Worms (helminths) are one of those problems faced by parents around the world. This is a really serious issue that needs to be addressed quickly. Worms are worms from the group of parasites. They parasitize the human body and disrupt the functioning of organs and systems. More often children have pinworms and roundworms.
Whenever symptoms of helminthiasis appear, immediately consult a doctor for an effective therapy.
Causes of worm infection in children
Due to their natural mobility and curiosity, children often come into contact with the world around them and everything inhabiting it. The list of common causes of infection is quite impressive.
Contact with contaminated surfaces
The worms and their eggs can survive for up to two weeks without food.
The most common places where a child can become infected with worms are:
- soil in the playground or outdoors that contains worms or eggs;
- contact with animals or contact with their excrement, infected with worms.
Consuming food or water contaminated with worms
It is very important to wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly before eating, as they contain eggs of worms.
Raw or undercooked food also carries a risk of worm infestation. Contaminated water is a very common source of contamination.
Contact way
Worms are transmitted to humans from humans. Pinworms usually spread in this way, so there is a very high risk of infection with helminths in children's groups.
Insect bites
Mosquitoes are often carriers of the infection.
The presence of worms in the mother
It is possible to infect a child even during pregnancy, when the infection occurs in the womb. The larvae of helminths enter the bloodstream to the fetus through the placenta or during childbirth through the birth canal. The eggs of parasites get to the child from the surface of the nipple, toys and other objects.
Worm infestations are more common in children than in adults. Worms in children under one year old are not as common as in children 1. 5 - 3 years old, who actively explore the world, taste various objects and become infected much more often.
Helminthiases are dangerous at any age. Worms in a one-year-old child are a special case, because the baby's body has not yet matured, the immune system is weak, and the presence of worms in children can cause frequent acute respiratory diseases, a tendency to allergies, and diseases of internal organs.
The presence of worms in babies is a big health problem, since the worms feed on the substances required for the growth and full development of the baby.
Symptoms of worms in children
Signs of worms in children depend on the habitat and activity of the worms in the child's body. The most common worms - roundworms in babies, pinworms, tapeworms - live in the intestines, but some of certain parasites can move from organ to organ. For example, roundworms first enter the stomach, and from it with blood enter the lungs or liver. There they grow for three weeks, then re-enter the intestines or stomach.
Pinworms often inhabit the anus, causing severe itching. In girls, they can be found in the genitals, causing vulvovaginitis.
Opisthorchis parasites often live in the liver and pancreas. Echinococcus can affect muscles and bones, chains even penetrate the brain. Also, some types of helminths are found in the respiratory organs, causing a persistent cough.
How to understand that a child has worms?
According to the location of the worms in children, the following signs of the presence of worms in the child may appear:
- Constipation.Large worms can block the lumen of the intestine, which causes impaired stool flow. Constipation may last for more than 2 days.
- Diarrhea.Some parasites secrete a special substance that stimulates the body to excrete undigested food particles and large amounts of water.
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome.Helminths can cause inflammation in the intestines. This causes malabsorption of nutrients and irregular bowel movements.
- Flatulence.Some types of helminths provoke fermentation processes in the small intestine, this causes excessive gas formation. If you don't get rid of the worms in time, flatulence can last for months.
- Soreness in joints, muscles.This happens when parasites invade a joint or into the thickness of muscle tissue and destroy it.
- Allergy.The waste products of worms can activate special cells in the body that are responsible for the occurrence of allergic reactions.
- Worms can cause skin diseases.Acne, urticaria, papillomas and diathesis appear. Sometimes infection with worms leads to increased fragility of hair and nails.
- Anemia.Some types of worms are able to adhere to the intestinal walls and receive from them not only nutrients, but also blood. Because of this, the child develops anemia, which is diagnosed with a clinical blood test.
- Change in body weight.As a rule, as a result of infection with worms, body weight decreases sharply, since the worms absorb more nutrients that enter the body with food. Having a helminthic infection often causes loss of appetite due to the ingress of toxins into the bloodstream. But often the child experiences an increase in body weight - this is a defensive reaction to the spread of worms.
- Disorders of the nervous system.The child has a moody and irritable behavior. Depression may develop in schoolchildren and adolescents against the background of helminthiasis.
