowish in color. Females lay eggs near the anus and in the perineum. Eggs become contagious after a few hours.
- Hairheads are roundworms with thin forelimbs that are able to pierce the intestinal wall. At the same time, the whipworms are saturated with his blood and poison the other organs with their waste. The secretions are absorbed into the bloodstream and spread throughout the body.
Important! Sometimes parents do not even suspect that helminths have settled in their child's body. In the chronic stage, the disease may be asymptomatic.
Experienced doctors say that a thorough examination of the worms can detect even a seemingly healthy child.
How children become infected
It would be fundamentally wrong to think that worm infections are caused by insufficient care for the child. Cases of helminth infections are not uncommon in the most prosperous and well-maintained children. The main source of infection is dirty hands. An active child learns the world around him and spends a lot of time outdoors, in the garden, on the playground and in the sandbox. These are places of significant accumulation of worm eggs. Infections of animals that children like to play with are common.
Another danger is unwashed vegetables and fruits. Especially those species whose fruits are in contact with the ground, such as strawberries, should not be eaten unwashed.
Important! You should not think that peeled fruits (bananas, tangerines, oranges) will be absolutely safe. They 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 has been kept in conditions that do not meet hygiene standards, it is not surprising that parasites have settled in its milk. Another cause of worms can be meat and fish that have not been properly cooked.
Infection cannot be avoided if the child has not developed hand hygiene habits before eating and after using the toilet. Bad habits of biting nails, sucking fingers, biting the tip of a pen or pencil are not harmless at all, as it seems at first glance, because the child's hands are not always clean enough. It is absolutely unacceptable for a child to pet or handle stray cats or dogs.
Common 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 the body of children can be judged by the general manifestations of worm lesions:
- stool disorders (constipation, diarrhea);
- frequent dizziness, nausea, bad breath;
- sudden weight loss due to the fact that parasites absorb most nutrients from food;
- dermatological diseases (skin rash, papillomas, diathesis, brittle nails);
- nervous system disorders (gloom, tearfulness, poor sleep and chronic fatigue of the child);
- low hemoglobin levels;
- disorders of immunity, leading to frequent viral diseases;
- low resistance to respiratory diseases (sinusitis, nasal polyps, adenoids);
- allergic reactions.
Important! The signal for the presence of parasites can be the usual prophylactic vaccination. If it is accompanied by severe allergic reactions, a visit to a parasitologist is necessary!
Signs of pinworm infection
Caring parents want to know what worms look like in a child's stool. Usually pinworms in a pot or near the child's anus can be seen only in advanced cases. As a rule, it is rarely possible to see them with the naked eye. But a careful mother will always pay attention to the following symptoms:
- itching of the anus;
- abdominal pain, especially around the navel;
- salivation, nausea;
- anxiety of a child who often wakes up or trembles in his sleep;
- gnashing of teeth during sleep (no definite medical evidence).
If the child itches in the anus, especially at night, it leads to parasites on the hands, and later on the skin of the whole body. As a result, inflammatory skin diseases are possible. Combing the anus is also dangerous because it contributes to re-infection with pinworms when the child, without washing his hands, takes food, toys or pulls them in his mouth.
Young girls have an increased risk of pinworms penetrating the external genitalia, where females crawl from the anus. This infection is accompanied by urinary incontinence and profuse genital discharge. Lack of proper treatment can lead to a significant delay in the growth and physical development of the child.
Symptoms of roundworm and whip damage
Unlike pinworms, which are common in temperate climates, roundworms prefer warm and humid air. Roundworm infection is suspected when the child, in the absence of respiratory disease, begins to suffer from a dry cough, which intensifies at night. This is due to the fact that the parasites move throughout the body. Other symptoms include a rash on the body, fever, pale skin and dark circles under the eyes. In severe disease, inflammation of the gallbladder, nervous disorders and epileptic seizures are possible.
Whipworm infection is usually slow or asymptomatic, but bloody diarrhea, anemia, and delayed physical development may occur.
Diagnosis of helminthiasis
If the child is suspected of being infected, a series of tests and examinations should be performed. Diagnostic methods will determine the type of parasite. The child must pass:
- analysis of feces for worm eggs - you need to take it with a break of several days;
- analysis for dysbiosis - establishes the difference between the indicator of E. coli from the norm;
- general blood test to determine the level of iron in the body;
- scraping for pinworms.
Important! A single analysis for the presence of helminths in the stool in many cases does not detect parasites in the child's body. It is important to re-examine the stool.
As pinworms and roundworms die quickly outside the human body, it is recommended that stool analysis for helminths be performed as soon as possible after bowel movements. Scraping for pinworms should be done at least once a year. It is mandatory when the child enters a kindergarten, school or hospital.
In order to eliminate the risk of parasites entering other internal organs, ultrasound, endoscopic examinations and computed tomography are performed.
Characteristics of the disease with worms in infants
Worm infection in children usually occurs after 1 year. This is a period of active exploration of the world, when the baby loves to study the objects around him, to try them. However, cases of helminth infection also occur in infants. Such diseases are considered to be a very serious problem, causing enormous damage to the still defenseless organism.
One of the main causes of the disease is helminth infestation in the womb. If the mother-to-be herself is a carrier of worms, their larvae can enter the fetus through the placenta during pregnancy. The infection can occur during the baby's passage through the mother's birth canal. Thus, just born, the baby is already a carrier of worms.
The risk of helminth infection in an infant increases when the baby begins to crawl. If there are pets in the house, basic hygiene rules are not followed, then it is easy for the baby to collect all kinds of bacteria and parasites in his body.
It is much more difficult to make an effective diagnosis in early childhood than in a child 1 year and older. Signs of helminthiasis in infants may include bowel movements, inflammation around the anus and labia in girls, poor appetite and weight loss, irritability and anxiety. Even in case of insignificant probability of infection, you should show the child to a doctor and do the necessary tests.
