Infection by worms the child’s body is the cause of many failures in its work, until the violation of physical development and the emergence of serious diseases. Therefore, the problem cannot be ignored and it is important to identify it at the initial stages.
In order to become a victim of the defeat of the worms, several things are necessary. Before a parasitic organism settled inside, he first gets into the mouth. There he must eliminate the special enzymes in the saliva.
If this barrier is overcome – he enters into a hostile environment of the stomach. For survival it there a role to execute the intestine: the parasite is killed by immune cells. But if the human body is weakened and may not fully protective functions, it becomes a favorable condition for the penetration of worms in the body and their stay.
In children, this mechanism has not been established, therefore, they are at a particular risk of the disease helminthiasis. A contributing condition is thrust a small child, “to experience the world of taste.” When the parasite penetrates into the body, it picks up nutrients from the intestine, are able to severe lesions of internal organs. Because of this, symptoms of exhaustion, General weakness, allergic reactions, growth retardation, weight, mental and physical development.
What are the ways of infection of a child with worms?
Most often this is due to:
- 1. contact with Pets and other children who have worms;
- 2. using contaminated soil (dirt on hands, under fingernails after a walk) irregular washing your hands, including after using the toilet, when poorly washed fruits and vegetables;
- 3. when contact flies and other insects from the food consumed;
- 4. if insufficient heat treatment of meat and fish;
- 5. in case of accidental ingestion of water while swimming in open water.
Symptoms of worm infestation
The first signs of worms in children are varied and individual, it is because the human body can parasitize more than 200 types of harmful microorganisms. Each of them has its own characteristics and favorite places in the body.
For children up to 2 years, to detect worms at an early stage they have quite difficult due to the fact that the child at this age is often not able to complain to the parent on a specific pain, for example, in the stomach or intestines. The signs are hidden and adults notice “wrong” with only a few obvious symptoms (the presence of parasites in the feces).
Children 3-6 years easier: they can more or less articulate, complaining of pain in one area or another. As for the General list of the first signs that parents should pay attention, it’s this:
- grinding of teeth at night;
- pallor;
- fatigue;
- weight loss;
- dark circles under the eyes;
- lack of appetite, nausea;
- increased salivation;
- constipation or diarrhea;
- sleep disorders;
- itching in the anus;
- itching in the nose;
- pain in the navel;
- tearfulness, moodiness;
- allergic rash on the body;
- the presence of small worms in the feces;
- sometimes a cough.
Diagnostics of helminthiasis
In fact it is hard to put a diagnosis of “helminthiasis”, as the activity of worms is well disguised as other diseases. To be sure to learn about it is necessary to analyze the still warm feces three times in a row. Indirectly, the infestation may indicate blood – decreased hemoglobin, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, a large number of eosinophils in the blood. The eggs of pinworms, which are most often infected children, are deposited only in the skin near the anus, and discover their only possible using scraping on enterobiasis.
Another types of parasites often found in children is roundworms. They can reach a length of 20 cm and tend to curl in a ball, which can be felt with your fingers on the stomach – a clear sign of ascariasis in a child.
Medical treatment of helminthiasis in children
There is no single magic bullet, capable of permanently freeing the child from any parasitic organism. Therefore, a big mistake committed by those parents who attempt to find a cure against worms. It is prescribed by a doctor to fight strictly in accordance with the identified view, as each drug is intended for a specific group of microorganisms. Antiparasitic drugs have toxic properties, quite a strong action and many potential side effects is another reason that uncontrolled drinking is prohibited. Only a qualified doctor can determine the dosage and course of treatment based on the patient’s age, stage of disease, overall condition of the body including contraindications.
- Piperazine Adipate.
It long used in pediatric practice, low toxicity, narrow spectrum of action – removes only adult hookworms passed in the stool. Does not affect eggs and larvae. Ineffective with extensive lesion nematodes. Side effects as nausea, chills, diarrhea, pain in the lower abdomen.
- Dekaris.
Active agent is levamisole. Drugs acting on a wide range of destructive parasites. Recommended for children after three years. Causes massive destruction of worms, a powerful intoxication reaction. Its manifestations are avoided by the absorbents. In some cases there are side effects such as disorders of the liver, joint pain, seizures.
- Albendazole.
Use a heavy defeat worms in children after two years. Has a pronounced effect with strong side effects, so it is applicable in hospital under strict medical supervision.
- Vermoxum.
Prescribed for diagnosed with the signs of worms in children older than two years, displays a large number of species of helminths. Effective when mixed form the lesions. Common unwanted effects: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, allergic reaction, hair loss.
- Pyrantel.
The drug is widely and successfully used in pediatric practice for children from 6 months to three years. Used once with a repeated course in 14-21 days. Side effects pronounced abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, blurred vision, chills, and sometimes hallucinations.
- Worm.
Assign children aged 2 years. The drug has a broad spectrum of activity, effective against nematodes, cestodes, trematodes and protozoa. When the excretion of worms occurs intoxication, which causes the following reactions: headache, as well as in the region of the lower abdomen, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, heartburn, itching of the body.
Against ascariasis, trichuriasis and enterobiasis Mebendazole is also effective. In parallel with the child must undergo treatment and the nearest adult, because there is a high probability of mutual contamination. To reduce symptoms of helminthiasis it is necessary to take antihistamines. After receiving de-worming drugs should be to resort to the help of the absorbents, which take toxins out of the body, which emit dying worms, thus decreasing the strength of side effects.
Most of the funds taken once, eliminate only the adults of worms, not acting on their eggs and larvae. This happens only in the case if you take the drug again a week later.
Prevention of worms and parasites from a baby
You need to adhere to certain daily rules:
- 1. to teach a child to always wash hands before eating, after using the toilet, crowded places and playgrounds;
- 2. to avoid close contact with animals, especially not treated against worms;
- 3. regularly cut nails;
- 4. explain why you can’t take her hands in her mouth
- 5. maintain daily cleanliness of the bathroom.
Prevention and adjuvant therapy can resort to some natural remedies against parasites. Include such frequent use of onions and garlic and raw pumpkin seeds on an empty stomach. Small children are advised to land on the pot in which well-heated milk.
Signs of getting worms in the body vary depending on the species of parasite, age of the patient and the stage of infestation by helminth infections. There are many medications which can cure the disease, but they are appointed only by the doctor in a strictly defined dose, because provoke a number of very strong negative reactions.