- Sleep disturbances.When a child wakes up every night, this may indicate an infection process. At night, some types of worms leave the body through the anus, which is accompanied by severe itching, which prevents the baby from sleeping.
- Jaundice.More common with tapeworm infections.
- Chronic fatigue syndrome.The child is constantly weak and tired quickly due to the lack of nutrients in the body. Memory problems develop, emotional stress and drowsiness develop.
- Immunity disorders.Due to helminthiasis, a child often develops diseases of a viral genesis, an allergic reaction to ordinary foods appears. In the intestine, dysbiosis, colitis often develop, on the face - rashes, diathesis and herpes.
- Respiratory problems.They occur when the larvae of worms attack the lungs. With worms, children develop a cough and their body temperature rises. Bronchial asthma is an extremely dangerous complication of the invasion of worms.
Numerous symptoms of worms in children significantly complicate the diagnosis. Therefore, parents should remember about the usual preventive examinations, including tests to determine the presence of pinworms and ascaris.
Common types of worms in children
- Pinwormscause itching around the anus, painful urination.
- Ascaris.With ascariasis, diarrhea is observed, worms are visible in the child's feces with the naked eye. Fever and dry cough are detected within 4 to 16 days after contact with roundworm eggs.
- Ankylostoma.The child develops a cough, wheezing appears. In case of severe infection, anemia and chronic fatigue develop.
- Tapeworms.They enter the body with contaminated food and water. Swallowed worms move out of the baby's intestines, forming cysts in the tissues and organs of the body.
How to identify worms in a child?
Abdominal pain, lethargy, and diarrhea can be symptoms of other illnesses. To make sure that they are signs of helminthiasis, it is necessary to perform some tests for worms in children:
1. Blood test for worms in children.
An enzyme immunoassay for worms is prescribed. As a result of the study, special antibodies and antigens are identified, indicating the presence of worms in the body. This analysis will show the type of worms present, their number, and the ability to reproduce.
In order to diagnose worms, a general blood test is performed, which allows you to identify anemia or signs of inflammation in the body.
2. The exact result is achieved using a histological coprogram
It consists in microscopic examination of feces. Thanks to this study, it is possible to clearly identify the body parts of the worm, their eggs. As a result, helminthiasis is diagnosed, as well as the type of worms.
3. X-ray and other diagnostic measures
When there is a suspicion of the presence of worms in the lungs, an X-ray examination is prescribed. In addition, a sputum test is performed. Computed tomography or ultrasound is done to identify parasites in the liver, brain, or kidneys.
How to get rid of worms in children?
To treat worms in a child effectively, contact a parasitologist and follow his recommendations.
Self-medication with anti-worm drugs for children is unacceptable because they are quite toxic. Also remember that invading different types of worms require individualized treatments that are structured according to the worm's life cycle. When calculating the dose, the specialist should take into account the age and body weight of the patient.
Your doctor may prescribe a medicine for worms, which is available as a syrup for toddlers or as a tablet for older children.
Deworming tablets for children usually kill the worms without harming the owner, in this case the child. The treatment period is usually short and lasts no more than a few days. Sometimes one dose is enough to rid the crumbs of worms.
But many drugs are ineffective against worm larvae and eggs. In addition, there is a rather large threat of repeated self-infection with pinworms in young children. Therefore, after 2 - 3 weeks, the treatment course should be repeated.
If a child has worms, in parallel with etiotropic drugs, a specialist may recommend a choleretic if you suspect that the worms live in the gallbladder. Laxatives are often prescribed to quickly eliminate helminths and sorbents to absorb toxins. Antihistamines can reduce the manifestation of allergies and improve the health of the little patient.
Treatment of helminthiasis in infants is very difficult. Almost all drugs for worms are not used for children under two years old, because they are very toxic and have many side effects. The damage to the body caused by the consumption of such drugs can be significant even with the slightest excess of the dose. Therefore, self-treatment of helminthiasis in children of the year is absolutely not allowed.
With any suspicion of worms in an infant, it is necessary to contact a specialist who will determine the degree of infection and develop a treatment regimen that works in this case. In some situations, the doctor may even suggest delaying treatment for a short time so that the child grows up.