Traditional treatments
In most cases, the treatment of helminthiasis takes some time. The child should be taken to a pediatrician, parasitologist and pediatric gastroenterologist. Drug treatment takes place in three stages: a period of release of toxins from the body, a course of anthelmintic therapy and a subsequent program of cleansing and strengthening.
Preparations for worms
Before using antiparasitic drugs, children are prescribed sorbents for general cleansing of the body and antihistamines to relieve inflammation and allergies. This is followed by taking anthelmintic drugs.
Important! Worm preparations are toxic, so they can be taken only with a doctor's prescription, following the prescribed dosage! 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 medication.
The pill formulations can be given to older children who can already swallow the pill. It is not uncommon for a child to refuse to swallow the pill or spit it out. Do not crush or crush the pill. You can try to give it to your child while playing or with food. For infants and one-year-olds, drugs in the form of a drug suspension are more suitable. Antiparasitic agents work according to the following scheme: the first method destroys adult helminths, and the next prevents the maturation and reproduction of larvae.
Side effects usually indicate the death of parasites under the influence of the drug. To remove them, you can take activated carbon. But this should be done no earlier than 24 hours, otherwise the effect of the anthelmintic agent will be reduced. In some cases, complex antiparasitic courses may be prescribed, which include several drugs. Anthelmintics have a number of contraindications. Not prescribed to children with malignant tumors, certain blood diseases and liver dysfunction.
Anesthetics are prescribed to relieve severe itching in the anus, which relieves the sensation of irritation and burning. Zinc oxide in combination with beeswax or glycerin reduces itching and creates a protective film in the anal area.
Important! Along with drug treatment, it is necessary to carry out a general cleaning of the house. To do this, you need to wash and carefully iron the bed linen, handle the child's belongings and toys, and destroy cockroaches and bedbugs in the home.
During treatment, special attention is paid to diet. Protein foods, fermented dairy products are recommended. Foods high in fiber 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 remove worms at home. Folk remedies help not only get rid of worms, but also have a beneficial effect on the vital activity of the child's organs. Consider the most effective traditional medicine.
Enemas
With the help of an enema, the products of the decomposition of helminths can be expelled from the intestines, which even after death continue to infect the child's body. For the procedure in the water it is recommended to add a few cloves of garlic and a teaspoon of salt. Such an aqueous solution is better absorbed in the intestine. Before the procedure, the mixture is boiled and cooled to 36 degrees. Enemas with garlic water are suitable for the youngest children. There is a risk of helminths passing through the gut during the procedure. To avoid this, it is recommended to drink plenty of fluids before applying the enema.
To drive away the worms, you can add garlic to the hot milk, pour the mixture into a saucepan and place the baby on top of it. The worms will crawl under the influence of garlic fumes. When performing such a procedure, you must be very careful not to burn the baby's skin.
tansy
Tansy has earned a reputation as an excellent remedy for pinworms and roundworms due to its essential toxic oils. They are used successfully to expel parasites from the human body. The only caveat: successful treatment requires a large dose, which is intended for adults. The question of whether it is possible to give tansy to children as an anthelmintic agent, it is impossible to get a definite answer. The drug has a fairly long list of side effects: nausea, vomiting, high blood pressure, convulsions.
Important! Decoction of tansy can be prescribed only to a child aged at least 10 years, weighing at least 30 kg. It is dangerous for preschoolers to take tansy for worms.
Pumpkin seeds
This simple tool has been known since ancient times and was used by our ancestors. Pumpkin seeds, so loved by many, act as an excellent remedy against parasites. Instead of seeds, you can give pumpkin seed oil, which is sold in pharmacies. Take half an hour before meals. For young children who still do not know how to eat seeds, you can cook pumpkin broth. To do this, the seeds are crushed, flooded with boiling water and kept in a water bath. The resulting liquid is insisted for 24 hours and drunk after straining.
Onions
Pour boiling water over the chopped onion and simmer 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. It must be freshly squeezed. Useful juices of beets, pomegranate and cabbage, as well as rose hip infusions. However, you must understand that it is impossible to get rid of helminths only with juices. Therefore, their use on an empty stomach is considered part of a comprehensive therapy against helminths.
Natural vegetable oils
Hemp, flaxseed and cedar oil have antiparasitic properties. They are completely safe for babies. You can moisten a piece of cotton wool in oil and apply it to the child's anus at night. This action destroys the eggs of spiders, which the female lays during the child's sleep.
Doctor for the treatment of worms
In his televised speeches, the famous doctor noted that it is possible to achieve success in the treatment of worms only with the help of modern drugs. The doctor urges parents not to self-medicate and to consult a specialist in time.
In this case, it is important to determine which type of worm has attacked the baby and which medication will have the most effective effect on him. From folk remedies a famous doctor advises pumpkin seeds, recommending a dose of 300 grams at a time. But the gnashing of teeth in a dream as a sign of helminth infestation, the specialist considers an empty fabrication.
Prevention of helminth diseases
In order to minimize the likelihood of parasite infestation, preventive measures should be observed:
- make sure the child washes his hands as often as possible, especially before meals and after the toilet;
- do not drink raw water;
- do not eat raw meat and fish;
- wash vegetables and fruits well;
- do not allow the child to touch stray dogs and cats with their hands and regularly give pets anthelmintic drugs;
- wash the child's toys daily;
- trimmed short nails, under which parasitic eggs usually accumulate;
- observe personal hygiene and cleanliness of the home;
- in the autumn and spring to undergo anthelmintic prophylaxis with the whole family.
Adherence to all rules is not an absolute guarantee of protection against parasites, but significantly reduces the risk of infection and its serious consequences.