Don't rely on over-the-counter drugs as they may not be suitable for toddlers and young children. Always visit your doctor and follow the dosage and treatment regimen to keep your child free of worms. It is recommended to use pills for worms for children every six months for prophylaxis. Talk to your doctor about what to give your baby for prevention of worms, the specialist will determine the dosage and frequency of preventive deworming.
Folk remedies for worms for children
Along with medications, treating worms in children with folk remedies will help alleviate the discomfort due to worms in the body. A natural remedy for worms will not necessarily get rid of the worms in your child, but it will help in treating and preventing infection.
Consider folk remedies:
- Garlicis a natural anthelmintic agent for children. It is known to be effective against parasitic worms. Raw garlic contains amino acids, sulfur, which will help kill and rid the body of parasites. Eating three cloves of raw garlic on an empty stomach will help with complex deworming.
- Papaya- the best remedy for health. Unripe papaya has an enzyme called papain, which acts as an anthelmintic agent to kill worms in the intestines. In addition, papaya seeds are used to expel worms from the stomach. Grind papaya seeds and stir a tablespoon of the mixture in warm milk or water. Ask your child to drink the drink in the morning, three days in a row. Combine one tablespoon of raw papaya and one tablespoon of honey in warm milk or water. Drinking this drink on an empty stomach helps drive out intestinal worms.
- Pumpkin seedshelp in expelling intestinal parasites. The seeds contain cucurbitacin, which paralyzes pests and makes it difficult for them to survive in the body. Offer your child a spoonful of pumpkin seeds with honey. Boil a spoonful of peeled and crushed pumpkin seeds in three glasses of water. Let the drink sit for half an hour. Offer to the child when the liquid has cooled down.
- Chinese bitter gourd.Although slightly sour in taste, it is very effective in fighting intestinal worms. Mix a cup of bitter gourd juice with water and honey and feed to your child twice a day.
- Carrotcontains vitamin A, which boosts immunity and allows the body to fight any intestinal worms before they have completely colonized the body. Eating carrots on an empty stomach will help neutralize persistent parasites in the body and also prevent re-infection.
- Turmericis a natural antiseptic and helps in the elimination of all types of intestinal worms. You need a glass of warm water mixed with one spoonful of turmeric, give the child from worms once a day for five days.
- Coconuthas strong antiparasitic properties, making it effective in treating worms. You can use fruit or oil to kill worms. Have your child eat a tablespoon of ground coconut daily with breakfast. Keep using this home remedy for a week. Concentrated coconut oil contains medium chain triglycerides that will help remove worms from your baby's body. Taking four to six teaspoons of coconut oil every morning for a week will boost immunity and prevent worm infestations from recurring.
- Carnationdestroys existing intestinal worms and their eggs and also prevents future infections. Add a teaspoon of cloves to a glass of hot water and let sit for 20 minutes. Drink this water three times a week to avoid contamination.
- Onion juicehelps in the fight against roundworms. Take the onion and chop it well, drain the juice from the onion mixture. Consume it in the morning on an empty stomach.
- Indian lilacpossesses antiparasitic properties and can destroy various intestinal worms. Combine the powdered leaves in warm milk and honey. Offer to your child twice a week.
Traditional home remedies can help relieve the infection, but they cannot completely cure it. They are not a substitute for prescription medications.
Prevention of worms in children
Children playing in mud, sand, grass and other open areas are more likely to become infected with worms. While worms can be eliminated with deworming, it is best to prevent infection as much as possible.
Hygiene is critical here. Teach your children basic hygiene habits and educate them about how worms get into their bodies and make them sick.
Prevention of worms involves the following actions:
- Do not give raw water to children from springs or wells. This water must be filtered and boiled before use.
- After contact with the ground, hands should be thoroughly washed with soap.
- It is also worth washing vegetables, herbs, fruits and berries that the child and other family members eat.
- It is important to thoroughly heat-treat meat, fish and poultry.
- Do not offer your child dried, salted, or raw foods that have not been cooked.
- It is necessary to take a shower after swimming in water. Do not allow pets to lick your child's hands or face because their tongues may contain worm eggs.
- Hands should be washed well after each contact with animals.
These precautions do not exclude the possibility of infection with helminths, but they minimize it.